We all know about #Bendgate and the iPhone 6 Plus insanity that many Apple fans will deny (no need to argue over it; trust us, they will), but a new durability test provided by SquareTrade shows that the King of Bendgate now has a new title: the King of Torturegate.
While the bendability of the thin and light Galaxy S6 and S6 edge are no surprise (we’ve seen the results already), there’s more to a device than its bendability – although bendability is an important factor in durability. There are other factors, too, such as how much a device slides or doesn’t slide on a surface, drop tests, and water resistance tests, and these factors play a role for many in their decision to buy or walk by a device. Even if these factors do not constitute all of the purchasing decision, they are a part of the decision-making process with consumers who want a high-end, high-quality value buy.
With that said, the Galaxy S6 was found to be the most durable of the five devices tested (Galaxy S6, S6 edge, Galaxy S5, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus), with an overall “4” out of 10 for its breakability score. The Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6 were slightly behind, with a 4.5 score overall. The Galaxy S6 edge came in next, with a “5” breakability score that is expected given the device’s cutting “edge” (pun intended) that makes the outer sliver of the screen susceptible to breaks, drops, and falls. At the bottom of the list lies Apple’s first phablet, the iPhone 6 Plus.
The test results, per SquareTrade, are as follows:
In our drop tests, all three Galaxy phones survived six drops from six feet high without breaking. However, the S5’s removable back did pop off repeatedly, and the iPhone 6 Plus broke apart and stopped working 30 minutes later.
When it came to our slide test, the new glass S6 and S6 edge slid further than any of our other phones and twice as far as the plastic S5 – as one might expect. Finally, all phones survived 10 minutes under water, even though Samsung has backed away from any waterproof claims on the S6 and the S6 edge. There you have it: when it comes to durability, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is the phone to beat – or dunk – or drop – or bend.
There’s a lesson in this, folks: the iPhone 6 Plus may not be the most bendable high-end smartphone (in general) anymore, but it certainly is still the most bendable high-end phablet when compared to the likes of Samsung’s Note 3 and Note 4. If you want more than a 4.7-inch display (on the iPhone 6), you’re better off with Samsung.
