iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S3: Drop And Durability Test

The first drop test videos involving the iPhone 5 have surfaced, with the team testing Apple’s sixth-generation smartphone against a variety of different objects, as well as Samsung’s current flagship device, Galaxy S3. The test can’t exactly be described as scientific, and while it doesn’t give users any indication about how they will get on with the two devices or give any insight on their features, it does show whether or not Apple or Samsung has paid the most attention to build quality or product durability.

Before you even watch the first drop test video, which comes to us courtesy of AndroidCommunity, you must have an inkling about which device will come out on top, right? Anyone who has used or held the Galaxy S2 or S3 in their hands will know that it feels rather fragile with that all-plastic body. In no way does it detract from the power and functionality of what is a fantastic Android-based device, but it doesn’t come anywhere close to matching the superior premium feel (of full-glass, and later glass+aluminum) which Apple’s iPhone has had from the iPhone 4 onwards.

iPhone 5 Galaxy S III

This particular drop test has been designed to be as real-world as possible, with each handset being dropped from the same varying heights that are meant to represent an actual usage case for a smartphone. The first drop is from pocket level, the second comes from mid-body height and the final test comes from ear height to simulate a person dropping the smartphone during a phone call.

The initial drop doesn’t produce too much damage to either handset apart from the expected little scuffs around the outer shell of the body. Both the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 function perfectly after the drop with the display in working condition.

The second drop pretty much returns the same results, with a little bit of additional scraping being present around the bezel of the new iPhone. However, the third and final drop proved just a little bit too much for the Galaxy S3, with a rather painful looking scrape along the hard flooring, resulting in a smashed display.

The iPhone 5 on the other hand dusted itself off and went about its business. It wasn’t really a difficult outcome to predict, and although there is very little to pick between the two devices in terms of feature sets, it seems that the iPhone 5 has, by far, the superior build quality.

The second video comes to us courtesy of iFixYouri (via 9to5Mac) and it tests out the durability of the iPhone 5 by exposing it to all kinds of sharp objects, accompanied by a drop test as well:

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