Chris Parker/CNET
I had excessive hopes for the brand new Samsung Galaxy S21 telephones telephones going into our drop check, although Galaxy telephones have not been probably the most sturdy in our earlier exams. The S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra’s curved shows aren’t as pronounced as earlier fashions and all of the screens are all coated within the strongest Gorilla Glass. But let’s simply say my hopes proved optimistic, and should you’re contemplating going case-less together with your new Galaxy S21, it’s possible you’ll wish to learn on. While the three Galaxy S21 telephones could look related, the backs are all made of various supplies. The S21 Plus and Ultra have glass on both facet, whereas the again of the common S21 is product of plastic. Because this distinction may have an effect on the sturdiness of the cellphone, we determined to check out each the $1,200 (£1,149, AU$1,849) Galaxy Ultra and the $800 (£769, AU$1,249) Galaxy S21 concurrently.
Cut by means of the chatter
Subscribe to CNET’s Mobile publication for the most recent cellphone information and evaluations.
A number of components go into the sturdiness of the display, together with the form and thickness of the glass the producer decides to make use of. We know from our earlier Note 20 Ultra drop check that even the strongest Gorilla Glass (Victus) isn’t any match for pavement, with the display cracking on the second drop from hip peak. But that does not imply the S21’s display will share the identical destiny: The two have completely different designs and the thick metallic casing defending the digicam appears sturdier than the all-glass module on earlier Galaxy telephones. For our drop check, CNET senior video producer Chris Parker dropped a model new Phantom Violet Samsung Galaxy S21 and Phantom Black S21 Ultra onto a concrete sidewalk.
Now taking part in:
Watch this:
Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra: Not as robust as we would hoped
8:46
Drop 1: Pocket peak (3 toes), display facet downThe drop from pocket or hip peak is among the most typical causes of cracked screens, particularly in case your cellphone lands on a tough floor like a sidewalk. We begin all our exams at this peak. The cracked display of the Samsung Galaxy S21 after the primary drop from hip peak.
Chris Parker/CNET
Galaxy S21: Broken displayThe prime left hand nook of the cellphone reverse the digicam hit the bottom first, then the underside nook hit, then all the proper facet of the cellphone. This induced it to bounce again up a bit and land screen-side-down on the ground.The backside left hand nook of the glass had shattered with a number of bigger cracks stemming outward from the purpose of impression together with an enormous dome-shaped one working by means of the center of the display. The S21 Ultra after the primary drop from hip-height: one small crack on the prime.
Chris Parker/CNET
Galaxy S21 Ultra: A small crack The preliminary impression of the drop gave the impression to be distributed comparatively evenly because the cellphone hit the ground, with the highest fringe of the display hitting the sidewalk only a bit sooner than the remaining. It then jumped again into the air, flipped round and landed screen-side-up. The prime fringe of the metallic body on the S21 Ultra had what regarded like silver sand particles the place the paint was scraped, however the display regarded OK. That is, till we seen a tiny crack on the highest left-hand nook of the cellphone. It was sufficiently small that it in all probability would not hassle you should you stored utilizing the cellphone, but it surely was broken nonetheless and never the perfect situation after only one drop.Drop 2: Pocket peak (3 toes), again facet down To check the sturdiness of the again, Chris dropped the telephones from the identical peak with the display dealing with up. We clearly weren’t anticipating the plastic again on the S21 to interrupt, however we needed to see what sort of injury it could incur and the way the digicam would maintain as much as the autumn. The again of the Samsung Galaxy S21 had a number of minor scratches after the second drop from hip-height.
Chris Parker/CNET
Galaxy S21: Minor scratchesThe prime half of the cellphone hit the bottom first, then the underside edge inflicting it to leap within the air and full a few flips earlier than touchdown again on the sidewalk with the again facet dealing with up. Save for a number of tiny scrapes on the underside, there was barely any injury on the plastic again cowl, as we anticipated.The digicam was additionally in good condition, with no seen injury to the module or any of its three lenses, that are carved into the metallic casing. Unlike earlier Galaxy fashions the place all the digicam bump is roofed in glass, the module on the S21 is generally metallic and solely the lenses are glass. The damaged again of the Galaxy S21 Ultra after the second drop from hip peak.
Chris Parker/CNET
Galaxy S21 Ultra: Shattered againThe cellphone hit the ground virtually flat, bounced a bit and flipped on its facet inflicting it to land with its again dealing with up. The glass again on the S21 Ultra did not survive. It had a number of fractures stemming from the underside left hand nook and working up all the again of the cellphone and some unfastened items of glass coming off the nook the place it hit.The digicam module alternatively survived comparatively unscathed, apart from a pair small dings on the metallic casing.Drop 3: 6 toes again facet down (S21), display facet down (S21 Ultra) Both telephones have been cracked at this level, however we determined to drop them one final time on the facet which had sustained the least quantity of injury. The again of the Galaxy S21 sustained minimal injury after three drops with only a few scratches on the metallic casing.
Chris Parker/CNET
Galaxy S21: Scuffs on the digicam moduleThe weight of the digicam module should play a component within the touchdown, as a result of that is what broke the autumn but once more. With the digicam hitting first, the cellphone then bounced on the other facet and did a number of flips within the air earlier than settling screen-side-up on the ground. As anticipated, the again of the cellphone was nonetheless in good condition, however with some extra pronounced scrapes in direction of the underside. The prime left hand nook of the metallic digicam module, which broke the autumn, additionally had noticeable scratches. But the lenses remained intact. The shattered entrance of the Galaxy S21 Ultra after a drop from 6 toes.
Chris Parker/CNET
Galaxy S21 Ultra: Completely shattered displayThe cellphone landed virtually fully flat, bounced up a bit after which hit the ground once more face first.The tiny crack on the highest nook multiplied into a complete net of cracks overlaying virtually all the entrance of the cellphone. Some have been deep sufficient to penetrate the display and black out a part of the OLED panel. The display nonetheless responded to the touch, however there have been tiny shards of glass coming off it, so that you would not have needed to maintain utilizing it, even with a display protector on prime. The cracks on the again had additionally continued to develop, although they weren’t practically as dangerous as those on the entrance. A second opinionAllstate Protection Plans performed the same drop check on all three Galaxy S21 fashions with related outcomes. The screens shattered after the primary drop (on this case from 6 toes). The again facet of the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra additionally shattered after the second drop from the identical peak (again facet down). The breakdownWhile our exams are certainly not scientific and your outcomes could also be fully completely different should you drop your cellphone, our Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra cracked on the primary drop, which was disappointing. The S21 has an edge over the Ultra because the again in all probability will not break even should you drop it a number of occasions. But you may nonetheless must put a case on it to defend the display and I’d take into account investing in a display protector as an added layer of safety as repairing the S21’s display begins at $200. The silver lining is that the digicam modules on each telephones, that are costlier to restore, appear to be sturdier than in earlier modules because of the brand new metallic casing. We reached out to Samsung for touch upon our outcomes, however didn’t hear again at publication time.