iPhone 13 beats Galaxy S22 in punishing drop test

Drop test show the iPhone 13 Pro Max survives damaging falls better than Galaxy S22 Ultra does. This despite the Samsung model using a new type of glass.

The competition was relatively close, but Apple’s handset came out ahead.

Drop test: iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra

The YouTube channel PhoneBuff really challenged both the iOS and Android model. But they’re designed to survive. Samsung put in Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Victus+, but that wasn’t enough for it to beat Apple’s Ceramic Shield.

The first test was a drop of 1 meter (3.3 feet) onto a concrete block, with the devices landing on their backs. Both devices experienced scuffs and a small crack, but the Samsung model scored a narrow win.

Next, PhoneBuff dropped iPhone 13 Pro Max and Galaxy S22 Ultra onto their corners. The frames on both got visibly scuffed.

The harshest test begin with a face-down 1m drop of the handsets. The glass covers over both LCDs broke, though their touchscreens continued to function. The Galaxy’s in-screen fingerprint scanner did not — it stopped working completely.

Even rougher drops

As both the iOS and Android devices are battered but still functional, the next test was a drop of 1.45 meters (4.8 feet), with the front of the devices hitting steel. And this was repeated 10 times.

After the grueling test, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s front screen was shattered, and the crack on the back spread. In addition, the S-Pen stylus would no longer come out of its slot. The touchscreen still worked, but the fingerprint scanner remained broken.

As for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, “It amazingly still remains fully functional. It’s definitely not the best result we’ve ever seen. But at least in this comparison outside of the first round, the iPhone did better overall, making it the winner in this drop test,” said PhoneBuff.

Watch the video to see the test for yourself:

Apple’s Ceramic Shield debuted in the iPhone 12, and drop tests prove it’s tougher than anything Apple used before.