YouTuber PhoneBuff has tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max against the Galaxy S25 Ultra in a drop test, showing both flagship devices still crack under pressure despite advanced materials.
The test was carried out with a robotic rig that ensured each drop happened with precision, removing the human error that often affects durability comparisons. The devices were dropped onto a surface designed to mimic hard concrete, which is still the most common enemy of smartphone screens.
The devices were evaluated in three positions: a back drop, a corner drop and a face-down fall. These scenarios represent the most common ways a phone hits the ground in daily use. Each phone was dropped from about one meter initially, with the test repeated at higher heights to push durability limits even further.
The first back drop quickly revealed weaknesses. Both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra ended up with cracked glass on the rear. The Samsung model suffered an additional blow with visible damage around the camera lenses.
The corner drop brought another kind of punishment. Apple’s flagship showed deep scuffing and dents along its aluminum frame, though its front panel remained intact at that stage. Samsung’s Galaxy also took noticeable wear on the edges.
The front drop was perhaps the most painful. Both devices saw their front glass shatter after impact. The iPhone also displayed lens flare issues in its front camera area, a reminder that damage does not always stop at cosmetic cracks. At higher drop levels, Apple’s device lost camera focus in one corner, while Samsung’s phone continued to show increased cracking across its display.
Despite the damage, both phones remained functional. Take a look at the following video and tell us what you think.
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I get the need for glass on the face of the phones, but why still use glass on the rest of the device, specifically the back? It's unnecessary and cynically I see it as planned obsolescence.