iPhone 5 (vs Samsung Galaxy S3) Drop Tests Show Very Durable Device and Screen - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iPhone 5 (vs Samsung Galaxy S3) Drop Tests Show Very Durable Device and Screen

With the launch of the iPhone 5, several companies are performing tests and benchmarks on the new device. One common effort is to put any new iPhone in a series of drop tests to see how well it survives common falls.

Android Authority (via iPhoneinCanada) posts a drop test comparison video between the Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5 and actually finds in favor of the iPhone 5.

Well, as much as we hate to admit it, the iPhone 5 did amazingly well in our drop test, while the Samsung Galaxy S3 came out in pretty bad shape. It’s the cold hard truth that we can’t hide and we can’t ignore.
....
The hard aluminum shell of the iPhone 5 withstood the impact pretty well, and the glass protecting the display remained intact. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S3 predictably lost its back cover and suffered damage to the casing and the front glass. Sad, sad, sad.

Meanwhile, iFixYouri (via 9to5Mac) also posted a video showing their version of the drop test which also tested dropping the iPhone 5 from various heights.


The iPhone 5 survived all the falls until they finally threw the device screen down. They describe the device as the "most durable iPhone" they've seen.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....

Top Rated Comments

183 months ago
Most important conclusion in first id : "its just a cheap plastic anyway"

Couldn't find better words for that.


Ow and even the cracks look better than on a Samsung... Tho, it seems like they have tried to copy them.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
very impressive. Makes me cringe everytime these guys make these videos....OUCH
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mars Is Waiting Avatar
183 months ago
Drop your phone from just about any height, but don't rub the edges against anything. :p
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago

* Screen resolution
* screen tech (OLED - better contrast ratio)
* 2x more RAM
* wireless charging
* two baseband chips (simultaneous LTE data and voice)
* bigger battery (better battery time for talk and stand by)
* wireless charging
* memory card (more storage)
* Screen resolution - Irrelevant. ppi is high enough on iPhone to not see pixels.

* screen tech (OLED - better contrast ratio) - Opinion. IPS lets me see in daylight better

* 2x more RAM - Irrelevant. I have games on my iPhone 4S that play better than on a Android device with double the RAM. It's about how the OS is designed, not how much RAM you have.

* wireless charging - Opinion. I find this to be more of a gimmick. It's not hard to just snap in a cable at the bottom in half a second. And I don't want to lug around a huge charging pad everywhere I go.

* two baseband chips (simultaneous LTE data and voice) - I agree, for Verizon and Sprint customers this is better.

* bigger battery (better battery time for talk and stand by) - Comes at the downside of a bigger screen, which is tough for one-handed use and smaller hands.

* wireless charging - You already said this but it makes your list look bigger.

* memory card (more storage) - 64GB isn't big enough for you? I do like how it's expandable though, but again, the price to pay is the size and width of the device.

One more thing. Dear Fandroids and Windows Phone geeks (and iPhone fans too by the way). SPECS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOUR PHONE BETTER THAN OTHERS.

E
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
Cheap plastic, cheap construction and the fandroids can no longer use the excuse that it is more durable.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
183 months ago
The biggest surprise here is that the S3 fits in his pocket
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors