iPhone 8 Subjected to Durability and Speed Tests - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iPhone 8 Subjected to Durability and Speed Tests

With the iPhone 8 now available for purchase in many places around the world, it's popping up in a whole range of videos on YouTube that are looking at everything from speed to durability.

YouTuber JerryRigEverything aimed to test Apple's claim that the iPhone 8 is using the most durable glass ever included in a smartphone.


He did Mohs test to determine hardness, finding that it scratched at a level 6 out of 10, much like the iPhone 7. For comparison's sake, sapphire, the material used for the Apple Watch display in Stainless Steel and Edition models, is about a 9. The screen resisted scratches from coins, keys, and a razor blade.

In a bend test, the iPhone 8 held up well, faring better than the iPhone 7 last year. There was no separation between the body and the glass and no real distortion to the frame of the device.

YouTuber MadMatt did a speed test comparison between the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone 7 Plus, displaying apps launching side by side along with a Geekbench benchmark. While apps launched at about the same rate on both devices, the iPhone 8 did much better on the Geekbench test, as we saw last week in leaked A11 scores.


Earlier today, popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee did an iPhone 8 unboxing video, which is worth watching if you'd like to see the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus pulled right out of the box.


The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are already in the hands of many customers around the world. Deliveries will start in the United States in the morning, with customers on the east coast set to receive the first iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and Apple TV 4K models at around 8:00 a.m. local time.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

Top Rated Comments

Abazigal Avatar
116 months ago
I guess there is some upside to Apple recycling the same form factor for the fourth year in a row. When you have so much time to keep adding iterative improvements to your product, it really gets as refined as it can be.

It may be a tired old design, but it’s one that works.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
116 months ago
Had to turn down the sound when the metal on metal scratching began.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
116 months ago
Very disappointed with the camera lens not being true sapphire and scratching at a level 6, especially without a protective raised ring. If we have to endure a camera hump, it should at least protect the lens!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
116 months ago
As they say, there are lies, big lies and statistics. I would say that the test in geekbench responds well to A11 Bionic but anything else may not be as efficient. I would even go as far as to say that the CPU has been tailored for geekbench as you don't see that kind of difference in different tests.

You have to realize that Apple probably ensured that GeekBench would use all six cores at once but in reality only a couple of those cores will be used in actual real world usage. It will work like Big.Little. In android, usually four cores are always being used unlike iOS. The two high performance cores on the new iphones will do the grunt of the most stringent work while the low performance efficiency cores will be active for everything else. Think of the battery savings you need on your phones....you guys will never see all six cores running at once to get your so-called GeekBench scores (GeekBench app will be the only way you see it). Real World usage is the true defining factor.

Interestingly enough, there was a recent update to the GeekBench iOS app which could lend you to concluding that Apple and GeekBench may have worked hand in hand to ensure these results are taken at face value.
whatever helps you sleep at night.. ;)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Refurbished_ Avatar
116 months ago
People always do the speed test wrong.

Test the 7 on iOS 10.
Test the 8 on iOS 11.

Everyone has been using the 7 on iOS 10 for the past year. I want to know if it’s faster than last year’s phone, on the software we’ve been using....otherwise it’s a meaningless test in my opinion.

The true test arrives once iOS 11 is refined.... then you can make fair comparisons.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
filmantopia Avatar
116 months ago
why would they mention strongest glass if its same as iphone 7?
Scratching isn't the only indicator of strength.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors