Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Smartphones are inherently delicate devices, often featuring glass surfaces on both sides that sandwich intricate electronic components. Despite extensive scientific advancements, glass remains prone to breaking. Samsung has introduced its flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra, heralding it as the "slimmest, lightest, and most durable Galaxy Ultra device ever." The phone boasts a streamlined titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Glass Armor 2, which Corning asserts can endure drops from up to 7.2 feet onto concrete.
T-Mobile Promo
T-Mobile customers still have the opportunity to receive a new Galaxy S25 series phone for free under certain conditions.
Real-World Durability Tests
But how well does it fare in real-world scenarios? Allstate Protection Plans subjected the Galaxy S25 Ultra to their signature Breakability Drop Test, and the outcomes were less than stellar. A drop from six feet onto concrete in a front-down orientation shattered the screen and rendered the device unusable, while the speaker also malfunctioned. A single backdrop from the same height smashed the rear glass and scuffed two larger camera housings. Despite these damages, the device continued to function normally, including all camera operations.
Damage Evaluation
The side-drop test yielded better results, with the titanium frame suffering only minimal harm. Given the device's starting price of $1,299, any damage can be disheartening.
| Drop Orientation | Height | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Front-Down Drop | 6 feet | Shattered screen; Speaker malfunction |
| Back Drop | 6 feet | Shattered back glass; Scuffed camera housings |
| Side Drop | 6 feet | Minor damage to the frame |
AI Functionality
Allstate also examined the functionality of Galaxy S25 Ultra's AI features following each drop test. The ProVisual Engine, Gemini Live, and Circle to Search remained unaffected after back and side drops. However, all AI capabilities were disabled in the device dropped front-down.
Repairability Insights from iFixit
In terms of repairability, there is some good news. Repair experts at iFixit dismantled the Galaxy S25 Ultra and proclaimed it "the most repairable Galaxy phone in years." They gave it a tentative score of 5 out of 10 on the smartphone repairability scale, which, though average, marks significant progress compared to previous Samsung flagships.
iFixit praised Samsung for incorporating four easy-to-release sticky tabs to secure the battery, enabling its removal without heat, prybars, or solvents—tools that can damage the battery or cause it to explode. However, the experts also criticized Samsung for employing adhesives to secure the display and back glass, complicating repairs and necessitating new adhesives for reassembly.
Repair Challenges
Additionally, iFixit called out Samsung for insufficient official repair resources and bundling parts together. This practice inflates repair costs and renders specific fixes impractical.
Featured Articles
Here are some other interesting reads:
