New Galaxy S25 Ultra's durability test throws cold water on Samsung's claims

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

When Samsung announced the Galaxy S25 Ultra during its January Unpacked event, the Korean company claimed that the new flagship phone was the "most durable Galaxy Ultra device ever."

With the device finally getting into people's hands, those claims are being put to the test.

Earlier this month, YouTuber JerryRigEverything put the phone through a series of torture tests that revealed a pretty durable device that still took a step backward from last year's Galaxy S24 Ultra.

And now, the insurance company Allstate is getting in on the action. Allstate offers phone protection insurance. The company put the S25 Ultra through its "Breakability Drop Test."

Allstate Protection Plans | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Breakability - YouTube Allstate Protection Plans | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Breakability - YouTube
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The test involves dropping the phone on its front, side and back from a height of six feet.

According to Allstate, the side-down drop produced the least harm with minor damage.

The rear drop shattered the rear panel with "raised glass across the right side of the device." The press release also said that the rear panel bent outward. It does not mean that the phone was fully functional after the drop, though it would require a case to avoid touching the broken glass.

The display side drop was worse with the screen malfunctioning. "The screen shattered, with raised glass across much of its surface." It also noted that a large ink blot was visible at the bottom and there were two horizontal rows of white pixels at the top. The release suggested that because the buttons were still usable, the phone might be repairable.

This is good since the S25 Ultra recently scored high for repairability, with some of the highest scores a Samsung phone has achieved in a decade.

What about AI?

Allstate asked Google Gemini for advice on protecting your phone.

Most of the suggestions produced by the AI platform were practical ones, including getting a durable case, a screen protector and a phone grip. Of course, a boon for Allstate, Gemini supposedly recommended getting phone insurance.

"Our tests show that even the smartest technology can benefit from some extra protection, a fact that its own AI intelligence recognizes," Allstate VP of Marketing Jason Siciliano said in the press release.

Tom's Guide reached out to Samsung for comment and will update if the company responds.

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Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. 

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