What you need to know
- Zach Nelson of JerryRigEverything put the Galaxy Z Flip 6 through rigorous durability tests.
- Like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 last year, the Z Flip 6 managed to withstand several tests to its glass and improved hinge.
- The teardown also showcased the Z Flip 6's other components and waterproofing protections.
Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Flip 6 has passed Zack Nelson's durability test on YouTube, and the fifth iteration of the clamshell phone also turned out to be promising in terms of build quality.
Zach Nelson published the durability test on his popular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. Nelson started the test with the foldable screen, which showcases similar internal screen warnings to the predecessor Galaxy Z Flip 5: you should not press the screen too hard, remove the protective film, or let dust into the screen before you fold it closed.
Nelson uses a scratch test system that puts increasing pressure on glass to see what it can withstand. Like last year's Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Z Flip 6's inner screen can only withstand a "level 2" scratch before seeing permanent damage, while the cover screen only shows damage with his hardest "level 6" scratches, thanks to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.
The all-around armored aluminum frame, however, appears to be scratchable throughout, an argument for adding a Galaxy Z Flip 6 case.
Thankfully, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 survived Nelson's sand test, during which he poured sand all over the main display, cover screen, and hinge. While the debris added a "groaning sound" to the hinge, it otherwise remained unimpeded, suggesting it'll survive a trip to the beach.
It even managed to survive his "reverse bend" test, where he tries to unflip the phone the incorrect way to see if it breaks. He praised Samsung's "wizardry" for keeping the display and hinge intact, where other foldable phones might have snapped in two.
Nelson praised how the Z Flip 6's crease is significantly less visible than it was on the Z Flip 5. Our managing editor, Derrek Lee, also observed this in his initial Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Nelson then starts peeling the plastic layers one by one, which showcases Samsung's incorporation of layers under the foldable screen, ultimately revealing the Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG). Interestingly, the new, improved hinge design is also seen after the last layer of the foldable screen is removed.
After his durability test, Nelson removed Z Flip 6 parts like the front display to show the components underneath. According to him, you can easily replace the dual lithium batteries in both parts of the foldable phone, a good sign for repairability. He also found a large vapor chamber under the cover screen and battery; it's the first time that Samsung has incorporated a vapor chamber for a Flip phone.
The other components of the device include the speakers, wireless charging coil, charging port, vibrator, and waterproofing screen to keep the water out, which are also showcased in the video.
It's encouraging to see that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 managed to survive this teardown, though you'll need to be careful with the internal display. Samsung made a point of adding dust resistance up to 1mm particles to this phone for the first time, proving that foldables can become more durable than they've historically been.
