Ultimate Drop Test Proves Which Smartphones are Toughest and Which Aren’t

Who makes the toughest smartphone?

Tom’s Guide dropped 12 of the leading handsets as part of its first annual Drop Everything special report, and the Motorola Moto Z2 Force emerged as the world’s toughest phone. Thanks to its shatterproof display, it survived multiple drops on wood and concrete from 4 and 6 feet — as well as a plunge into a toilet — without sustaining a single crack.

Each year, more than 95 million smartphones are damaged from drops, according to market research firm IDC, but not all phones instantly crack under pressure.

The iPhone X proved to be the biggest surprise in the Tom’s Guide’s report, as it was the toughest non-ruggedized phone. Apple’s $1,000 handset suffered less damage than most of the competition after being dropped on its face from 4 feet.

“Our goal with this Drop Everything report was to determine which phones are toughest and which are weakest using a series of real-world tests,” said Mark Spoonauer, editor-in-chief of Tom’s Guide. “We will be adding this testing to every major phone we review so that shoppers will know which ones can hold up best to everyday abuse.”

The iPhone SE proved to be the least-durable phone in Tom’s Guide testing; it cracked so badly that it couldn’t make it to the final round. Google’s Pixel 2 XL also performed poorly, as its screen washed out completely on the left side after a 6-foot drop.

Tom’s Guide scored each of the 12 phones based on the extent of the damage and how far each phone progressed in its testing. The Samsung Galaxy S9, for example, scored a 6 out of 10, which put it toward the middle of the pack.

To see the full results and to learn more about the testing methodology for Tom’s Guide’s Drop Everything report, go to tomsguide.com/droptest.