Apple shifted to aluminum this year for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, ensuring better heat transfer and a host of benefits compared to titanium alloy or stainless steel, but was the switch also made to make the company’s flagships more durable? We get to see this in a total of six drop tests, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max going up against none other than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and its titanium alloy chassis.
Both aluminum and titanium alloy have their perks and trade-offs, but it all depends on how and where the iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Galaxy S25 Ultra is dropped
The efforts made by PhoneBuff to make its drop tests appear more accurate are commendable, as the beginning of the video explains the new testing methodology for the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra. As mentioned above, six drop tests were performed, with the first three targeting different sides and the last three increasing the drop height. If you want to view the entire clip from start to finish, you can check it out below, or read the detailed descriptions for each drop.
1-meter back drop – iPhone 17 Pro Max’s rear glass cracks, but it is less prominent compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the area surrounding the telephoto camera appearing to be caved in. Samsung’s flagship’s laser autofocus unit has also been cracked, with both telephoto lenses receiving notable damage.
1-meter corner drop – Where the iPhone 17 Pro Max holds up well to impacts from its backside, the complete opposite outcome is experienced when absorbing the impact from the corners. Apple’s most premium offering for the year not only has visible scuffs, but also a dent, since aluminum is more malleable than titanium alloy. As for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it has incredible durability when dropped from the corner.
1-meter front drop – The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s OLED screen has cracks that have spread to the front camera, causing lens flares. Thankfully, Face ID works fine. The Galaxy S25 Ultra fared no better, but the fingerprint sensor continues to work as intended.
1.5-meter back drop – The unibody aluminum chassis of the iPhone 17 Pro Max comes to the rescue once again, whereas the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s rear camera lenses are all broken. The premium Android handset’s ultrawide-angle unit has been completely shattered, with image quality from the viewfinder degraded immensely. The sensors belonging to the iPhone 17 Pro Max rear camera appear to be working fine.
1.5-meter corner drop – The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s orange paint job is now stripping away, with its 1x camera losing the ability to focus. On the other hand, Galaxy S25 Ultra’s looks almost bulletproof.
1.5-meter front drop – Both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra sustained similar damage, with the YouTuber ending the drop test in a tie. Each material has its strengths and weaknesses, especially when being dropped from different sides and angles.
Surprisingly, the test turned out to be a tie, with each flagship scoring points off one another in various drop tests. Assuming Samsung switches to aluminum for the Galaxy S26 Ultra next year, it could inherit the strengths and weaknesses of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
News Source: PhoneBuff
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