Galaxy Z Fold 3 durability test tries to verify Samsung's claims

Foldable devices are fancy, novel, and futuristic, but their price and fragility will always make people think more than twice about investing in them. Samsung tried to address the former with the surprisingly low price of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and assures the public that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is tougher than ever before. Of course, there's no better way to test that boast than with the triple death threat of JerryRigEverything's durability tests.

The biggest durability concern with foldable devices, both innies and outies, will always be the foldable screen itself. Samsung says that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 display is 80% stronger than before, but that may be true only to some extent. The Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) screen protector is still a plastic material, which is no match for even the softest Mohs pick. Users are still advised to avoid using their fingernails, but, fortunately, the S Pen is confirmed to pose no threat to that outermost layer.

This year, Samsung also boasts about the IPX8 rating of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, a first for any foldable phone. Ironically, YouTuber Zach Nelson doesn't even test that high water resistance rating and goes for the traditional dust and sand torture. The good news is that, even with an "X", the foldable device didn't immediately die from an "accidental" shower of sand.

Last but not least is the bend test, which would seem horrifying for a $1,800 device. Fortunately, Samsung has really learned its lesson, and, just like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, this year's larger foldable phone is as strong as any other smartphone in the market today.

That said, a short durability test won't be able to say how the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will fare after months of use. Its only assurance is that this expensive investment won't immediately die out on users, even after a few heart-stopping mishaps.