Redesigned Samsung Galaxy S21 Camera Housings Survive Better Than Predecessors in Breakability Tests

Last week, the Samsung Galaxy S21 range hit stores with three new phones, featuring redesigned metal rear camera housings and Gorilla Glass Victus front screens. Allstate Protection Plans compared the new models to previous Samsung designs through its Breakability Drop Tests (Formerly SquareTrade Breakability Drop Tests). It found that the durability of the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra was unchanged when dropped face-down (despite the Gorilla Glass screens), but their camera housing durability was greatly improved when dropped back-down.    

The full Breakability Drop Tests video can be found here and reveals:

• Face-Down Drop Test: When dropped six feet onto the sidewalk, all three Galaxy S21 phones were damaged. The Galaxy S21 fared the best, with a cracked screen and raised glass. The screen of the Galaxy S21+ cracked, loosened and malfunctioned. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, the largest phone in the range, suffered the most damage and could not be used after one drop. 
• Back-Down Drop Test: The Galaxy S21, which has a polycarbonate rather than glass back, held its own in the back-down drop test and had only minor cosmetic damage—even after being dropped twice. The Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra, which have glass rear panels, both shattered after one drop. However, the new “Contour Cut” metal rear camera housings on all three phones were intact, and their cameras were fully operational.

The durability of all three Galaxy S21 rear camera housings is a noted improvement over its predecessors. So is the durability of the smaller Galaxy S21 model's polycarbonate rear panel. Considering that 140 million Americans have previously damaged a smartphone, according to a recent Allstate Protection Plans survey, this should be welcome news.