Galaxy Z Fold 8’s durability put to test, and it passes with flying colors

The demand for Samsung’s first smartphone with a 4:3 book-style foldable display, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, seems to be exceptionally strong, with the brand struggling to fulfil the orders. People are loving the phone for its unique form factor and the fact that it packs powerful hardware into relatively compact dimensions.

However, one of the biggest questions surrounding the device, as is the case with every foldable smartphone, is how durable it actually is. Now, we have an answer. Popular YouTuber JerryRigEverything has put the Galaxy Z Fold 8 through his standard durability test, and the phone passed with flying colors.

First, Jerry scratched the cover display and found that its Gorilla Glass Victus Ceramic 3 didn’t scratch until level 6 on the Mohs hardness scale, with deeper grooves appearing at level 7. He then moved on to the inner foldable display, which scratched at just level 2 because it uses a plastic composite rather than glass.

The foldable screen can even be scratched with fingernails and everyday items you might carry in your pockets, such as keys and coins, just like other Galaxy Z Fold models. Fortunately, the company will replace the inner screen layer once for free. Further replacements cost $19, which is similar to buying a screen protector.

Jerry then scratched the frame and confirmed that it is made of Armor Aluminum. He also discovered that the fingerprint scanner isn't removable, while the volume rocker can be removed. He then scratched the camera island and found that it is made of plastic, meaning it can scratch relatively easily. Jerry noted that this is a first for Samsung, as the company typically uses metal for this component.

Fortunately, the camera lenses themselves are protected by glass, so they don't scratch as easily. The rings surrounding the cameras are made of metal, but as with previous Samsung devices, they can be popped off using a sharp object. The back panel uses the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. As such, it doesn't scratch easily.

Next came the dust test. Jerry put dust particles on the inner display, closed the phone, and then added dust to the sides, back, and hinge area before opening it again. He then repeatedly opened and closed the phone. Despite all that, the hinge continued to work properly.

Jerry then scratched the fingerprint scanner multiple times. He noted that the scanner requires you to roll your finger over it when registering a fingerprint. Despite the scratches, however, it continued to recognize his fingerprint, with Jerry saying its recognition speed was the fastest he had ever seen on a smartphone.

He then held a lighter against the displays to see how they would react to direct heat. The inner display developed permanent burn marks after around seven seconds. The cover display, which has stronger glass protection, lasted slightly longer, at around 10 seconds, before developing permanent burn marks.

Then came the bend test. With the phone closed, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 showed very little flex regardless of whether Jerry tried bending it from the front or the back. This suggests that the phone is quite resistant to bending when closed, although that doesn't necessarily mean you should start carrying it in your back pocket.

Then came the most interesting—and potentially scariest—part of the test: bending the phone in the opposite direction while it was open.

Jerry tried bending the open phone backward, and although it flexed quite a lot, it didn't break or suffer any major damage, allowing it to survive the final torture test. During the test, the back panel popped off, but it returned to its original position once Jerry stopped trying to bend the phone.

Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 appears to be a surprisingly durable foldable smartphone. While its inner display remains significantly more vulnerable to scratches than a conventional smartphone screen, the phone's frame, hinge, and overall construction held up remarkably well during JerryRigEverything's torture test.