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Video: New durability test puts iPhone 12 Pro through scratch, bend, and fire tests

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro include what Apple refers to as “Ceramic Shield” protection over the display to improve durability against cracks and shatters. Now, YouTuber JerryRigEverything has put the iPhone 12 Pro through a litany of tests to find out more details about Apple’s durability claims.

As we’ve said before, Apple is careful to point out that Ceramic Shield’s durability relates primarily to durability against drops and shatters, not scratch resistance. Earlier durability tests quickly showed why Apple focused on drop performance rather than scratch resistance.

JerryRigEverything’s testing focuses on the iPhone 12 Pro’s durability against scratches. Using the Mohs scale of hardness, the testing finds that the iPhone 12 scratches beginning at a level 6, with deeper scratches beginning to form at a level 7.

On the other hand, JerryRigEverything determines that the stainless steel frame on the iPhone 12 Pro is “surprisingly hard to scratch,” even though it’s clearly a major fingerprint magnet. A stainless steel razor blade had a hard time damaging the iPhone 12 Pro edges, though the paint still scratches off.

The glass back of the iPhone 12 Pro is largely similar to the iPhone 11 Pro, serving as a “sand paper to other objects since glass is a very hard material.” The sapphire covers over the iPhone 12 Pro camera sensors are susceptible to minor scratches at a level 6 and level 7.

JerryRigEverything also put the iPhone 12 Pro through a fire test, holding a lighter to the 6.1-inch OLED display. Even after thirty seconds under the heat of the lighter, the iPhone 12 Pro’s display was undamaged. This is different from other phones, where the display often permanently turns white as the heat damages the pixels. This could be a benefit of the Ceramic Shield.

Finally, the iPhone 12 Pro’s new flat-edged design is able to easily withstand the bend test, with JerryRigEverything referring to it as a “non-flexing tank of a cell phone.”

You can find the full durability test from JerryRigEverything below.

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Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com