Many people still believe that foldable smartphones are inherently more fragile than the popular slab-style devices. This is despite the fact that foldable devices have had half a decade to evolve and overcome their growing pains. But the question remains: are foldables fragile?
We decided to find out for ourselves by putting the Honor Magic V3 through a series of durability tests. Let’s see once and for all whether foldable phones really are inferior to slab-style phones in this all-important area. If you’re ready, grab some popcorn and press play below.
Here’s what happened. We tested the water resistance, first for submersion, then for resistance to water pressure. Then we put it in the washing machine to verify Honor’s claim that it could survive something like that without a problem. It turned out to be true. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a hydraulic press on hand to verify another internal test by the marker.
We then froze the Magic V3 in a block of ice to test its ability to withstand extreme temperatures. The phone passed all tests with flying colors. We tried scratching the plastic cover of the foldable screen and, well, it scratched very easily, just with our fingernails. But that was just a replacement cover, so it’s not as bad as it sounds.
The Magic V3 hinge probably got the worst treatment. We lifted a 5kg weight on it and it didn’t budge. We then used the phone as a hammer, slightly denting it – but without affecting normal operation. Finally, we did some drop tests, and we won’t spoil it for you – make sure you watch the video to the end to see the results.
