Samsung Galaxy S5 Edges Out HTC One M8 in SquareTrade’s Breakability Test

The smartphones that release these days are generally slim and sexy pieces of kit, but unfortunately, we usually end up paying for those eye-pleasing aesthetics through fragility. Smartphones can’t exactly be considered the most durable devices on the block, after all. SquareTrade, a company that offers insurance plans on devices like smartphones and tablets, has rated the “breakability” of the Samsung Galaxy S5 as it relates to two other prominent Android smartphones – the HTC One M8 and the Nexus 5.

The results for the Galaxy S5 are encouraging. SquareTrade rates the breakability of a device on a 1-10 scale, with lower numbers being better. The Galaxy S5 slightly edged out the One M8, with the S5 taking home a score of 6 to the M8′s 6.5. The Nexus 5 posted a score of 7 in its own test, which means the S5 had the upper hand on Google’s latest flagship as well. Just the same, the Galaxy S4 had a breakability score of 7, so Samsung seems to be improving durability between iterations of its most popular device.

However, all three of those big Android devices ended up losing out to the iPhone 5S, which scored a 5.5 in SquareTrade’s breakability test. Though we all love Android for one reason or another, it would appear that manufacturers have some catching up to do in terms of durability. As you can see from SquareTrade’s infographic (click the thumbnail below to see the full-sized image), the Galaxy S5 can boast a “low risk” rating for the front and back panels, water resistance, and the drop test. It’s weight gives it a “medium risk” rating in that department, while its overall size, performance in the slide test, and “gripability” all land in realm of “high risk.” With those results in mind, you don’t necessarily need to panic if you drop your Galaxy S5, but if you do something like slide it across pavement, then it’s time to worry.

All in all, it’s encouraging to see that the Galaxy S5 offers a durability improvement over its predecessor and other high-profile Android devices, but that score of 6 could definitely be improved when we make the jump to the Galaxy S6 next year. Have any of you early Galaxy S5 adopters experienced any problems with durability, or do you think your phone will survive some close encounters? Head down to the comments section to let us know.