Skip to main content

Watch the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max face off in brutal drop test

Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, is one of the year’s best phones. It comes equipped with the powerful new, purpose-build Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, a 200MP main camera, and Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back of the device (which means heavy durability).

But there’s another question — how does Gorilla Glass Victus 2 hold up against Apple’s confidently-named ‘Ceramic Shield’ on the iPhone 14 Pro Max? YouTuber PhoneBuff did a drop test to find that very answer.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max Drop Test!

In the video, PhoneBuff makes a note that the iPhone 14 Pro Max does have some advantages in terms of durability because of its stainless steel frame and flat edges. The S23 Ultra, on the other hand, has rounded edges with an aluminum frame.

But again, the S23 Ultra has the latest and greatest from Corning in the form of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, both on the front and back of the device. The Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is only on the front glass, while the back glass uses Dual Ion-Exchange glass, which isn’t quite as durable.

In the video, the Galaxy S23 Ultra wins the first round. However, the iPhone seemed to fare better in the second and third tests. But the S23 Ultra ended up in better shape by the fourth and final round. By the end of the video, both phones were mostly fully functional, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra was the victor, as the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 had less overall damage than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Honestly, I’m the kind of person who would never use a bare phone because I’m clumsy, and I know I’m going to drop it because I have butterfingers. The only way to make sure that your S23 Ultra or iPhone 14 Pro Max doesn’t get cracked or damaged is to put it in a good case. Lucky for you, there are plenty of Galaxy S23 Ultra cases and iPhone 14 Pro Max cases.

Editors' Recommendations

Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
Watch how the iPhone 15 handles the bend test that busted the Pro Max
YouTuber Zack Nelson bending an iPhone 15 to test its strength.

Earlier this week, we reported how popular tech YouTuber Zack Nelson busted the back of an iPhone 15 Pro Max when he subjected it to his bend test.

The back glass shattered with relatively little effort, which came as a great surprise not only to Nelson but to everyone watching, too.

Read more
iPhone 15 Pro Max durability test ends with big surprise
iphone 15 pro max durability tests ends with big surprise test

Zack Nelson of popular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything has been at it again, subjecting yet another phone to the kind of durability test that will leave you wincing in horror.

Be gentle with Apples new Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max ... Yikes!

Read more
I’ve had the iPhone 15 Pro Max for 48 hours. Here are 3 things you need to know
Someone holding the Natural Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It's finally here, folks: new iPhone season. Apple's iPhone 15 event wrapped up over a week ago, the first iPhone 15 reviews are trickling out, and it won't be that long before you start seeing the new lineup in every Best Buy and Target you go to.

My iPhone 15 Pro Max arrived on September 20, and at the time of publishing this, I've been using it for just about 48 hours. That's obviously not enough time for a full review, but during that limited amount of time, I've already learned some really important things about Apple's latest entry in the Pro Max family. It's very familiar in a lot of ways, but there are three specific changes that could make it a more worthwhile upgrade than expected — and I'm not talking about USB-C.
Titanium is a game-changer for the iPhone

Read more