Skip to main content

See how well Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra stands up to a razor blade

Galaxy S21 Ultra Durability Test - What About the Camera?!

OK, the chances of your brand new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra smartphone ever coming into contact with the sharp edge of a razor knife are admittedly slim, but that didn’t stop popular YouTuber Zack Nelson from going ahead and demonstrating what will happen if it does.

Recommended Videos

One of the main reasons Nelson takes the blade to a range of smartphones on his JerryRigEverything channel is to test the durability of the device so potential customers can make a more informed choice when it comes to parting with their hard-earned cash. The videos also offer a bizarre form of entertainment thanks to his deadpan delivery, dry wit, and very sharp knife.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

So, how did Samsung’s latest flagship fare? Well, after removing the screen protector for the screen protector (yes, there were two), Nelson gets to work on the $1,200 Ultra, subjecting the 6.8-inch, Gorilla Glass Victus display to a range of enthusiastically administered scratch tests. As you’d expect, it holds up pretty well, scratching at level six on the Mohs hardness scale — just like Apple’s iPhone 12 with its Ceramic Shield display.

He also focuses on the Ultra’s display-embedded fingerprint scanner, giving it some extra work with the scratch tool. “Even with that damage, the fingerprint scanner can still read my fingerprint and unlock the phone every single time,” Nelson comments, adding, “Not too shabby.”

Those who cringe easily may want to avoid the rest of the video as Nelson takes his infamous razor knife to all parts of Samsung’s new handset, dragging it across its various surfaces to see how much damage it incurs (spoiler: A fair bit). The YouTuber, who now has more than 6.5 million followers, also holds a naked flame to the display to see how long the glass lasts before it starts to deform.

On the matter of whether Samsung’s pricey handset is worth buying, Nelson suggests the decision rests with the quality of the camera. He then pulls a neat trick that will give you pause for thought about whether or not it’s time to upgrade from your current phone. Check the video (top) to find out more.

For more on the phone’s durability, find out what happened when Digital Trends’ senior mobile editor accidentally dropped his Galaxy S21 Ultra onto concrete from a height of three feet.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
This is why I love Circle to Search on the Galaxy S25 series
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera.

Since the Galaxy S24 series was launched last year, phone makers have focused heavily on adding AI to every facet of their smartphones. Apple launched Apple Intelligence last year — which brought a different, more personal, approach to AI with the iPhone 16 — a few months after Google unveiled Gemini for Android.

Despite Google waiting to launch the full suite of Gemini features for a few months, one of the key features had already launched on the Galaxy S24. Circle to Search allows you to search for anything displayed on your screen using AI, and as I discovered when selling my mother’s home last year, it makes it super easy to understand the value of items without needing to search for them by name.

Read more
Samsung might finally end battery size woes with Galaxy S26 series
A person putting the Samsung Galaxy A55 on charge.

Samsung smartphones might soon fix the worst chink in their armor. According to the South Korean daily FN News, the company is mulling plans to fit next-gen silicon carbide batteries inside its upcoming Galaxy S26 series flagship smartphones. And it seems the Chaebol’s mobile division won’t be pulling any punches.

As per the report citing industry insiders, Samsung could offer a battery as large as 6,000-7,000 mAh in capacity with the upcoming Galaxy S26 series. For comparison, Samsung’s current top-tier offering, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery. The competition, however, is already offering batteries of up to 7,000mAh capacity at nearly half the sticker price of Samsung’s flagships.

Read more
Samsung’s ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge might get a monster camera
Close-up view of the camera module on Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

This year, thin is in, for the smartphone industry. Oppo will soon drop the world’s thinnest foldable phone in the market. Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Air continues to be a topic of hot speculation. Samsung, on the other hand, has already given a live demonstration of its Galaxy S25 Edge.

Thankfully, it seems there won’t be as many compromises as we initially expected for such a thin phone. According to a fresh leak that touts a “confirmed” status for the hardware details, the sleek phone will come armed with a 200-megapixel rear camera.

Read more