Smartphone, how to choose it resistant to water and falls

Smartphones have become more robust over time. The tests of Altroconsumo say so, which foresee 100 falls from a height of 80 cm onto a stone surface. In the last year, only 13% of the smartphone models subjected to the drop test had serious damage, such as to put them out of use, after the first 50 falls. Only a further 10% suffered severe damage after the second part of the test, which involves another 50 falls. In short, more than two thirds of the models have overcome 100 falls unscathed or with minor damage, with only a few dents or cracks. Why are mobile phones more resistant? The credit is at least partly due to the improvement of the materials. The current surfaces of a phone are almost completely occupied by the screen, with very little space for the frame: this is possible because today’s glasses are much more resistant than they used to be, but a good chunk of this success is also linked to the design. The reduction of sharp corners and edges, in favor of more rounded shapes, allows a better distribution of the pressures related to shocks and falls, which affect a larger area than the point of impact, thus causing less damage. they have also evolved in terms of scratch resistance: while in the past it was very common to find new lines on the screen, especially when kept in a pocket or bag in contact with sharp objects, such as keys, now the problem is much less frequent. not to damage the camera lensA part of mobile phones that are very vulnerable to scratches are the lenses of built-in cameras, which are much more sensitive to scratches than screens. In our tests the results in this test are at most sufficient or good, which means that we always manage to scratch them through the special metal pens we use for the test.The integrity of the lenses is an important aspect to get good photos and videos : in addition to cleaning them regularly, it is essential to avoid contact with sharp objects, for example when you put your mobile phone in your bag with the keys. good in the overall resistance test and therefore are recommended for those who want a device that offers good reliability also from this point of view. Those who bet everything on resistance can focus on models with excellent judgment in this test, at the cost of being poorer in other aspects. The most resistant devices at the moment are two very expensive top of the range: Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and Apple iPhone 12 Pro. But the difference with the others is not such as to push Altroconsumo to recommend them as Best Buyer. Among the devices valid as performance and resistant, several other much cheaper ones have been found, which cost between 125 and 230 euros and we recommend as Best Buy.View all the test results on smartphones Note that an excellent rating indicates that the model has passed the test in full, so the likelihood of it being damaged by a fall is lower than models with a lower rating. But it does not mean that it is indestructible. How to avoid damage to your mobile phone On our part, we can help our mobile phone to resist better time with some precautions. – Try to always hold it well, never with wet hands or together with other objects, to avoid that gets out of hand. – Do not put it in the back pockets of your trousers, where it risks falling, being crushed or stolen – Do not place it on oblique surfaces (for example in the car). – Do not put it in your bag in contact with the bunch of keys or other sharp objects: you can use a special pocket – Slides and protective films for the screen can help, as well as cases for the mobile phone: a wallet case, that is to cover the entire smartphone, protects it better; if you prefer a protection that leaves the screen uncovered, a thick rubber cover may also suffice to cushion falls. The average price of these products has recently increased, but still low compared to their usefulness: around 16 euros for a screen protector and 20 euros for a case. The only exception of a modular type device, the Fairphone, in which the various parts (battery, camera, etc.) can be replaced (which is excellent from the point of view of sustainability). Today’s phones are mostly presented as a single block: water could only penetrate through the charging ports or the microphone, which are designed to be waterproof. The actual immersion resistance deserves a different speech. We have carried out an immersion test for models that claim to be water resistant. The waterproof models in the test are resistant to a dip, but it is better to avoid submerging them in the sea or in the pool: salt and chlorine can still damage them.The non-waterproof ones are not made to withstand diving (so we have not even put them to the test) . But if a phone ends up in the water it is not always lost: if it is recovered immediately, turned off, dried well (with a towel, not a hairdryer) and left to dispose of the humidity for a day, it could recover.