Galaxy Z Flip 6 durability test shows a big crease decrease

You can hear the internal voice of every device sitting on Zack Nelson's "operating table" screaming for mercy whenever it is time for Nelson to film the latest JerryRigEverything episode. Nelson famously takes apart new devices and subjects them to various tests to see how durable a phone is. The phone on the operating table in the latest video is the Galaxy Z Flip 6 which will be released this coming Wednesday, July 24th.

At the top of the video, Zack explains why he doesn't like clamshell foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 which he tried out as his daily driver last year. After complaining about having to take the phone out of his pocket and needing two hands to open the phone when he wanted to use it, Nelson said he switched to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. We wonder whether Nelson tried out using the 3.4-inch external cover screen to run certain tasks.

As for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, as Nelson points out comparing the Z Flip 6 to the Z Flip 5, the former has seen a huge reduction in the dreaded crease that mars the appearance of the internal display on many foldable phones. The main display is covered by a PET plastic screen protector which started showing scratches at level two on the Mohs Hardness Scale with deeper grooves appearing at level three. Since the internal display will be closed while in your pocket, this low level of screen resilience may not matter.

The external 3.4-inch display is where protection is needed and with protection from Gorilla Glass Victus 2, scratches started to appear at level six with deeper grooves found at level seven. The enhanced Armour Aluminum on the side panels was easily scratched using Nelson's utility knife. The same was true for the bottom of the Z Flip 6 and the top where the  Samsung logo can be scratched off if you so desire. The dual rear cameras are glass which kept them protected.

Plastic melts when exposed to a flame and the PET plastic protective layer of the internal display started to melt after 14 seconds of exposure to the flame from Zack's trusty lighter. Even with the screen bubbling from the heat, the display functioned perfectly.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has an IP48 rating giving it some protection from small pieces of dust up to 1mm in diameter, and it can be submerged in nearly five feet of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. To test the dust protection, Nelson poured sand (not dust!) into the phone making sure to cover the outer hinge. While the sand led the device to produce what Nelson called a "squeaky groaning" sound, the hinge worked as it should.

Bending the Galaxy Z Flip backward does result in a backward flex, but before the phone is snapped in two, the device locks preventing the completion of the destructive act. And the hinge remained responsive and strong afterward.

Looking to check out the internal vapor chamber designed to keep the phone cool at times when the processor is being heavily taxed, Nelson removed the plastic protective screen and the display stopped working. Keep that in mind if you can't seem to fight off the temptation to peel off the screen's top protective layer. Even with the internal display completely destroyed, the external display continued to work perfectly.

Inside the device is a very interesting series of boxes that get checked off depending on which market the specific device is intended for. Options include NA for North America, KOR for Korea, and JPN for Japan. We get to see the motherboard, the vapor chamber, and the complex hinge. Gone are the bristles that Samsung used on older Flip models to clear dust away from the hinge.

The bottom line is that Galaxy Z Flip 6 appears to be pretty durable and well-built for a foldable device. Unless you plan on handling your Z Flip 6 in the same manner as Nelson, you should be fine using the phone in the real world.