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First iPhone 14 Pro Max drop test foretells expensive repairs

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Sep 20, 2022, 9:32 AM

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The cheaper 2022 iPhones scored excellent repairability rating for the first time since Apple invented the notch-y models because it redesigned the inside of the iPhone 14 and made the glass backplate easily removable, netting a replacement price of $169 instead of the $449 that an iPhone 13 rear damage requires at the moment.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is clad in Apple's proprietary Ceramic Shield reinforced derivative of Corning's Gorilla Glass, but, unlike its cheaper brethren the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, cracking the rear would bring you a $549 bill out of pocket unless you subscribe for the AppleCare+ insurance.

That is why it is interesting to follow how the iPhone 14 Pro Max fares in the PhoneBuff drop tests against Samsung's finest Galaxy S22 Ultra which is also wrapped in high quality reinforced Gorilla Glass Victus.

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Samsung is running its early Black Friday sale with an extended trade-in program, meaning you can get up to $600 off when you bring in your old S21 Ultra and it can be one with a cracked screen, too. Then, there's a $225 instant discount going on at the Samsung Store, or a $50 upgrade to the 512GB model.

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Expired

Since the iPhone 14 Pro Max doesn't enjoy the iPhone 14's new design with a midplate that adds extra torsion and drop rigidity, its steel frame couldn't prevent it from losing the back and corner drops from about 5 feet.

The Dynamic Island cutout is the iPhone 14 Pro Max display's weak point

Duh

It did fare better in the face drop, as the S22 Ultra's curved display nature introduces extra tension to the panel, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max's weak screen durability point seems to be, surprise, surprise, around the Dynamic Island cutout area.

The other drop test takeaway about the iPhone 14 Pro Max is that the new main camera and the enlarged island around it are more fragile than the camera island on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Here, the main camera lens suffered damage during the brief encounter with the testing ground's concrete floor.

Overall, the iPhone 14 Pro Max with its flat screen and steel frame managed to get the same drop test endurance points as the Galaxy S22 Ultra with its tense curved display and softer frame, so we'd take a look at the curated collection of iPhone 14 Pro Max cases in order to prevent it from meeting the floor unprotected.

(AT&T) iPhone 14 Pro: get at Walmart for $18.03/mo

You can buy the iPhone 14 Pro AT&T-locked from Walmart. Prices start at $18.03/month for 36 installments, saving you $500. The device comes with 256GB of storage in Gold.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.