What you need to know
- The Pixel 8 Pro performed better in JerryRigEverything’s durability tests compared to the Pixel 7 Pro, which showed a gap in the frame after bending.
- Google’s latest flagship model did not crack during the bend test, but there were some creaking noises.
- However, the phone’s display with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection showed scratches at level six on the Mohs scale, and the razor blade scratched the camera bar as well.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro proved to be a tough cookie in JerryRigEverything’s durability tests, but it couldn’t escape unscathed from a fiery encounter with a cigarette lighter or avoid some battle scars on its metal frame.
Zack Nelson from the popular JerryRigEverything channel put the Pixel 8 Pro through its paces with his signature durability tests, and the phone emerged relatively unscathed—or, at the very least, in no worse condition than the majority of the leading Android phones on the market, including the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Fold.
The camera bar, display, and metal frame were the Pixel 8 Pro’s Achilles’ heel during the tests, showing some signs of vulnerability. For instance, a direct exposure to a cigarette lighter for a few seconds resulted in a permanent burn mark on the OLED panel, though you’d probably never hold your phone that close to a fire in real life.
Additionally, the metal frame and camera bar, though sturdy overall, were susceptible to scratching from a sharp blade, leaving visible marks on their surfaces.
Using his hardness picks, Nelson was also able to scratch the screen at level six on the Mohs hardness scale, with deeper grooves appearing at level seven. This means that the display is resistant to scratches from everyday objects like keys or coins, but it might show some marks if you’re not careful with sharper items. And even after the fingerprint sensor area was subjected to some serious scratching, it still worked perfectly.
As is often the case with Nelson’s torture tests, the bend test is always a nail-biter, especially when it’s a pricey smartphone on the line. With the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera bump sticking out, there were fears that it might act like a fault line, making the phone more prone to cracking under pressure, like the Pixel 7 Pro. Last year’s model had a bit of a mishap during Nelson’s bend test when it cracked a bit near the antenna line under the camera bar.
The Pixel 8 Pro proved everyone’s fears wrong this time. Except for the “creaky wooden chip” sound, the phone held its ground, refusing to break or crack, and even the glass back stayed in one piece. And those antenna lines? They stood tall and proud, hinting that Google had given them a secret strength boost.
Google’s promise of seven years of software updates and spare parts for the Pixel 8 series sounds great, but it’s this durability test that really seals the deal. Seeing the Pro model handle all that abuse makes us believe it’s got the stamina to stick around for the long haul.
Google went all-in on AI smarts for its latest flagship, the Pixel 8 Pro, making it a photography and videography champ that outshines its predecessor in almost any situation. The camera hardware got a complete makeover, and there’s now a fancy face unlock feature, a brighter OLED screen, and a bigger battery to keep you going. Plus, with Google’s promise of seven Android OS updates, this phone will stay fresh longer than most gadgets out there.