New videos of iPhones 5s and 5c drop tests are popping up on YouTube every day, some more silly than straightforward. The two videos I found most informative were those from iFixYouri and TechSmartt, especially compared to the videos by Android Authority and iPhone Repair Mia. Though the videos each have different outcomes for the drop tests, they do state that it depends how the phones are dropped: what angle they fall at and the surface they fall on, among other factors.
iFixYouri went further in their durability tests of the iPhones 5s and 5c and tested both models’ exteriors for wear-and-tear resistance. They found 5c’s polycarbonate cover resisted scuffing and scratching much better than the 5s’s aluminum exterior. During the drop test, it was the 5s that cracked first. The 5c was a different story; after several drops, the reviewer actually had to slam the phone onto the floor to crack the screen. It seems the 5c’s plastic cover gives it more bounce on impact, lessening the blow of the landing.
Before performing their drop tests, TechSmartt put Apple covers on the 5s and 5c models, leather for the 5s and silicone for the 5c. Both phones survived the drop from chest-height, but at seven feet the iPhone 5c’s screen shattered even with a cover. The 5s was then dropped from ten feet and was unscathed save a few scuff marks on the leather cover. When it was dropped screen-first from the same height, the most damage that occurred was some cracking at the edges of the screen. Both the 5s and 5c have quality builds. Overall, it’s up to the consumer to decide what appeals more: durability or utility.
