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Nexus 5 drop test: will it survive?

posted by Victor H. / Nov 07, 2013, 9:07 AM

The Nexus 5, Google’s showcase device for Android 4.4 KitKat, is now here and cruel-hearted gadget torturers have it in their hands for a drop test. Would the Nexus 5 survive being dropped on its back, bottom and front? Or would its Gorilla Glass 3 protected display shatter into pieces?

Android Authority has got a white Nexus 5 and has tested the phone’s durability right in front of the Googleplex, next to the Android statues of cupcakes, gingerbreads and jelly beans.

We won’t spoil it for you, but we should mention that the Nexus 5 features a non-removable battery and the back cover is not meant to be removed by the user either. However, unlike other smartphones like the HTC One, the construction of the new Nexus is not unibody. There are separate parts.

With no further ado, it’s drop test time and the results are right below.

source: Android Authority

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PhoneArena Rating:

9.5

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User Rating:

9.4

Based on 88 Reviews

Display 5.0" 1080 x 1920 pixels

Camera 8 MP / 1.3 MP front

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, Quad-core, 2260 MHz

Storage 32 GB

Battery 2300 mAh(17h talk time)

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28 Comments

1. Kishin

Posts: 706; Member since: May 30, 2013

I knew it!! right away

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:15 AM 0

14. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

Interesting how cameras OIS functionality survived all this. Sad, but looks like LG Nexus 5 plastic is very weak.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 10:09 AM 0

20. jaytai0106

Posts: 1888; Member since: Mar 30, 2011

Yeah... I still never understand how people have the courage to do a drop test XD I'll be like, sorry guys.. I can't drop this phone... I'm too weak...

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 11:45 AM 2

21. akki20892

Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

Nothing like Nokia.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 12:15 PM 4

23. ihavenoname

Posts: 1693; Member since: Aug 18, 2013

Nokia made Nexus would be awesome. Just saying.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 2:27 PM 4

24. akki20892

Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

I hope Nokia will make phone like my profile picture.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 3:08 PM 4

2. KickRocks

Posts: 279; Member since: Mar 22, 2011

Damn, that hurts to watch.....................Oh well, still loving mine

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:17 AM 4

3. Piotrek007

Posts: 119; Member since: Dec 07, 2010

The fact that at the end this screen was actually working, is really impressive !! o.0

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:17 AM 3

4. .KRATOS.

Posts: 442; Member since: Mar 15, 2013

It looks that gorilla glass 3 quite durable it haven't skipped any drop without breaking.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:27 AM 4

16. RODJOS

Posts: 12; Member since: Oct 23, 2013

Consistent :D

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 10:42 AM 1

5. danwatson

Posts: 117; Member since: Jan 03, 2012

So much for the improvements in gorilla glass. You still break the screen when dropping it so I really don't see what all the hype is. The only thing Gorilla glass seems to stop is small scratches while in your pocket...maybe. Other than that, the screen busts up just like it did before the company existed.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:28 AM 5

25. caustictoast

Posts: 31; Member since: Aug 07, 2012

Corning, the makers of Gorilla Glass, have actually been around since 1851. Although before you were more likely to find their glass in the kitchen than in phones.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 3:44 PM 0

28. Penny

Posts: 1860; Member since: Feb 04, 2011

Well, consider this: Gorilla Glass may actually be getting stronger with each iteration. In fact, that's a really safe assumption. However, because the glass is getting stronger, manufacturers are probably just trying to use less of it with thinner layers in smartphones. If they used the same thickness of Gorilla Glass 3 as they did with Gorilla Glass 1, the new one would probably fare better.

posted on Nov 08, 2013, 2:34 AM 0

6. ArtSim98

Posts: 3535; Member since: Dec 21, 2012

I was surprised by the holes it got into the front

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:30 AM 3

7. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

Man this guy is a idiot for dropping phones

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:34 AM 1

9. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

No he is not, since he makes much more money from that than these phones costs.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:43 AM 7

15. RODJOS

Posts: 12; Member since: Oct 23, 2013

YouTube Partners potentially can earn around $7,000usd for every 1,000,000 views.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 10:29 AM 0

8. ihavenoname

Posts: 1693; Member since: Aug 18, 2013

I accidentally dropped my S4 Mini (with GG 2) glass down to the tarmac and it was all fine, no signs of dropping. Why GG 3 can't stand the drop?

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:37 AM 1

10. daniel_bargs

Posts: 325; Member since: Nov 27, 2010

Gorilla Glass is a scam! Bragging their glass can withstand a thousand pounds of force using a machine... but this real life scenario, its magic or trickery is not working.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:45 AM 5

12. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

The more Xperia Z and Xperia Z1 torture test I watch, the more I like Dragontrail glass. :)

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:48 AM 1

26. dmsrfl

Posts: 76; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

seriously, what's the point of Gorilla Glass that can't handle a fall.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 4:25 PM 1

11. Planterz

Posts: 2120; Member since: Apr 30, 2012

Unless it's designed and advertized as a rugged phone, there's no effing point in drop tests. They'll all fail. Survival is a matter of luck, no more. Thin bezels and protruding glass increase the chances of failure, of course, but with the right (or wrong, rather) set of circumstances, the screen will crack or shatter from a drop. Buy a decent case like an Otterbox, and at least you can reduce those chances, but drop it enough times, and eventually it'll break.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 9:47 AM 1

13. Ravens

Posts: 7; Member since: Nov 07, 2013

I'm actually really surprised, because my lg optimus 2x with gorilla glass 2 live on today. Heck I even tell people I don't care if I drop my phone (then I proceed to drop it in front of them).

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 10:03 AM 0

17. improv

Posts: 96; Member since: Sep 09, 2013

I've never dropped my phone from making a call or texting but I have dropped it a couple times from just carelessness of how I'm getting my phone out of my pocket and where I've placed my phone. I had an iPhone 4S (glass front and glass back) that survived well for the past 2 years but recently (right after I bought my nexus 5, lol), it slid off my lap while I was sitting down and the front screen got the familiar webbed design. Because of this, I welcome the nexus 5's backplate because it probably has more friction than my lap :D. I'll probably be taking better care of it though...

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 11:00 AM 0

18. Augustine

Posts: 1043; Member since: Sep 28, 2013

Excuse me, it seems that I have something in my eye...

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 11:09 AM 0

19. Klamba92

Posts: 212; Member since: Jun 25, 2012

What is the point of these drop tests all these phones are fragile and are going to break crack once dropped! This will be good once once we have bendable displays! Also has anyone else noticed that each year the phones get worse? I mean the galaxy s2 faired the best but gs3 and 4 did worse and they supposedly had better glass!

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 11:13 AM 0

22. Evil_SaNz

Posts: 259; Member since: Oct 20, 2011

Rabbit Glass

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 12:38 PM 0

27. RORYREVOLUTION

Posts: 3131; Member since: Jan 12, 2010

I don't get it, my Motorola Droid X survived fall after fall, my near 300 pound drunken friend accidently stomping on it with steel toe boots on and it had first gen GGlass and yet after all these years they have somehow made it worse.

posted on Nov 07, 2013, 7:59 PM 0

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