Zack Nelson is once again putting the latest handheld through his scratch, burn, and bend tests to see how well it holds up. The Z Fold 3 predecessor managed pretty well—you can see that video here—so how will the latest foldable, which Samsung says is “unbreakable,” fare? One of the few differences between the Fold 3 and Fold 4 is the latter’s upgrade from Gorilla Glass Victus to Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on the front screen. This doesn’t seem to have made much difference when it comes to scratches, as they still appear at level 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness with deeper grooves at level 7—the same as the Fold 3.
The inner display has a similar performance, though the Mohs scale of hardness isn’t the best for plastic as it will all fall between levels 2 and 3, which is why Samsung advises users to be careful with their fingernails when operating the inner screen. Samsung warns Z Fold 4 owners to avoid getting dust on the phone. Again, though, the handset, hinge, and fingerprint scanner are still working after being covered in debris. The bend test is the area most users will be interested to see. The thick Fold 4 can’t be harmed when it’s closed, but the surprising part is that even when fully opened and bent in the wrong direction, Samsung’s handset doesn’t snap in two. It’s a stark contrast to the OnePlus 10 Pro that snapped in half under the same test. Samsung has talked about the improved durability of the Z Fold 4, which seems to show in some of the tests. It’s undoubtedly good news for anyone who might need to replace or repair the screens, a procedure that could cost between $400 and $500 for those not subscribing to Samsung’s Care Plus service.
