BuffaloxMay 15, 2024

4 months durability for an $800 phone!

https://lemmy.world/post/15431732

4 months durability for an $800 phone! - Lemmy.World

My old $250 Motorola G9 Power phone lasted almost 4 years with only very minor scratches. Obviously in that period I have dropped it a few times, especially getting out of the car, where the phone sometimes work itself out of my pant pocket while I drive. But no problem, despite cheap plastic back and Panda glass front. Then I bought my $800 glass back Xiaomi 13T Pro in January, and I loved the phone for the camera and good specs. But alas after only 4 months, and single drop of just 30 cm while sitting on the porch, the glass back immediately cracked! The back now looks like an ugly mess, and the high water resistance is very likely gone too. For sure the last time I buy a phone with a glass back!!! I wonder why it’s so popular, and I curse the media for reviewing the Samsung Galaxy 2 as “feeling a bit cheap”, because the back was synthetic, and drop tests showed it was 10 times as durable as the iPhone with its glass back. Samsung did it right in the beginning, glass backs are a curse. PS: I don’t use condoms for my phones, if they need that for daily use, it’s an obvious design flaw!!!

Show threadcatloaf
Yeah, you have to either buy a case or buy a ruggedized one. The sexy glass ones are just to look good in ads and in stores.
May 15, 2024 at 2:37pmWeb
Show threadBuffaloxMay 15, 2024

Yes I agree, and I added this to my post:

The glass back is supposedly there to give a premium feel to the phone. But because it’s fragile, people have to use a cover, but with the cover, the premium feel of a glass back is gone anyways?
How is glass back not a design flaw?

Show threadcatloafMay 15, 2024

I wouldn’t say it’s a flaw, but an intentional decision. They expect you to buy a case aftermarket.

Is it shitty? Maybe. But people also like being able to choose a personalized case, which you can’t get with a ruggedized phone. If you don’t care about that, I’d look at ruggedized phones like what Cat makes: www.catphones.com/en-us/cat-s62-smartphone/

Show threadBuffaloxMay 15, 2024

My Moto held brilliantly without being ruggedized and without a case. And that’s despite it is big 6.8" screen and relatively heavy with 220 grams.

I’d say it’s absolutely a flaw, to chose a material that is way way worse and yet more expensive.
As I write in my post, with a case, there is zero advantage to the glass back, and you don’t get any premium feel from it.

Show threadShepherdPieMay 15, 2024
How about a nice aluminum frame with a plastic back? You can still use your personalized case with them but they aren’t really needed if you don’t want one. This was pretty much the whole industry until 2015-2016
Show threadstardustMay 15, 2024
Makes phone feel slippery too, which make some feel like it’ll pop out of my hands.
Show threadBuffaloxMay 16, 2024
Yes, usually plastic backs have texture, that actually make them quite comfortable to hold IMO. Also the texture can be made so it looks very cool.
Also plastic backs aren’t usually just cheap plastics, they are high quality synthetic materials.
Plastic backs are also both thinner and lighter. Which all in all makes it the way superior material even over aluminium.