Galaxy Z Fold 2 survives dirt durability test that its predecessor couldn’t

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 has survived having dirt dropped on it in a new durability test from YouTuber Zack Nelson (aka JerryRigEverything), backing up Samsung’s claims that its hinge is more durable on this year’s device. Nelson’s test involved dropping a handful of dust and dirt on Samsung’s new foldable, and he reported the phone continued to feel just as smooth to open and close. That indicated the worst of the dirt hadn’t made its way inside the mechanism.

Durability was one of the key promises Samsung made when it announced the Z Fold 2 back in August. To illustrate its point, the company even used a clip from Nelson’s original Galaxy Fold durability test. He found that a handful of dirt dropped on the foldable would immediately find its way into its hinge mechanism, making it feel crunchy to open and close and generally sound horrible. Check it out in the clip below:

Samsung is using a similar “sweeper” technology on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 as it introduced on the Z Flip, which is designed to brush dust and dirt out of the foldable’s display. The company isn’t claiming that the device is at all waterproof or dustproof, but these tests suggest the phone should be a little more durable if it accidentally comes into contact with a small amount of dirt.

Nelson doesn’t take apart the phone during his durability test, so it’s unclear if any smaller pieces of dust and dirt managed to get into the hinge, although an iFixit teardown of the Z Flip found that dust was still able to get past similar bristles used in its hinge mechanism.

While its hinge appears to be more durable, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s foldable display scratches just as easily as last year’s device, or this year’s Z Flip. It comes with a pair of easily-scratched plastic screen protectors on its inner and outer screen which Samsung warns not to remove. If you do, however, while the phone doesn’t break like the original Fold, Nelson reports the phone’s inner foldable display can still be scratched with a fingernail (a fact which Samsung’s software specifically warns users about).

That’s not to say that the Z Fold 2 isn’t using Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass technology, but this glass is only covered by an easily-scratched plastic top layer. If the screen on your device breaks within the first year, then Samsung offers a one-time screen replacement for $149.

All of which is to say that while the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a more durable phone than last year’s Fold, it’s still something you need to take a little more care around than a typical smartphone. For a rundown of what it’s like to use, check out our full review.