A new video from Zack of JerryRigEverything shows how the Pixel 2 XL fared against his usual suite of durability, scratch, and burn tests. The channel earlier released a video that examined the Pixel 2, although the content creator noted that the two handsets were built by different manufacturers despite bearing the Google branding and therefore might have differences in build quality. The scratch test, which focuses on the resistance of the device to scratches, was first conducted. The display is covered by a sheet of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which has a hardness rating of 6. This makes the glass harder than iron, nickel, and copper, but relatively softer than silica, which has a hardness rating of 7. This means that the glass can resists scratches from keys, coins, and razor blades but it can be damaged by a sand particle. The front-facing camera can also resist scratches made by a razor blade while the speakers are covered by a metallic sheet that is well secured to the frame of the device. The back of the device, on the other hand, is made from metal but it is covered by a “hybrid coating”, making the rear panel more susceptible to scratches.
In the bend test, Zack applied a substantial amount of force to both the front and the back of the device. The smaller Pixel 2 failed this test after snapping at the middle portion of the handset’s chassis which is where the antenna lines are located. While the smartphone can still be used, it is no longer water-resistant. In comparison, the Pixel 2 XL managed to survive the bend test since the handset remained intact after the test, even though there is some slight flexing that occurred in the process.
Last but not the least, the burn test was conducted. In this test, a lighter fire was placed near the display and the length of time until the point wherein screen starts showing damage is recorded. The makers of the two Pixel 2 devices procured different screens from different display manufacturers. The Pixel 2 uses a 16:9 AMOLED panel fabricated by Samsung while the Pixel 2 XL sports an 18:9 P-OLED display from LG. Zack pointed that it only took 10 seconds before the P-OLED display of the Pixel 2 XL was permanently damaged, compared to the Pixel 2 which lasted 15 seconds. However, he noted that the burn test is not a clear indication of how likely the screen gets burn-in.