With the iPhone 17 Pro Max having an aluminum unibody and the Galaxy S25 Ultra having a titanium alloy body, the question arose: which phone can withstand the inevitable drops of daily life? To find out, PhoneBuff put these two flagships to the test in a six-round gauntlet.
PhoneBuff’s testing system is a work of art, with each phone secured in a custom rig that ensures consistent drops from specific heights and angles. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, with its aluminum body, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with its titanium alloy body, face the same challenges: three drops from one meter, each targeting a different side, and three from 1.5 meters to increase the punishment. The surfaces are concrete, which is like real world sidewalks. Every impact is recorded on high-speed cameras so we can frame by frame examine the damage.
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Round one is a one-meter back drop. The back glass on the iPhone 17 Pro Max breaks but the damage is minimal, like thin spiderwebs around the edges. But its telescoping camera has noticeable scratches. The Galaxy S25 Ultra did worse, the back glass shattered more and the area around the telephoto lens caved in, cracked the laser autofocus mechanism. Both phones’ cameras still work but Samsung’s phone took the harder hit. Aluminum is softer and more flexible than titanium so it absorbs the impact better.
Next the phones’ edges are tested with a one-meter corner drop. Here the iPhone 17 Pro Max fails. Aluminum is softer than titanium, despite its better heat dissipation properties. The impact causes a big dent and mark on the iPhone’s frame, showing its malleability. The Galaxy S25 Ultra absorbed the corner blow with minimal damage. Titanium’s toughness shines through, giving Samsung a win in this round. It’s a reminder that material selection is a trade off – the benefits of aluminum come at a cost when force is concentrated in one area.
The final one-meter test is a front drop where both phones’ displays are put to the test. The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s OLED screen cracks, the cracks move towards the front camera and creates lens flares in photos. Face ID still works. The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s screen splinters but the fingerprint sensor still works. Neither phone is unscathed and the damage is even – both screens are damaged but the important parts still work.
We won’t give away too many spoilers, but the following test increases the drop height to 1.5m. The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s metal frame proves itself by taking minimal damage. The rear cameras still work fine with only minor scratches. But the Galaxy S25 Ultra takes a beating, as all its rear camera lenses crack and the ultra wide angle lens shatters completely. Samsung’s titanium frame can’t protect its glass parts from damage. Apple’s design pulls ahead, meaning aluminum’s flexibility helps distribute impact energy better in some cases.
The aluminum frame of the iPhone 17 Pro Max excels in back drops because it’s more flexible than titanium and absorbs impact better. But corners are its weak point, showing its soft side through dents and paint loss. The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s titanium alloy performs better in corner drops because of its stiffness but its glass parts fracture more easily in rear impacts. Neither phone is indestructible but both are tougher than they look.
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