iPhone 5 Rear Case Scratch Test Video

Friday September 21, 2012 3:04 pm PDT by Arnold Kim

In response to concerns about the durability of the Black iPhone 5's back shell, iFixIt has posted a video pitting a black iPhone 5 against a 2 year old with a set of keys.

Again, this video shows more purposeful abuse to the iPhone 5 than in daily usage, but they do compare it to an iPhone 4S glass backing. As expected, the glass back is not as susceptible to blemishes as the iPhone 5 with the same amount of abuse.

Top Rated Comments

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mrxak

Posted: 9 months ago

Apple can't win. They use a hard material like glass, people slam them on the ground and cry about the glass breaking. They use a softer material like anodized aluminum, and people key the thing and cry about little scratches.

I prefer the glass, but oh well, nobody understands how good glass is until they see the alternative. This is like people complaining about the paint job on their Bentley after they drove it through a barrier into a ditch.

Rating: 32 Positives

deekon

Posted: 9 months ago

To be fair, NOTHING is safe from a 2 year old with a set of keys.

Rating: 30 Positives

spiderman0616

Posted: 9 months ago

Is this seriously what we are resorting to now for news clicks? If you gouge a 2 year old a set of keys and have her bang the crap out of an iPhone, it scratches. SCUFFGATE.

I'm seriously worried for humanity.

Rating: 23 Positives

inscrewtable

Posted: 9 months ago

This is shocking and made me wonder about the build quality of my iMac, sure enough I pushed it off the desk and the 27" behemoth hit the wooden floor with a sickening crunching sound, now it's broken. If it wasn't for this iPhone exposé I'd never have thought to check.

Later I'll be putting an electric drill to my Gibson and seeing if my arm can withstand a pass under a circular saw.

Rating: 20 Positives

iParis

Posted: 9 months ago

I don't mind it getting scratched that much. To me the device looks like it will hold together really well.

Rating: 12 Positives

WhoDaKat

Posted: 9 months ago

Cut to two weeks later when iFixit brings you the new Black iPhone repair kit for the low low price of $19.99!

Rating: 10 Positives

TonyC28

Posted: 9 months ago

Milf

Rating: 10 Positives

kas23

Posted: 9 months ago

Everyone's black iPhone is going to look like ass in the matter of weeks. This pretty much confirms it. Especially that test with the ring.

Rating: 9 Positives

shinyafro

Posted: 9 months ago

Then people will complain that it's too hard to engrave! Normal wear is one thing, and this will wear significantly more than the glass, but purposeful scratching is another. If I buy a new car, I don't bounce keys off the hood and expect it to still look new.

Rating: 7 Positives

darkslide29

Posted: 9 months ago

Its just a phone, who cares if it has a bunch of scratches and scrapes, if its a big deal in your life, you have worse problems.

So what you're saying is..

If you havin anodized problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but scuff-gate ain't one.

Rating: 7 Positives

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