Apple Watch Faces Hydrogen Explosion, Liquid Nitrogen and More in New Tests

After being put under multiple torture and waterproof tests in the week since its official launch on April 24, the Apple Watch this week faced some of its most hardcore trials yet from YouTuber Richard Ryan. Known as "FullMag" on YouTube, Ryan this week has put the Apple Watch Sport through a series of three destruction tests - Liquid Nitrogen, Hydrogen Explosion, and a 50-caliber bullet - on his technology destruction-focused channel (via Cult of Mac).

First posted on Monday, Ryan began his Apple Watch videos with a test focused on dropping the Sport version of the Watch into a container of liquid nitrogen and smashing the frozen wearable with a sledgehammer. As with most of Ryan's videos, the results are less about wondering if the Watch passed Ryan's tests, but more focusing on exactly how badly Apple's new wrist-worn device was destroyed.


One of Ryan's more elaborate experiments comes from the hydrogen explosion test posted on Tuesday, and also appears to be the least destructive of the trilogy of Apple Watch videos on the FullMag channel. The Apple Watch Sport at the end of the video appears relatively unharmed, but given that Ryan doesn't attempt to test the device's normal functions following the experiment, there's no telling what kind of damage was done to the wearable's basic functionality thanks to the acidic-based science experiment.


Most impressive is perhaps Ryan's most recent video, a short clip of the YouTuber shooting an Apple Watch Sport with a 50-calliber bullet. The resulting destruction is easily one of the most impressive, the cheaper Apple Watch getting cut nearly clean in half by the massive bullet shell. Ryan even promises that while the 50-caliber bullet will be the biggest firearm he sets his sights on to destroy the Watch, it won't be the last.


Ryan has performed less high-intensity tests on the Watch, according to Cult of Mac, but has yet to post them. The YouTuber found that from basic drop tests the stainless steel Watch "shattered" while the aluminum Sport was completely fine. Ryan's channel isn't focused solely on Apple products, however, with videos showcasing the destruction of everything from Rolex watches to destruction tests on other smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
top stories 2025 12 04a

Top Stories: iOS 26.2 Coming Soon, Apple Execs Depart, and More

Saturday December 6, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public. There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...

Top Rated Comments

Taipan Avatar
139 months ago
This is so stupid, I'm not even going to watch it.
Score: 81 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Onexy Avatar
139 months ago
It's ok if people want to make these videos. But posting them on a news website just sucks.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sampaul Avatar
139 months ago
I can't be the only one, right?
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SMIDG3T Avatar
139 months ago
It doesn't stand up to a 50 Cal bullet? I'm sending mine back.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthonylambert Avatar
139 months ago
For these tests to be anyway valid and worthwhile (as a true in the field test) the guy should be wearing it....
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
j4m13 Avatar
139 months ago
Would have been better giving it to charity instead of destroying it for no reason. I am sure some of the Nepal disaster committees could make use of the $1000 its worth.

EDIT: It also gives me great pleasure to watch these videos with Ad Block, because then i haven't paid to watch it!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)