iPhone 14 Glass Features Same Durability as iPhone 13

With the launch of new iPhones, YouTubers always delve into a series of unscientific durability tests with the hope of providing us with some insight into the durability of the latest iPhones. We highlighted iPhone 14 Pro drop tests earlier today, and we thought we'd also share a couple of scratch tests for those interested.


YouTuber JerryRigEverything does an annual scratch test on new iPhones using the Mohs mineral hardness scale, and with the iPhone 14, the results were as expected. Apple is still using the same Ceramic Shield used in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, and faint scratches were observed at a level 6 hardness.

Much more noticeable scratches appeared with the level 7 tool, which is the exact same result that was observed with the ‌iPhone 13‌ and the ‌iPhone 12‌ before that, so there are no quiet improvements to the display durability this year.

The aluminum frame scratched easily, which is no surprise, and the sapphire crystal camera lens scratched at a level 6, which is notable because sapphire typically ranks at level 9 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Other YouTubers subjected the ‌iPhone 14‌ devices to hammers, knives, screws, and other tools to attempt to demonstrate durability, but it's difficult to glean useful information from tests like these. It can be impressive how much damage the ‌iPhone 14‌ models can endure before a scratch shows up, but real world conditions vary and the wrong angle or the wrong edge on a tool can cause a scratch in one situation where it might not in another.



Apple did not make notable durability specific claims about the ‌iPhone 14‌ and iPhone 14 Pro models, with the new iPhones using the same glass components as the prior-generation ‌iPhone 13‌ models.

Related Roundup: iPhone 14
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 14 (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

appleguy123 Avatar
27 weeks ago
Have we ever got a comment from Apple on why the allegedly sapphire camera lens has been scratching at a 6 in the last few iPhones?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GubbyMan Avatar
27 weeks ago
Glass is glass and glass scratches at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spaceboi Scaphandre Avatar
27 weeks ago
It's the same damn phone lmao
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleiPhone4lyfe Avatar
27 weeks ago

No, but they've stopped calling them "Sapphire Crystal Lens Cover" for many years now
Why do people say random things without looking them up? Under tech specs for the iPhone 14 Pros Apple clearly states “sapphire lens cover”
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
appleguy123 Avatar
27 weeks ago

No, but they've stopped calling them "Sapphire Crystal Lens Cover" for many years now
Apple still advertises it as a "Sapphire crystal lens cover" on the iPhone tech specs and has never changed this.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TimmKook Avatar
27 weeks ago
Thank you for summarizing this so that I didn't have to watch Zack's cringe videos.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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