The HTC 10 is one of the top handsets on the market, but good specs and competitive pricing are not the only criteria that a customer will look at when spending hefty bucks for a flagship phone.
Durability, scratch-resistance and the handset's ability to withstand bending are becoming key ingredients in a well-rounded smartphone.
The techies at Jerry Rig Everything (JRE) decided to put the flagship phone to the test, and showcased it all in a YouTube video.
As they point out, "a lot can happen in two years" to a new phone. Accidents occurring when people sit on their devices, step on a device that was negligently left on the floor or simply scratch their handset with their keys are common.
That is why JRE simulates the passing of the two years by pushing the phones to the limit during a short amount of time, and the HTC 10 was no exception.
Scratch test
During the scratch test, the tempered glass screen (Gorilla Glass 4) of the HTC started to show scratch marks at level 6. At level 7, a deep scratch was in tow, placing the phone on par with rival handsets.
JRE points out that the front 5 megapixel selfie snapper is well protected behind a layer of glass. It looks like HTC learned its lesson from last year's One M9 device, which only protected the front-facing camera with plastic. Both cameras get better protection, as the 12 megapixel main camera is also sheltered from scratches by a thick glass layer. Again, this is a vast improvement over last year's One M9.
As the logo from the backside of the handset is engraved in the chassis, it will scratch uniformly with the rest of the case. During the scratch test, it was easy to see that the body of the HTC 10 is made of pure metal and not covered in plastic. The rear of the device starts to scratch at level 5, making it more durable than the LG G5, whose plastic-covered backside scratches at level 3.
The tester also uses a key to scratch the backside of the HTC 10, and it is pleasantly surprising to see that the marks are barely visible after wiping the device.
JRE calls the side buttons of HTC 10 "awesome," noting that they are made of metal and thus able to withstand the test of time.
A nice touch is that, although the fingerprint sensor does scratch quite easily, it maintains responsiveness and full functionality after taking damage.
Fire test
The HTC 10's display resisted nine seconds under direct flame before its pixels reacted and went black. However, it should be pointed out that they recovered after the heat source was removed. For comparison, the LG G5's display lasted three seconds before pixels blackened, while the Nexus endured for eight seconds. What's more, the phone cools off rapidly after the flame is turned off.
Bend test
JRE mentions that, out of the 20 phones that it bend-tested before, "only three catastrophically failed." One of the three sensitive gadgets was the HTC One M9 from 2015, but the HTC M10 fares incredibly well under bending forces, from both the back and the front. The reviewer stresses that the metallic design reinforces the device so that it easily withstands bending.
If you're still unsure whether to upgrade your One M9 to the HTC 10, here is a comparison that might help.
Check out the video below to see how HTC 10 fares against open fire, bending and sagacious scratching.
