The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is no doubt one of the most powerful beasts in the smartphone market, but when the screen gets broken, owners will have to fork over a pretty big fortune to get it fixed.
Right off the get-go, that curved 5.7-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 5 will cost $270 to replace, according to Samsung.
That's probably because the South Korean smartphone maker includes the expenses for the repair itself, the replacement materials and shipping, not to mention that it also takes into account the complexity of preserving the device's water-resistant feature. On top of that, the turnaround time is only between a week and 10 days.
As some may have noticed, it's the same price as getting a replacement screen for the Galaxy S7 edge, and that means it's safe to assume that repairs for edged screens of this caliber will sell for around $270 a pop in the foreseeable future.
Shattering the display of the Galaxy Note 7 isn't the only problem to look out for, though. Even though it sports the improved Gorilla Glass 5, recent reports show that the screen gets easily scratched.
However, Corning has provided some explanations regarding that matter, saying that the blemishes that turned up on the display in the test videos aren't scratches but residue from the pick used to damage the screen.
After that issue was pretty much cleared up, a couple of other problems started to make rounds online shortly.
First off, the Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear is apparently a lot less durable than the one on the front, and that seems kind of odd since they are supposedly both of the same material. In a word, this indicates that not every Gorilla Glass 5 is the same.
Second, the Galaxy Note 7 failed to triumph over the Galaxy Note 5 and the iPhone 6s in a series of drop tests. This also comes as a bit weird because the Gorilla Glass 5 is supposed to be the sturdiest iteration of the brand.
Long story short, whatever happens, don't drop that Galaxy Note 7, unless the idea of spending $270 sounds good. Also, it wouldn't hurt to buy a screen protector and a shock-absorbing case to boot, as the phablet doesn't seem to be as durable as first advertised.
To be on the safer side of things, Samsung has an insurance plan called Protection Plus for $129, and it covers two accidental damages for two years. What's more, it includes a $79 deductible for each incident as well, and that means it's going to shave $60 off the first screen replacement cost.
Did you grab one of the hottest smartphones in the industry this year? If so, let us know in the comments section below, particularly if you spotted a few unwanted damages on the screen.
Hat tip to Phone Arena for spreading the word.
