Google Pixel 2 Is A Mixed Bag Of Durability

We just recently got a peek into the Pixel 2 and learned from iFixit how easy, or not, it was to open up and repair. But before repair comes the damage that causes the need to repair. And for that, we turn to JerryRigEverything's trinity of durability tests. Though he just recently gave the LG V30 a thorough torture, he has lost no time giving the nominal king of Android phones the same equal treatment. And the king, it seems, might not be all that royal after all.

For the first time, it seems that the scratch test has become interesting. Not because of the screen but because of the back and side materials. Google first described it as a metal unibody but later qualified it as having a "hybrid coating". Zack Nelson jokes that it is somewhat indicative of Google's indecision to use plastic or metal, so why not have both.

The scratch test also revealed something peculiar. As expected, the fingerprint sensor on the back easily scratched. Unexpected, however, is how it stops working properly after those scratches. Coincidentally, that's exactly the same thing that happened to the LG V30, which suggests the use of similar components.

As for the bend test, it was very disappointing to see the Pixel 2 crack immediately in one small place: the antenna line. Fortunately, it is indeed just one small space and anywhere else the phone doesn't give. Still, it seems like a rather poor design decision, especially considering the Pixel 2 already uses a good amount of glass on the back anyway.

If the Pixel 2 is considered the crowning glory of Android smartphones, Zack Nelson is definitely not impressed. Then again, he's already biased from the start because of the lack of a headphone jack. But from the scratches to the cracking to the small issues here and there, it almost seems like the Pixel 2 is more a Frankenstein of parts and features rather than one, cohesive, well-designed product.