iPhone 12 Mini Drop Test: The Screen Appears Indestructible

The iPhone 12 Mini is tough and the following drop test can attest. While it didn’t break the screen covered in the new Ceramic Shield Glass of Apple, the test managed to ruin other things.

Another conclusion here is the iPhone 12 Mini appears to handle repeated drop better than the iPhone 12.

Drop Test 1: 0.9 Meters, Screen Side Down

0.9 meters is arguably the most common height from which users might drop their phone, which is also the distance from one’s pocket to the ground. In the case of a rough surface, like the sidewalk, such a drop is lethal for a regular phone screen.

The iPhone 12 Mini survived the fall and its screen work as well as new. However, the same can’t be said about the frame. The corner where the phone landed suffers a scrape that exposes the metal under the paint.

Drop Test 2: 0.9 Maters, Back Side Down

The drop from the same height was repeated this time but with the backside down. Such an impact can crack the back of an iPhone 12 but the iPhone 12 Mini held up better.

The fall made matter worse for the aluminum frame which suffered a scrape from the previous test. Apart from that, you can also see dents on top of the camera. However, the screen itself still looked fine.

Drop Test 3: 1.8 Meters, 15 Centimeters, Screen Side Down

It’s highly unlikely that you will drop your phone from a height of 1.8 meters but who knows, you might be very tall and are trying to take a selfie.

The iPhone 12 Mini survived again, at least the screen did. The frame suffered more dents.

Drop 4: 1.8 Meters, 15 Centimeters, Back Side Down

The phone was dropped from the same height this time but with the backside facing down. At first contact, the iPhone 12 Mini did land flat on its back but it later bounced back and at the second impact, it landed with the screen down.

While the back looked intact, the cameras were damaged. There were some small dents on the main camera and the frame and a crack ran through the side of the ultra-wide camera. When inspected with the camera app, the crack wasn’t visible but it might cause more damage later on. Plus, the camera may flare as a result of the damage.

Drop Test 5: 2.7 Meters, Screen Side Down

This time the iPhone 12 Mini was dropped from a ladder at a new high of 2.7 meters. Making the phone falls flat in this situation was much harder.

When landed with the screen facing down, the screen on the iPhone 12 Mini still looked ok but the frame appeared like a war zone.

The dents from previous drops grew more visible but Apple’s new Ceramic Shield remained intact yet again.

Drop Test 6: 2.7 Meters, Back Side Down

With the back of the phone facing down this time, the iPhone 12 Mini flipped a few times in the air before landing flat on its back on the floor. Drop test 6 finally damaged the back with three fractures.

Let's Break It Down

After doing drop tests with iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini, the Ceramic Shield on both phones appeared to be the strongest part. The cameras and the back did show damage when the Mini was dropped from extreme heights but the screen remained intact, proving that Apple didn’t exaggerate what the Ceramic Shield could do.

So with that being said, if you often drop your phone and plan to get an iPhone 12 Mini, investing in a decent case is advisable to protect the back and the cameras. That is what Apple said users should do when the results of drop tests were made public.

It said all iPhone 12 models had gone through careful and thorough testing. The Ceramic Shield ensured durability but not indestructibility. The company also advised those who concerned about dropping their devices and damaged them to get a case to protect their iPhones.

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