Redmi Note 7's durability is being put to test by turning them into skates — but take that with a pinch of salt

• The Redmi Note 7’s Corning Glass Glass 5 body was put to the test by dropping the phone down the stairs and using two devices as skates.
• The phone is already available in China and is expected to launch in India before the end of January 2019.
  
• While the phone may have survived both tests, the news should be taken with some caution because external parameters have a large part to play how phones get damaged.
  

Update: The Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro launched in India on February 28. Only the Pro model comes equipped with the 48-megapixel camera with prices starting at ₹13,999. The Redmi Note 7 costs ₹9,999 for the 3GB RAM variant.

The Redmi Note 7 is already creating a buzz thanks to its 48-megapixel camera but one of its less ‘buzz-worthy’ features is its durability. Guerrilla durability tests have surfaced on YouTube where the phone is dropped down a set of stairs and even used as skates — but the Redmi Note 7 comes out unscathed.

Blendtec’s ‘Will It Blend?’ series on YouTube were one of the fir₹13,999st to run this kind of testing on phones using a blender — that was, of course, also meant to highlight the durability of the blenders.

While these extreme testing scenarios certainly tell us that the phone is durable, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s full proof. Scratches on a phone’s body are more likely there because you put the phone in the same pocket as your keys and screens usually break because the phone falls from your laps as you’re getting up off your seat.

Redmi Note 7 ‘durability tests’

Redmi CEO, Lu Weibing, was seen on YouTube dropping the Redmi Note 7 down a set of stairs encased in a metal trash can. After surviving the 18 stairs, the phone comes out the other end without any scratches or bumps.


Another user took to YouTube as actually used the Redmi Note 7 as skates. No, not attached to skates or skated over the phone — but the user attached wheels to the Redmi Note 7 and put his whole weight on top of the phone as he proceeds to roll down the pathway.


In both scenarios, the phone came out without any marks, but we would still ask to you take the ‘durability tests’ with a pinch of salt. The durability of the phone isn’t just about the body being scratch proof — ask someone who drops their phone on a regular basis — and you’ll find out that the camera, a marble floor and the absolute height of the drop also have a role to play. Sometimes something as simple as the side toggle buttons coming undone is a huge obstacle.

Some manufacturers could use thinner glass than what was used in Corning's official tests, and not everyone drops their phone flat on their face according to the Verge.

That’s not to say that the Redmi Note 7’s Corning Gorilla Glass 5 body isn’t up to the mark,. In fact, the Redmi Note 7 is one of few phones — aside from the ASUS Max Pro M2 which offers Gorilla Glass 6 — to prioritise durability in a budget-segment smartphone.

The Redmi Note 7 has already launched in China but is yet to go up for sale in India. While the phone currently costs ¥999 (₹10,400), it might be cheaper in India since every brand is trying to capture the entry-level and mid-budget segment of the market. Even Samsung’s upcoming launch of the M-Series is targeted at the same price point.

See also:
Your next smartphone actually might survive when you drop it - here's why

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 7 just launched with a 48-megapixel camera — But will that really make a difference to your photos?

Here's why Apple’s problem that began in China may spill over to India too

Xiaomi’s new sub-brand POCO is the company going back to its roots