It’s that time of year again; the new iPhone is here – well, both of them actually – and as with previous years, it’s time to put them through their paces. Except this year, there’s one major difference; rather than an iPhone 7 drop test here on Android Authority, we’ve passed the mantle over to our sister site TabTimes. Just so you don’t feel left out, we’re dropping the Galaxy Note 7 – so from Sydney, let’s see how Samsung’s glass-clad best fares against the metal-clad flagships from Apple.

Let’s kick things off with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus drop test: you know the drill, three drops – on its back, on a side (usually the bottom) and then on its face – but like you may have seen with our LG V20 Drop Test, we’ve decided to step things up a notch. Should the phones survive the first drop test, we add a second tier with a drop from a much higher height. With that out of the way… let’s see how Apple’s best manages to fare.

So both, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, manage to surprise us by surviving not just the first drop test, but the higher tier drop test as well. By point of reference, the military-standard rated LG V20’s screen cracked on the very final test so Apple has certainly done well to produce devices that are capable of handling a few tumbles.

Now to Samsung and the Galaxy Note 7 is arguably already at a disadvantage; no, not for the risk that it might explode but because it features glass on both, the front and the back. Yet the glass is Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, which might not be quite as scratch resistant as Gorilla Glass 4 but is rated at being more shatter resistant than the previous generation. Undergoing the same tests in the same glamorous location, does the Galaxy Note 7 survive? Let’s find out:

And there’s the result; the Galaxy Note 7 survives three tests but then breaks when being dropped on its back (as it actually landed on the Edge curve). Further attempts to drop it certainly don’t break the handset any further but its susceptibility to shattering when dropped on the Edge is certainly worth keeping in mind if you have butter fingers.

With all that being said, it’s worth remembering that life is random and just because the iPhone 7 / 7 Plus survived (and the Galaxy Note 7 broke), doesn’t mean that this will always be the case. Everything from the angle it drops at, to how it lands, the surface it’s landing on and more can all affect the overall result so if you’re worried about breaking your phone, be sure to err on the side of caution and either buy one that’s a little more rugged – like the LG V20 or Galaxy S7 Active – or protect your smartphone with a case.

What do you think of this drop test and the overall result? Which of these devices would you buy? Let us know your views on this and more – aside from the Note 7 exploding that is – in the comments below and be sure to also check out TabTimes’ iPhone 7 Water test to see just how water resistant Apple’s latest handsets are!