How Weak Glass Makes Cheap Phones Secretly Expensive

Everyone focuses on the internal specifications when it comes to high-end or flagship phones, but these phones come with the latest glass technology, while cheaper phones make do with cheaper glass. If you're unlucky, that weaker glass might end up costing more than the money you saved on a lower-end handset.

Smartphone Glass Has Come a Long Way

The first smartphones I owned were so fragile that a single casual drop was enough to leave a nice big crack in the screen. However, in the fourteen years since I bought my first smartphone, the glass that protects the front (and more often not the back) of our phones has become harder, much more scratch resistant, and most importantly, performs far better in the sorts of drops that will inevitably happen during the years you'll typically use your phone day-to-day

It was when I got my Samsung Galaxy S8, which came with fifth-generation Gorilla Glass, that I stopped using cases completely. Until I recently started my love affair with leather cases.

Budget Phones Generally Don't Use The Latest Glass

While the best phones have the best glass, many budget or mid-range phones still use much older glass technology. For example, the Google Pixel 8a sports Corning Gorilla Glass 3! That's as opposed to the Gorilla Glass Victus that comes with the Pixel 8. The Samsung Galaxy A25 comes with Gorilla Glass 5, which is what my S8 originally had in 2017.

Google Pixel 8

Built with Pixel’s most advanced chip and Google AI to help you do more effortlessly. Its cameras are also great at capturing high-quality images even in poorly light environments.

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While it might not be the first thing you think about when shopping for cheaper handsets, if you aren't careful you may end up with glass technology from a decade ago!

The Cost of Dropping a Budget Phone

While I hate to have to say it, a "budget" smartphone these days still costs a few hundred dollars. I don't know about you, but I would definitely feel it in my pocket if I dropped and smashed a $300 phone. Given how much I drop my much more expensive phones, I don't think some of these old-generation glass covers would have survived.

Of course, if you're careful and lucky, this will never be an issue, so there's definitely an argument where the lack of strong glass on less expensive phones is rarely a problem. Based on the number of people I personally see day-to-day in public with smashed mid-range phone screens however, I think it's something worth considering.

You Don't Need a Flagship For Good Glass

Not all budget or mid-range phones cut this particular corner, however. Notably, the OnePlus 12R is equipped with the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2, something usually reserved for flagship devices. Likewise, the Pixel 8 has Victus, which is just one generation behind the 12R and is still amazing.

So I'm not advocating that you should buy more expensive phones to have a higher chance of saving money when you drop or mildly abuse your phone. Just that, it's worth spending a few seconds researching what glass you'll be getting with your $300 or $500 phone.

OnePlus 12R

8/ 10

The OnePlus 12R is a budget-friendly smartphone that offers a lot of power and features. It has a stunning display, a long-lasting battery, and super fast charging. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a high-quality phone without breaking the bank.

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Making Up For Weaker Glass

Of course, there's a whole industry built around phone accessories meant to toughen your phone up and protect it. If you have the right case, your screen will hopefully never make contact with the ground, and corner drops might not have enough force to shatter your phone's glass.

Likewise, screen protectors can in theory reduce the odds that you'll have a bit of a scratch on your phone screen. Though I'd argue that the sort of object that can't scratch through typical screen protectors probably wasn't going to scratch your phone glass in the first place. Even if it's Gorilla Glass from 10 years ago.

Cases and screen protectors don't come free, and good ones will push up the total cost of your phone, so there's some math to be done to see if that small bump in budget can't move you up to a phone with glass that doesn't need all that bulky protection.

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