Zack, from the channel, submitted the phone to its usual set of tests in this video. The video itself has a duration of around 6 minutes, and it’s embedded below the article.
The Pixel 6a did well in a series of durability tests
The first test that Zack conducted was the display scratch test. The phone doesn’t come with a pre-installed screen protector, so there was no need to remove it before testing. The phone’s display is protected by the Gorilla Glass 3. Zack managed to scratch the display with a level 6 pick, with deeper grooves at a level 7. That’s what we expected considering this is Gorilla Glass 3. That protection got released 10 years ago, and it’s not that great when it comes to protecting against micro-scratches over time. It is also shown that the phone’s frame is made out of metal, while its buttons are made from plastic. Antenna lines are included all around the phone. You can also see the black rubber ring on the SIM card tray, for water protection. Now, the Pixel 6a’s camera visor on the back is not exactly all glass as you may think. The camera lenses do have glass over them, but not the rest of the visor. The rest of it is covered by plastic.
The phone’s backplate is made out of plastic
Its backplate is also made out of plastic, not glass, even though it both looks and feels like glass. Still, it’s much easier to scratch than glass, so keep that in mind. Interestingly enough, the phone’s optical in-display fingerprint scanner was able to pick up a fingerprint even with scratches over it. That’s something we’ve seen on quite a few phones, and it’s a good thing. In case you’re wondering, the phone’s display lasted for 10 seconds under a direct flame. At that point, the pixels started to turn off. It seems like it recovered afterward, though, to a degree. This test is not exactly important in any way, but Zack does it every time, for fun.
It did not break during the bend test
The last test is, as per usual, the bend test. This one is quite important, of course. The Pixel 6a did not break when Zack applied pressure from both the front and back sides. The display did raise a bit, but it reverted back to its usual position. All in all, the Pixel 6a did well in this series of durability tests.
