Is the 920 as tough as it's made out to be?

anon(5370748)

New member
Nov 12, 2012
562
0
0
Visit site
I've seen a bunch of videos and stuff of people being rough on the device, and it's funny and all, but then I read posts about people dropping it and shattering the screen or denting the corner or whatever. AT&T is offering accidental damage coverage which I'm wondering if I need. Has anyone accidentally tried their own version of the drop test and found favorable results?

Latest fun video reference (I know it's an 820, but I've seen plenty of similar 920 vids):

[video=youtube;DE9WLgLBeDM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DE9WLgLBeDM[/video]
 

elee@ulgm.org

New member
Jul 23, 2011
42
0
0
Visit site
Within a week, my 920 had a scratch on the screen. I've been incredibly careful with it. Only thing I can think is that it was from being in my coat pocket with my car keys or the scratch was there when I got the phone and I just didn't notice it at first. :-(
 

anon(5370748)

New member
Nov 12, 2012
562
0
0
Visit site
Within a week, my 920 had a scratch on the screen. I've been incredibly careful with it. Only thing I can think is that it was from being in my coat pocket with my car keys or the scratch was there when I got the phone and I just didn't notice it at first. :-(

I always keep it in a microfiber sunglasses bag away from everything else in my pockets.. hopefully that will prevent scratches.
 

MDak280

New member
Nov 17, 2012
423
0
0
Visit site
I think with the drops, the amount of damage depends on where the impact was focused. If you drop it flat on its screen, it'll most likely shatter the glass. Maybe if the drop tests tried dropping the phone with its screen facing the ground, we'd see different results than what most other videos are showing. As for scratches... I'm really not sure. When I get my phone I'm definitely getting a screen protector and I'll carry it around in a microfiber pouch. But I'm not getting a case.
 

jhoff80

New member
Apr 27, 2003
1,415
0
0
Visit site
My Lumia 920 has a small chip in the plastic, without it ever being dropped. I'm not even sure how it happened other than maybe putting it down on the table roughly, but I never had any issues of that sort with my 900.
 

a5cent

New member
Nov 3, 2011
6,622
0
0
Visit site
The glass displays on our smartphones are highly polished surfaces. As a result, even the tiniest of scratches is easily visible to the naked eye. Many people will hear or read "scratch resistant" and think "scratch proof" which isn't the same thing at all. As it turns out, any sharp-"ish" metal object has the potential to scratch our displays (including gorilla glass 2). The idea that displays don't scratch is just a marketing-myth.

People who think their displays are scratch-free have either not thoroughly inspected the device under good lighting (you can find hairline scratches on almost any device), or they are extremely careful and lucky.

What high quality glass really shouldn't do is easily crack or shatter, which is Corning's (the manufacturer of gorilla glass) primary engineering goal. Of course glass displays have their weak spots, and they will break if they fall in exactly the wrong way, but these are very unlucky coincidences.

IMHO microfiber pouches or protective cases aren't necessary for any of the Lumia devices, but a screen protector (thin and transparent plastic film) certainly isn't a bad idea.
 

smackbo

New member
Nov 25, 2012
28
0
0
Visit site
So if you drop your phone try to kick it on the way down so it doesn't fall directly on the screen Haha ... From the video I saw it took hitting the phone phone with a 2x4 and launching it over 40ft to kill it .. to break the glass the guy had to throw it full blast into a cement light post base
 

Laura Knotek

Retired Moderator
Mar 31, 2012
29,394
20
38
Visit site
I've never trusted any of those "abuse tests". I've always been careful with my cellphones/smartphones.

I never used cases/screen protectors with my old Symbian/BlackBerry devices, but I did use leather pouches to carry those so no scratches with keys would happen.

I currently use an Otterbox Commuter case on my Lumia 900 and a screen protector, even though WPCentral published this article. I'm not going to push my luck, and I'll use a case/screen protector for all future devices.
 

lordofthereef

New member
Sep 17, 2012
656
0
0
Visit site
My wife dropped my phone twice. There is a small scratch on the right side of the screen as a result of the first drop. Second drop it came out unscathed. The device is going to break if you drop it right. If you are prone to dropping, I recommend insurance. But I recommend Microsoft Assure over AT&T's overpriced plans.
 

SnailUK

New member
Mar 1, 2012
1,006
1
0
Visit site
I dropped my 920 from a small distance onto gravel, and it landed screen first, and has a couple of scratches.

From what i've read on here, theres a covering on the screen to stop it getting greasy, and its that thats been damaged, rather than the glass.

I've since purchased a phone sock cover, just to stop that happening again.

I have a couple of scratches on the plastic too, but the phone was never marketed as Child Proof, so i can't blame Nokia for my kids.
 

anon(5370748)

New member
Nov 12, 2012
562
0
0
Visit site
I've carried my last three phones in a microfiber bag, and only ended up dropping my Droid 2 once when I was seriously dehydrated and nearly passed out. I tend to be really careful with all my electronics, but you just never know. My wife has only ever had Blackberries until now, which I can tell you firsthand are nearly indestructible, so she's never had the fear of dropping her phone properly instilled :)

My wife dropped my phone twice. There is a small scratch on the right side of the screen as a result of the first drop. Second drop it came out unscathed. The device is going to break if you drop it right. If you are prone to dropping, I recommend insurance. But I recommend Microsoft Assure over AT&T's overpriced plans.

Thanks much for the advice on Assure, lordofthereef - We'll be heading to the local MS store this weekend to look into that.
 

sleewok

New member
Nov 15, 2012
25
0
0
Visit site
I've carried my last three phones in a microfiber bag, and only ended up dropping my Droid 2 once when I was seriously dehydrated and nearly passed out. I tend to be really careful with all my electronics, but you just never know. My wife has only ever had Blackberries until now, which I can tell you firsthand are nearly indestructible, so she's never had the fear of dropping her phone properly instilled :)



Thanks much for the advice on Assure, lordofthereef - We'll be heading to the local MS store this weekend to look into that.


Regarding insurance, check out protectyourbubble.com. It's offered in the US and UK. It includes FULL coverage, including loss, for $8/month. I used to have SquareTrade, but that doesn't cover loss.
 

JonesCK1

New member
Nov 15, 2012
59
0
0
Visit site
I would recommend getting the insurance. All those videos showing the 920 surviving falls just makes me laugh now, my wife dropped hers from about 4 feet and the screen shattered, still works but at the risk of getting shards in her fingers.

The crazy thing is that the phone was having issues where it would turn off and could not be woken with the power button, only after holding Volume down + Power Button + Plus camera until the phone vibrated was the only way to get it to turn on, this kept happening for a while so she took it to AT&T and they didn't have any units in the store to offer an exchange so they ordered an exchange by mail. A couple of days later the box arrives and while trying to get the sim card out of the phone, she dropped it and it landed face down on a tile floor, the screen looks like it was run over by a car... what the ****?

We have the insurance but now I have to call AT&T and ask what to do about the replacement and the box that was sent, I suppose they'll give us a new address to send it to. Also I'm wondering if the deductible from the insurance is more than getting the screen repaired.

Did Nokia pull a bait and switch with the Gorilla Glass 2 on us? the screen broke so easily and people reporting scratches has me worried, don't even think about dropping it without a good case
 

martinmc78

New member
Oct 30, 2012
2,745
0
0
Visit site
My wife dropped my phone twice. There is a small scratch on the right side of the screen as a result of the first drop. Second drop it came out unscathed. The device is going to break if you drop it right. If you are prone to dropping, I recommend insurance. But I recommend Microsoft Assure over AT&T's overpriced plans.

May i suggest not giving your phone to your wife :wink:
 

SnailUK

New member
Mar 1, 2012
1,006
1
0
Visit site
Did Nokia pull a bait and switch with the Gorilla Glass 2 on us? the screen broke so easily and people reporting scratches has me worried, don't even think about dropping it without a good case

GG is scratch resistant. Not scratch/break proof. If you try hard enough, its always going to break, because its still glass 1-2mm thick.

The Galaxy S3 has GG2 too, and i know of at least one person who has smashed the screen on that really easily too.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
322,912
Messages
2,242,886
Members
428,005
Latest member
COME ON WIN ANDROID (ADI)