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iPod Touch Stress Test

contact@brokenreview.com — 2008-05-02T17:17:16+01:00

How tough is the iPod Touch? Well we dropped it over 30 times onto different sides at different angles, kicked it down stairs, threw it off a motorbike at 25mph, stamped on it, and more... So read below to find out. You can read, listen and watch our review.

If you would like us to review your product, please view this page.

Tip: Why not listen and watch at the same time!

First up, the scratch test, this is where we throw the iPod in a bag with coins, keys and other small, sharp objects and shake it around a lot. The screen came out of this clean, the shiney casing got quite a few scratches. I guess this can only be expected - it is an iPod after all 8.5/10.

We moved onto pocket height drops, dropping the iPod onto both wood and tarmac, giving it it a few more scratches but nothing serious, the iPod was still working perfectly 9/10.

One of our new tests, multiple drops was a bit worrying, we dropped the iPod from pocket height both onto tarmac around 30 times, we flinched every time the iPod smashed against the floor, but it came off pretty well, only a small dent and a few more scratches 8/10.

We went onto another of our tests for specifically for the iPod, jogging drops, we dropped the iPod first onto grass at jogging speed, as you might have expected, nothing much happened, we couldn't pin a specific scratch to it, but we're sure there's one there somewhere. With not much to show for the drop onto grass, we dropped it onto tarmac, this time giving it few scratches but came off pretty well. So the Touch is safe with clumsy joggers 9/10!

We then decided to up the stakes and kicked it down a flight of stairs, I really wanted to give it a 10 for this, but it got a couple of scratches so, 9.5/10.

If it can survive being kicked down a flight of stairs it can survive a 25mph drop right? Wrong! We cracked the screen on this, the iPod still worked perfectly, even the part of the screen that was cracked was sensitive to touch and working fine. It would be a bit annoying watching videos and such things though 5/10.

After cracking the screen, and with god knows how many scratches on the casing and screening, we dropped it, onto tile from about 5 meters. The screen totally broke on this one, the iPod itself still worked when we hooked it up to a computer, but without a screen its not much more than a pretty hard drive. The rear casing of the iPod also came off 2/10.

Now, what put an end to the iPod once and for all.... Water. We threw it in a bath, and, well all we can say is: don't drop your iPod in a bath. It totally stopped working, we tried to dry it out but couldn't squeeze any life out of it 0/10.

So, now that the iPod is no more than a pretty paperweight, we threw it against a wall. Nothing fell off, it dented in the corner but other than that we couldn't do much damage to the tough casing 4/10. The iPod was tough to break, even though it had been smacked against a wall, we had to use screwdrivers in the end 6/10. Then, of course as the iPod is not advertised as being tough, and in fact, has a reputation of being the total opposite, we give it 10 extra points, bringing the total to 71/100.

The average person will be fine with the touch, the maximum height most people will drop it from will be a meter or less, and even when we dropped it jogging and poured hot tea onto it, it survived fine. If you're worried about scratches, you'll want to get some sort of protection for the back because it scratches VERY easily and very quickly. We can highly recommend Gelaskins and the Toughskin case.

The iPod Touch survived both a 25, a 50 mph and a first storey drop in the Toughskin case. So if you're the sort of person that drops things - get the case.

Also see: Protective Gear and Portable Gaming.

Bigger pictures here!

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Gelaskins Stress Test

contact@brokenreview.com — 2008-05-02T16:49:18+01:00

Gelaskins seem a little too good to be true. Slim, pretty and easy, what more can you want?

When we received the skins we were skeptical. While we admired their quality and looks, we couldn't imagine they'd be very protective. We started off with a light scratch test on a 13" Macbook and a 3rd generation iPod Nano, neither doing much damage with a few very light scratches visible on the skin at certain angles but nothing we'd worry about.

So with no damage done to either the Macbook or the iPod, we moved on and put the iTouch and it's cute gelaskin through the normal scratch test in a bag with a bunch of keys and coins.

We didn't even manage to scratch it (not including screen). Not to be outdone, we replaced the skin and tried again, this time forcefully trying to scratch the Touch with a key and then a razor sharp pair of scissors, and we finally managed to scratch the skin.

When we took the Gelaskin off we found the Touch exactly as we left it, with nothing to show for the brutal scissor attack. As most people will know iPods scratch even if you keep them wrapped in cotton wool, so we were pleasantly surprised to say the least. We did the same test with a Nintendo DS Lite and got the same pleasing results. To finish off we took a piece of plastic we knew scratched really easily, stuck an unused part of a gelaskin sticker to it and went crazy with the razor sharp scissors! The scissors heavily marked the skin, but when removed the plastic beneath was in perfect condition.

We would highly recommend the Gelaskins for anyone who wants their gadgets to look good and keep them in perfect condition, they don't add any bulk and keep them looking as new as they day you bought it underneath, and ten times better on top. There are a bunch of different designs to choose from, and the skins peel off easily, without leaving any mess or residue. We put the Gelaskins through several severe scratch tests, and each time the Gelaskins did as promised and protected the gadgets. Even if you're not that fussed about scratches, the Gelaskins make your gadgets look better than they could have ever hoped, cover up your existing scratches and make your iPod look cared for again! I'm keeping the one on my Macbook..!

We gave the Gelaskins 9/10, because, while they won't let your gadgets get scratched up, they can be scratched (well, if you press really hard with a pair of scissors) and no one wants to see something that pretty scratched! They're a bit tricky to put on at first, but don't loose their stick so you can have a few goes. We were also a bit disappointed that the iPod Touch Gelaskin didn't come with a screen protector (the Nano and other iPod skins do). You can select hundreds of different designs, they look great on the products and protect them just like it says on the box.. so that's our highest score yet!

Want one? - Gelaskins

ToughSkin Stress Test

contact@brokenreview.com — 2008-04-17T17:22:16+01:00

If you're looking for the iPod Touch test without the case, you should be here!

Durability Testing - Video below of unboxing, scratch test and all three drops.

We chose to use the Speck ToughSkin because it looks pretty tough and is said to be one of the best on the market, along with a separate screen protector.

The iPod Touch and case came off perfectly in both the scratch and drop tests, with no problems, scratches or marks.

Stress testing - We drop it.. lots. Then throw it off a trampoline, stand on it, drop it jogging onto leaves/sticks and tarmac, kick it down a flight of stairs, drop it at 25 mph (cycling speed), and pour tea on it. Video below.

After stress testing, the iPod Touch is still going strong! The Speck ToughSkin case and screen protecter have meant that it still doesnt have a scratch on it.

On the 25mph drop the iPod earphone plug snapped off with the end remaining inside the iPod Touch. We managed to get it out and it hasn't affected the Touch!

With the iPod Touch in perfect condition, we move onto the extreme testing!

Extreme testing - We drag it behind a motorbike, drop it at 50 mph and from one storey high... Video below.

The iPod Touch easily survived about 30 drops onto both carpet and tile. Nothing so far seems to have fazed it much, so we decided to put the iPod touch through a drag test.

We tied the iPod Touch to the back of a motorbike and drove about 100 metres at 20 mph. The iPod Touch came partly out of the Speck case which meant the top got pretty scratched, as did the screen protector and the back of the casing got some minor scratches, when we took the screen protector off, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the screen itself was in perfect condition, with only the metal and part of the top of the Touch being scratched.

We moved onto the 50 mph drop, and then the first storey drop both of which the iPod survived no problem... not even a scratch to show for it!

The Speck case has finished it's testing with a bit less colour and a bit dirtier than it started, but it held up great. The only time it let down the iPod Touch was during the drag test. The pictures below are of the iPod after all tests, without the case or screen protector.

Durability tests - 9/10. The Speck ToughSkin protected the Touch really well against coin and key scratches, however it didn't come with a screen protector. The coins and keys would have scratched the screen if it weren't for the separate one we purchased. If you're going to buy one of these, remember to get a screen protector or keep the one that comes on your Touch on!

Stress tests - 10/10. The case was great and protected the iPod touch being thrown off a trampoline, kicked down a flight of stairs and being dropped while jogging and at 25 mph.

Extreme tests - 8/10. On the drag test the top of our iPod Touch came out of the case and a few small rocks got into the case, as a consequence the Touch got pretty scratched, although we recognize that not many people are going to drag their ipod touch behind a motorbike at 20 mph, we can't justify giving it a 9 because of the extent of the damage. This is extreme testing after all!

Other observations - 8.5/10 The ToughSkin offers great protection and we'd recommend it to anyone who has trouble keeping things in their hands. There are trade offs, for starters the case is pretty chunky, and while we think it looks pretty cool, it's not to everyone's taste. The case almost doubles the thickness of the iPod Touch, which might bother some people and it could cause it to bulge in tight pockets and loose some of its appeal as a slim and pretty device. For those less accident-prone people, seeking something a bit sleeker, check out our Gelaskins review.

Overall 8.9/10!

If you would like us to review your product or have it included in one of our reviews, please view this page.

DS Lite Stress Test

contact@brokenreview.com — 2008-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

Durability

The DS Lite came off really well in durability testing. We filmed the DS Lite taking a beating from keys and coins, taking nothing more than light scratches on the casing, and 3 tiny scratches on the screen, too small to even get a decent picture of. We continued to drop it onto three different surfaces (carpet, wood then tarmac). The DS Lite didn't have any problems and only a couple of very light scuffs to show for it.

- Scratch test. 9/10
- Low level drop onto carpet then wood then tarmac. 8.5/10

Stress tests

The DS Lite is still alive after the stress test. It is still playing games, the microphone is still working as is the wifi.

The first stress test we did was a step/kick, this did little damage so we did a drop at 20 MPH onto tarmac, the DS case came off the worst with deep scratches and red tarmac embedded into it in places. We continued to throw it down a flight of stairs and then poured a cup of tea over it. The ds took everything in its stride and has some deep scratches and scuffs to show for it.

- Drop at 20mph onto tarmac. 8.5/10
- Drop down stairs. 10/10
- Stepped on 9/10
- Water (cup of tea) 10/10

Extreme

The DS Lite is sadly no longer with us. The extreme testing got the better of it just before we threw it into a sink of water.

A 2nd story fall ended up breaking it, which we actually thought it would survive after seeing the results of the first story drop. I thought at first the on switch had just gone but after opening it up we realized the impact had damaged it far more than we expected with several metal pieces and chips falling out.

We started off with a drop at 50mph, this scratched the DS Lite and embedded some tarmac into it, but it functioned perfectly and surprisingly went on to survive one big drop and being run over at a low speed.

We got some great pictures of the DS after destruction so be sure to check them out!

- 1st story drop 8/10
- Run over motorbike 10/10
- Drop at 50mph 9/10
- 3rd story drop 3/10
- Thrown against wall 1/10
- Toughness 6/10

+10 because the Nintendo DS wasn't designed, and isn't advertised as a tough product.
Overall 87/100

A very respectable score for a product which was not in any way designed to be thrown down stairs, out of windows or at high speeds. I would highly recommend the Nintendo DS Lite, and not only for its durability. The nintendo ds lite took a LOT of punishment before breaking and wont scratch easily. We'll be doing a PSP over the coming months to see how it stacks up to the DS Lite.

You can view more pictures of the Nintendo DS Lite here.

If you would like us to review your product or have it included in one of our reviews, please view this page.

PSP Lite Stress Test

contact@brokenreview.com — 2008-03-30T16:00:00+01:00

Durability

The PSP came out of the scratch test absolutely covered in scratches on the screen and casing. Check out the video below of the test and the unboxing of the PSP.

We then dropped the PSP three times onto carpet, wood and tarmac. We had a couple of things break off on the drops and the PSP totally powered off after each but it's still working and playing games.. Onto stress testing!

Stress

The PSP came out of stress testing working fine after a little scare. The video below is of it being kicked down stairs, having tea poured over it, 20 mph drop, and being viciously stepped on!

Next... Extreme testing!

Extreme Testing

We threw it from a second storey window, dropped it at 50 mph, ran it over, threw it against a brick wall then tore it to pieces! Video below!

Conclusion

The downfalls of the PSP are the screen and the UMD drive, both of these failed in the final tests, however, the rest of the hardware seemed to be working as we could still click through the menu and display it on a TV. Games wouldn't play, the drive didn't even try to spin them. We took it apart with precision screw drivers and couldn't see anything obvious to fix as far as the UMD drive was concerned, the screen seemed to have been crushed, causing it problems. We figured this was beyond repair. At the end when we ripped it to pieces, we not only found it far easier than the Nintendo DS Lite to rip apart but found that the screen and pretty much everything else had far less protection than the Nintendo which was packed full of protective layers and little bits of foam and squidgy plastic/rubber.

We got the feeling from the PSP that it wouldn't get through the first couple of tests, let alone get onto extreme testing. It felt very flimsy and light, but it proved us wrong and stood up very well, if the screen and UMD drive had held in there, we'd be giving it a much higher score.

If you're thinking about buying a PSP, get a case and a screen protector for it, the screen scratches very easily and a good quality case will keep it extra safe. It's not as flimsy as people think, and under normal conditions we can't see it having any problems.

Scratch test - 5/10
The PSP suffered a surprising amount of scratches both on the screen and casing.
Low level drop - 6/10
The PSP powered off on every drop, on one drop the UMD cover popped out of one of its "hinges", along with the disk flying out, the battery cover came off on another.
20 MPH Drop - 8/10
A few minor scratches, powered off, battery and cover came off. Grazing of plastic around the screen.
Kick down stairs - 8/10
Only a few dents and scratches. The UMD drive hinge came out again and the screen played up a little afterwards but was working perfectly again after 10 minutes or so.
Stomp/kick - 7.5/10
Quite a few pretty deep new scratches and scuffs on the casing.
Tea spill - 9/10
The sound temporarily went out, other than that a perfect test!
First floor drop - 3/10
PSP screen was not working, but not cracked, the sound seemed to be broken, however on the 50mph drop it came back. The menu did not work, the UMD drive was broken and it suffered denting. Parts flying everywhere.
Run over - 4.5/10
Destroyed the screen, with major cracks coming through, sound continued to work and it functioned when hooked up to a TV. (UMD was broken from previous test)
50 MPH drop - 7/10
Sound working perfectly, screen didn't suffer any further damage, minor scuffs and scratching to the casing. Battery and cover came off.
Second floor drop - 3/10
Totally destroyed, no power light, no sound, no charging light. Battery split.
Thrown against wall - 1 /10
We split the case throwing it against the wall, also metal casing from around the PSP was deformed and snapped out. The screen was further cracked and inked, and buttons got stuck and impossible to press, part flew all over the place!
Toughness - 3/10
It was far too easy to rip up, no knifes involved, no smacking it against tables, just softly pulling at parts.

+ 10 because the PSP Slim and Lite wasn't designed, and isn't advertised as being tough

Over all - 64/100

You can view more pictures of the PSP here.

If you would like us to review your product or have it included in one of our reviews, please view this page.