JerryRigEverything’s Galaxy S26 Ultra durability test just landed, and while Samsung fixed one of last year’s most embarrassing problems, they’ve quietly introduced something nobody expected.

The durability test shows how Galaxy S26 Ultra passes the brutal durability test with a sizzling rating. Samsung has also improved the screen resistance despite using the same Gorilla Armor 2 as the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

S Pen – Toothpick again?

The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s S Pen is thinner this year, more curved at the end for ergonomics, with internal copper coils improving digitizer precision and triangulation.

It’s now a purely passive stylus with a spring mechanism for docking. Nelson snaps it during testing; breaks like a toothpick – no reinforcing backbone.

Screen scratch test

Gorilla Armor 2 is back, apparently with some recipe tweaks, and it performs noticeably better than previous flagships. Level 6 scratches are barely visible even under close inspection, with deeper grooves only surface at level 7.

Additionally, the phone survives direct flame from a lighter for roughly 20 seconds with minimal pixel damage.

Source – JerryRigEverything

Bend test

In the bend test, the phone exhibits zero flex from either the front or back. Nelson describes it as a “rock solid beast.” The armor aluminum holds up structurally, but scratches more visibly than titanium did.

Samsung ditched titanium for armor aluminum this year. The frame is constructed as a single metal piece instead of glued sections, which simplifies repairs and recycling.

Camera Rings – This is what “they [Samsung] didn’t mention”

Remember how the S25 Ultra’s camera lenses practically fell off if you try to pull them off, even with minimal effort?

It caused a ton of criticism for Samsung, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra fixes that. Lenses are now secured properly, and while there’s still a subtle gap visible under the protective glass, they won’t pop out accidentally anymore.

The surprise part: the lenses can be intentionally removed and clicked back into place without breaking the glass itself. Samsung turned a design flaw into something repair shops can actually work with.

“Zack Nelson calls it a huge improvement, and he’s not wrong.”

Source – JerryRigEverything

There’s a 60W USB-C port, a SIM tray with IP68-sealing rubber, and still no microSD expandable storage. Samsung’s giving a huge thumbs up for refinements like fixing camera issues and adding thoughtful repairability, but some annoyances stack up.

What matters is whether Samsung is learning the right lessons.

You can watch the full Galaxy S26 Ultra durability test on JerryRigEverything’s YouTube channel.

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