The iPhone 18 Pro’s display glass holds out longer than most phone glass before it marks up. In JerryRigEverything’s durability run, Zack found the screen started to scratch at Mohs hardness level 7. Deeper grooves showed at level 8. GSMArena, reporting on the test, notes that most phone glass typically starts scratching around level 6. That is a full step of headroom over the usual result, on both the iPhone 18 Pro and the Pro Max.
Bend test and flame test
Neither model gave way under the bend test. There was no bending or flexing on the iPhone 18 Pro or the Pro Max, and both outlets covering the video describe the same result.
The flame test went similarly well. Per GSMArena’s report, the panel took roughly 25 seconds of direct open flame and came away with no permanent damage. That is a stress case nobody’s phone should ever meet. It is still a useful proxy for how the display handles heat.
Zack also took the phone apart on camera. The teardown shows the variable-aperture main camera module from the inside. It also shows an aluminium frame and camera plateau, with the back glass sitting below the camera module.
Why the iPhone 18 Pro frame is the weak point, not the glass
This is the part worth acting on. AndroidHeadlines, which covered the same test independently, points out that the anodised aluminium frame scratches far more readily than the display does. Keys, coins, and other sharp metal leave visible marks on it.
So the toughness story only really holds for the screen. The surface most likely to look worn after a year in a pocket is the metal rail around the edge. If you carry your phone loose alongside keys or change, a case that covers those rails is worth the money. It is the difference between a clean frame and a scuffed one at resale time.
What this test is and isn’t
One caveat on the findings. This is a report of what JerryRigEverything’s test produced, as relayed by GSMArena and AndroidHeadlines. It is not testing androidpure has carried out. GSMArena has also said it is preparing full reviews of both Pro models.
For more iPhone 18 Pro coverage, see our report on the Face ID problems some owners are hitting with screen protectors fitted. That is a different kind of durability question entirely.
Sources: GSMArena, AndroidHeadlines
