Watch: Want to see a Pixel Fold catastrophically fold the other way?

Glass slab smartphones have evolved into fairly durable pieces of tech, even if they aren’t completely indestructible. The same cannot be said about foldables just yet. The hinge and moving parts are additional points of failure, and the foldable glass on the inner display feels like it is just waiting to break. Google’s Pixel Fold claims to have the most durable hinge mechanism on a foldable, but it’s still a foldable at the end of the day. What happens when you fold the Pixel Fold the other way? This durability test shows you exactly what happens.

YouTuber Zack Nelson from the JerryRigEverything channel performed his iconic durability tests on the Pixel Fold. Before the test begins, we’re reminded that the Samsung Galaxy Fold series has managed to survive through these durability tests over the years, setting the bar for the rest of the market.

Spoilers ahead! Zack starts off with a scratch test, noting how the inside of the Pixel Fold has a plastic top layer. While there may be ultra-thin glass below that layer, you can easily scratch and damage the plastic layer with your fingernails. Thankfully, the rest of the phone fares much better, with reliable glass and metal in all the right places.

The durability test becomes interesting again once the burn test begins. When the inner screen is shown a lighter flame, it lasts for about eight seconds before the phone displays an overheating warning and shuts down! Both the inner OLED and cover screen OLED take permanent damage from this test, so definitely keep your Pixel away from a naked flame.

Further along, the Pixel Fold does a great job of keeping dust outside. Note that the Pixel Fold has an IPX8 rating, which indicates water resistance but no dust resistance. Still, it’s impressive how the Fold managed to hold its own when showered with plenty of handfuls of dirt across all of its surfaces and edges. We wouldn’t recommend you do it on your Pixel Fold though; it’s advisable to still keep it away from dirt and dust.

The best part of the test for this unfortunate phone comes towards the end with the bend test. Unlike other foldables in the market, the Pixel Fold does not have adequate stoppers in place that prevent the phone from folding beyond 180°. There isn’t enough resistance in place, and with the right amount of force, you can crumple the Pixel Fold like a piece of paper.

Of course, folding your Pixel Fold the other way will catastrophically damage the display on your device. Only the ease of the action is surprising, and not the result. The video notes how the hinge can still be considered durable, as the antenna lines on the frame are what gave way first.

Long story short, don’t fold your Pixel Fold (or any other foldable, for that matter) the other way around.