This torture test suggests that Google’s Pixel 7a mid-ranger is more durable than the Pixel 7 Pro

Yes, the Pixel 7a is without a doubt one of those best budget 5G phones available today, both on paper and in real life (at least based on the time we’ve spent testing Google’s latest stock Android running mid-ranger for our in-depth review), but how will the plastic and metal 6.1-incher hold up in the long run?

While we haven’t returned from the future or checked our crystal ball lately to try to answer that question with any certainty, there’s a totally unscientific but generally reliable way to tell how sturdy a brand new mobile device really is built. .

Yes, we’re talking about Zack Nelson’s grueling and often unnecessarily violent JerryRigEverything sustainability reviews on YouTube, which sometimes end on surprisingly good terms. While no phone has ever come out completely unscathed from a collision with Nelson’s razor blades and lighter, some handsets are much more resistant to bending attempts than others.

Surprisingly or not, that’s true for the Pixel 7a in relation to the larger, more expensive, and much more expensive Pixel 7 Pro. It’s not entirely clear how Google has managed to pull off such an improbable feat of engineering, but the $499 Pixel 7a shows almost no sign of flex when bent from behind…or from the front.

That certainly wasn’t the case for the $899 and up Pixel 7 Pro flagship when its durability was assessed last fall, and while the 6.7-inch beast didn’t quite break under Nelson’s pressure, its overall integrity was seriously threatened, raising some big questions about its long-term resistance to the challenges of the daily life.

While no one can guarantee that the Pixel 7a will still work one, two or three years after purchase, and as with any other modern smartphone, drops on hard surfaces remain a potential problem, the results of this durability test are clearly encouraging for hardcore Google fans who can’t afford or don’t want to buy the Pixel 7 Pro.

What’s interesting is that from last year Pixel 6a mid-ranger was the same way acclaimed for its apparent toughness and durability…despite not holding up anywhere near as well as its bending successor. So yes, it certainly looks like Google has outdone itself with this bad boy, which happens to be on sale with a small Best Buy discount (with carrier activation) in addition to a $50 free gift card (no strings attached).