iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus: one of these just lost a crucial test

Smartphone rivalries don't come more more heated than Samsung vs Apple. Both companies have incredibly loyal followings and hugely-impressive five-star reviews for their latest flagship handsets from yours truly, T3.

However, YouTube channel PhoneBuff has sought to differentiate between the latest offering from the two companies – the Apple iPhone XS Max, and Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus – by pitting them against one another in a brutal drop test.

And there's a very clear winner.

Watch the video on the PhoneBuff YouTube channel, or in the embedded video player below:

Galaxy S10+ vs. iPhone XS Max Drop Test! - YouTube

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When Apple debuted its new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max last year, it said the new flagship smartphone includes "the most durable glass in a smart­phone, sealed and precision-fitted with a surgical-grade stainless steel band".

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S10 Plus uses Corning's Gorilla Glass 6, which the company says is two times tougher than its previous Gorilla Glass.

So, both of these smartphones boast some of the most resilient touchscreens and glass cases available on the market today, but which one is better? Well, based on these tests from Phone Buff, it looks like the iPhone has it in the bag.

While it's fair to say that neither £1,000+ smartphone does particularly well, the Galaxy S10 Plus does suffer a lot more spider-webbing in its first drop, which was designed to test the back panel. But it's the third round when both phones are dropped face-down that really separates these two high-end handsets.

iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus both suffer broken screens, but the in-display optical fingerprint scanner in the latter refuses to work through the veil of cracks on the glass touchscreen, meaning that you'll suddenly need to recall all the passwords to your secure apps and forget about using Google Pay.

Apple's Face ID facial recognition system, however, still worked a treat.

The final bonus round in the PhoneBuff test consists of up to 10 consecutive drops straight onto the display of the device. Here, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus managed to pick-up its only win by surviving all 10 drops and with the touchscreen capabilities intact. When the same test was run with the iPhone XS Max, it lasted just 3 consecutive drops before the touchscreen lost functionality – transforming the handset into an incredibly pricey glass and stainless steel paperweight.