Hot dog!... This gorilla glass is tough!

[Blog Kindle]

Since iFixIt beat me to the punch in disassembling the KF, I went ahead and drop and scratch tested it - Kindle Fire Drop Test with a video.

I was astonished. The outer glass is pretty much unbreakable and unscratchable. You can carry KF in a box full of screws and nails and it would be fine.

After a bad 6' fall the LCD did break internally, but outer glass didn't have a dent on it.

When I set out testing it, I assumed that this "20 times stronger, 30 times tougher" buzz was just marketing. Turns out - it is not.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by Blog Kindle

Since iFixIt beat me to the punch in disassembling the KF, I went ahead and drop and scratch tested it - Kindle Fire Drop Test with a video.

I was astonished. The outer glass is pretty much unbreakable and unscratchable. You can carry KF in a box full of screws and nails and it would be fine.

After a bad 6' fall the LCD did break internally, but outer glass didn't have a dent on it.

When I set out testing it, I assumed that this "20 times stronger, 30 times tougher" buzz was just marketing. Turns out - it is not.

This is good to know. I don't have to hover over my children when they use theirs. Constantly telling them to not be so rough with it.

[Jessica Lares]

Luckily Amazon just might replace that for you! .

Thanks, it's good to know!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SCION

This is good to know. I don't have to hover over my children when they use theirs. Constantly telling them to not be so rough with it.

Actually, you do have to hover. The LCD layer is not tough, just the glass is. So while they may not damage the glass, they sure can damage the LCD layer under the glass.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Actually, you do have to hover. The LCD layer is not tough, just the glass is. So while they may not damage the glass, they sure can damage the LCD layer under the glass.

My concern is scratches. That doesn't seem to be an issue. They're ages 9 and 11 with a fair bit of common sense to understand many things are fragile to some extent. Being outright abusive like a toddler would be isn't their thing.

[Blog Kindle]

It survived all of the falls from 3' to stone floor (about the height child might drop it from) regardless of the angle. It also survived a angled fall from 6' to the same foor. Although I'm not going to test further with my second KF, I'm pretty sure that had it fallen flat on it's screen on a carpet it would have fared fine.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Blog Kindle

It survived all of the falls from 3' to stone floor (about the height child might drop it from) regardless of the angle. It also survived a angled fall from 6' to the same foor. Although I'm not going to test further with my second KF, I'm pretty sure that had it fallen flat on it's screen on a carpet it would have fared fine.

I am cringing inside those poor Kindles!
Be nice to your Kindle!

Seriously though thanks for confirming how tough it is. It puts me a little more at ease.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Luckily Amazon just might replace that for you! .

Thanks, it's good to know!

Can you imagine what Kindle support would say?

Owner: "umm...I drop my Kindle Fire from a 6 foot fall to see how tough it is and it broke after I bashed it around a bit."

K.S.: "....... Sir you not suppose to do that!"

Owner "Can I get it replaced?"

K.S.: ............

I don't think even Amazon is that nice!

[Blog Kindle]

Hard to say if Amazon should be happy about my "testing" or not. On one hand there's now an independent proof of the fact that Kindle Fire screen is as tough as they advertise. On the other hand some folks will be more careless about their KFs, resulting in more accidental damage for CS and warranty to deal with.

[weatherman]

Holy schnike that Gorilla Glass is tough. And the unit itself seems pretty rugged too - a six foot drop is a pretty big drop to endure. I'm impressed, and appreciate the sacrifice that will no doubt give me great peace of mind.

[poohbear_nc]

I can also confirm that Gorilla Glass is resistant to cat claws. My cat jumped from the floor to my lap and landed/skidded on the face of my Fire - after teaching the cat a few new words, I looked at the display - can't see any scratches at all.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SCION

My concern is scratches. That doesn't seem to be an issue. They're ages 9 and 11 with a fair bit of common sense to understand many things are fragile to some extent. Being outright abusive like a toddler would be isn't their thing.

I think you'll have little to worry about. Gorilla Glass is quite scratch resistant.

[hn333]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I can also confirm that Gorilla Glass is resistant to cat claws. My cat jumped from the floor to my lap and landed/skidded on the face of my Fire - after teaching the cat a few new words, I looked at the display - can't see any scratches at all.

Cats also suck babies' breath while they sleep.

[greencat]

Originally Posted by hn333

Cats also suck babies' breath while they sleep.

[SamuraiXSendai]

Used to carry my Zune HD, which also had a gorilla glass screen, in my pocket with my keys. It got one slight scratch in about six months of this. Very tough.