Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra has just faced the infamous JerryRigEverything durability test, revealing some noteworthy tweaks to its scratch resistance, structural integrity, and camera protection. While the spec sheet might not boast radical material changes, real-world testing proves the new flagship offers better overall refinement than its predecessor.

In the classic Mohs hardness test, the display showed light scratches at level 6, with deeper grooves at level 7—standard fare for today’s premium smartphones. The real story, however, is visibility. Scratches at level 6 are noticeably less prominent on the S26 Ultra compared to last year's S25 Ultra, despite both rocking Corning Gorilla Armor 2. According to host Zack Nelson, Corning has likely refined the surface coating to make everyday micro-scratches much less glaring.

The under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner also proved its mettle, continuing to function flawlessly even after the glass above it was heavily scarred. This suggests Samsung has doubled down on sensor reliability, ensuring it holds up perfectly under long-term wear and tear.

Finally, the device took the heat—literally. During the burn test, the AMOLED display was exposed to a direct open flame for about 20 seconds. The pixels recovered quickly with no permanent burn-in, highlighting the panel's impressive thermal resilience.