Our first impression of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was that it looked better than previous foldable phones; it didn't seem as fragile as the Galaxy Fold or Motorola Razr However, a few days after its launch, we question the durability of this foldable phone

The company touted the Z Flip as a folding glass phone that "bends the laws of physics," but a deeper look into this fascinating new phone reveals that it is not made of what Samsung says it is

JerryRigsEverything (a YouTube channel famous for comprehensive smartphone durability testing) has found that the Galaxy Z Flip's display behaves like plastic, not glass, when scratched, stabbed, or burned revealed that the display behaves like plastic, not glass, when scratched, stabbed, or burned

Zack Nelson of JerryRigsEverything first noticed that the Z Flip's display was not typical glass when he scratched it with a level 2 out of 10 tool pick, as is common with plastic displays Incidentally, Nelson's test gives glass displays a score of 5 or 6, sapphires typically an 8 or 9, and diamonds a 10

"This is exactly how plastic screens react," Nelson said, noting that the Z Flip scored deep grooves when faced with a level 3 pick; the Motorola Razr and Galaxy Fold likewise scored level 2 and 3 in durability tests scratches

Nelson also conducted tests on smaller exterior displays As with anything made of glass, it was scratched at level 6

When a lighter was brought close, the Z Flip's display was exposed to heat for 15 seconds When Nelson released the lighter, it left a scorch mark

If you look closely, you can also see that the heat from the lighter changed the shape of the display This is a characteristic of plastic On the other hand, glass displays do not deform in this way

Nelson says the display may be made of a "hybrid plastic polymer with small flecks of glass components inside" But if Samsung says the Galaxy Z Flip is made of glass, customers will believe the phone is made of a durable, transparent material Not a scratchy plastic polymer

Even if the Z Flip's display did contain a glass component, it would be misleading to call it glass unless it has the properties of glass It is unfair to give people a false sense of security because excessive pressure will damage the pixels of the phone

It is also unfortunate The company clearly put a lot of effort into making the hinge as sturdy as we have ever seen on a folding phone, plus it took a lot of force to shatter the exterior glass panel But the language surrounding the display's materials is so questionable that one wonders how else the Z Flip could possibly not live up to its promise, or its $1,380 price tag