Tech Desk 
Sep 11, 2025
It's only been a little over a day since Apple dropped its latest iPhone 17 series, alongside the upgraded iterations of multiple other Apple flagships, and industry experts have already begun drawing comparisons between the new iPhone 17 models and their arch rivals, the Galaxy S25 and the Pixel 10 series.
If you're also someone who has a mobile phone other than the ones we're comparing, and are willing to upgrade to the iPhone 17, then this assessment will make it easier for you to determine how well the iPhone 17 stacks up against the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, in terms of durability.
To better understand this, we must take into account that every smartphone in Europe is now required to carry an EPREL label, a scorecard showing how tough the device is, how long its battery lasts, and how easy it is to repair.
Against its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has proved way sturdier, surviving 180 drops for a Class B rating. However, it lagged behind the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, both of which rated Class A after enduring 270 drops.
It has also been inspected and concluded by the industry experts and tech geeks that repairability is Apple’s weak point, where the iPhone 17 Pro Max sits at Class C, the same as Samsung, but behind Google’s more repair-friendly Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
In the battery performance front, Apple has taken the lead. The iPhone 17 Pro Max delivered 53 hours of use on a single charge, earning a Class A for efficiency and beating both the Galaxy (about 45 hours) and the Pixel (almost 49 hours).
To even the score, Samsung's battery is expected to survive 2,000 charging cycles compared to Apple's and Google’s 1,000.
Another notable area where Apple’s slimmer iPhone Air impressed is runtime, which nearly matched the Galaxy S25 Edge’s 40-hour runtime despite a smaller battery. However, in toughness and repairability, the Galaxy reigns supreme with stronger drop resistance.
