Google Pixel series biggest winner at JerryRigEverything's Smartphone Durability Awards of 2023

2023 was a year arguably replete with wins for independent repair, robust device design and general sustainability in the smartphone industry. Therefore, JerryRigEverything host Zach Nelson might have thought himself spoiled for choice when picking the popular YouTube channel's most durable and restorable handsets of the year. Then again, not all of them were able to avoid the Shelf of Shame in the past 12 months.

But first, there was also some room for innovation in 2023, the apex of which was found to be the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate in JerryRigEverything terms. Apple might have expected a mention in this category for its first-gen USB-C iPhones - however, as Nelson pointed out, the feature can't be all that innovative if it's been around on Android devices for about 10 years now. In addition, if the 15 series wanted some recognition here, it might have given the software locks a miss in 2023.

That left Asus' flagship gaming smartphone to beat other potentially worthy candidates such as the RedMagic 9 Pro thanks to its elaborate cooling system, complete with motorized air intake that "flips up like an aileron on a jet fighter". Then again, the 7 Ultimate also proved one of the most fragile and least repairable devices encountered on the channel last year. 

On that note, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 won Most Repairable Foldable Smartphone of 2023, with no joy for others such as the OnePlus Open and Honor Magic V2 as the clamshell actually switched back on after being taken apart and being put back together again.

However, ultimately, the title of Most Repairable Smartphone of the Year went of course to the Fairphone 5 - or the Pixel 8 Pro for potential buyers in the United States. Similarly, the Pixel 7a was 2023's Most Durable Smartphone, thanks largely to its plastic construction.

Then again, and slightly ironically, the less laudable award of Least Durable Mobile Device of the Year went to its ultra-premium sibling the Pixel Fold, whereas the OnePlus 11 and iPhone 15 Pro Max managed to evade even being nominated by a few hairline cracks.

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