OnePlus posts a rare partial fail in a famous durability test

The OnePlus 7T is a late-year refresh of this OEM's original 2019 flagship line. It is also the latest phone to go through the almost obligatory JerryRigEverything (JRE) durability test. During the vast majority of this virtually standard protocol of the Internet, which include display scratch tests with Mohs-scale picks, speaker-grille dissections using razor blades and an attempt to set fire to the screen, it remained relatively unperturbed.

Unfortunately, when it came to the phone-bending phase of this process, its rear panel cracked with almost alarming rapidity. This makes the 7T the first glass-backed phone from this OEM to do so. The most probable explanation is also the most obvious: it is the first device in which OnePlus has deviated from its central, minimal pill-shaped main camera modules into a circular housing that occupies much more of the phone's back than normal.

JRE's host Zach Nelson suggested as much in his video: the new and larger gap may introduce increased weakness in the surrounding glass panel. This theory may hold true, even though the back of the 7T in question is seen to crack in the middle where Nelson's digits were pressing on it. Furthermore, this phone's predecessor was much more resistant to cracking, despite having a rear panel of what is probably a very similar composition.

Nevertheless, the 7T cannot be said to have failed outright: its 90Hz screen remained on and active during this part of the test. However, those who own this OnePlus phone may or may not thank Nelson for highlighting its relatively increased fragility. This, moreover, may also apply to fans of devices with a similar round-camera design; for example, those who have bought or are considering the Nokia 7.2 may be in for some extra phone-related stress right about now.