Question about Samsung gorilla glass

[katamari201]

Does anyone think the glass that Samsung uses on their AMOLED phones feel thin and soft? I've owned the Galaxy S, and now the S II, and the thinness of both the phone and possibly the glass, as well as how soft the glass feels and the not so rigid plastic back, makes me paranoid about doing anything beyond light taps. I especially can't do games with on-screen joysticks and such. Since I don't have much experience with other phones besides Samsung AMOLED ones, is the Samsung unique in this respect? I'm not saying the glass is weak or anything, since I have yet to get a scratch, but perception really counts a lot. I also have an original iPad, which has thicker glass than the iPad 2. It feels nice and rigid and very poke-able, with a pretty satisfying thud when you tap it. My GS2 kinda feels like tapping on eggshells in comparison. I haven't tried the newer iPad 2 so don't know if the thinner glass made it feel more eggshelly or not, or maybe this is a Samsung thing or not... I think AMOLED panels use even thinner glass, and Samsung is definitely obsessed with thinness.

 

[oversteer325]

It feels thin because the screen and glass have a gapless bond. They are fused together which improves brightness and clarity. They are mounted to a rigid magnesium frame along with the other internal pieces. So feel free to tap with the same force as the ipad. Samsung puts a thin plastic back on the phone but it is incredibly strong and resilient.

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung-Epic-4G-Touch-Teardown/6481/1

 

[katamari201]

Yeah I hear you, but a lot of it is perception, like how an all-metal HTC phone will probably dent when dropped whereas a plasticky samsung will probably just bounce and get a few scratches. I cannot shed the impression that the Samsung will eventually fall apart from simply just holding it. It doesn't have the rigid feel. Always feels precarious. Old Samsung dumbphones with thicker plastic felt better.

 

[DirkBelig]

If you don't like the feel of G-glass now, you're going to hate the new version Corning is bringing out which is reportedly even stronger and thinner. Soon the Droid Razr and E4GT will be considered tubby.

I keep my phone naked and when I pull it out of my pocket, I pinch it HARD between my thumb and fingers to maintain a solid grip and I never feel like I'm crushing it. And compared to the my Body Glove case-clad OG EVO it feels like a feather instead of a cinder block. I've picked up other people's phones, like older metal HTCs, and can't believe that people are lugging these chunks around.

 

[acadialover]

When I had my iphone 4s in my pocket, it added serious poundage feel in my pocket. LOve my Epic the longer I have it ! So glad I made the decision to change it up.

 

[duddy23b]

Same here I had a Blackberry Bold for business and a iphone for personal use, let me tell you both were a bother to lug around especially in your pocket. Now the Epic joy, joy in my but also my pocket too LOL

 

[basketthis]

Add a big case and a good screen protector and it'll feel more like am HTC or iPhone if that's what you're looking for. I chose a thin profile TPU case and a sheinheil (sp?) and its still thin and light.

 

[katamari201]

I still think its the type of glass and the glare/oleophobic coating that Samsung uses that makes it feel soft and precarious. The glass doesn't have any give so that's not how I am feeling it. I think gorilla glass is a chemical bath of some sort that reinforces the glass, and Samsung chooses the glass themselves. The other phones also use gorilla glass and are also thin, like the HTC titan (<10), but they feel much harder, not as soft. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned thickness, since thats not what I'm really concerned with, as long as the glass feels strong and hard.

 

[2ndaccord]

Unless you're the hulk you won't damage your screen just by touching it. You would have to exert an insane amount of force with your finger to break your screen. Perception sometimes makes people over think simple things. This phone is very light and thin and makes people think the phone is fragile but my phone was thrown across the room and bounced of a wall before it landed on a hard floor and no issues at all. My buddy dropped his htc evo in a hard case from his pocket and his screen shattered in the corner. So heavy doesn't always mean better.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

 

[katamari201]

I was checking out the WP7 section of the ATT store. There was an iPhone, Samsung Focus flash, Focus S, and HTC Titan all lined up. The Focus S, which is almost identical to the Galaxy S II, feels exactly like my phone. Has that soft and warm touchscreen. Strangely, the Focus Flash, which is a smaller AMOLED panel, felt a bit harder than the Focus S. Then there was the iPhone and Titan, which both had hard, cool to the touch glass, similar to my iPad. They are all thin phones. It's not a thickness issue. It's a choice of glass and coating I imagine. I also recently got a Nook Color to mess around with. It seems to have a plastic touchscreen, or feels mushy and plasticky, like a resistive touchscreen. Also reflects light in the same way a resistive does (those touchscreen HP all-in-ones come to mind), but otherwise is capacitive. It's a far cry from my iPad. Don't even want to mention the touchscreen on the Atrix 2...

Just wanted to say this was a learning experience for me, that each brand uses their own touchscreen materials and they are not all equal.

 

[Nanotec-USA]

I respect this is an old thread but just found it via a search with google. Don't know about anyone else's Galaxy S2 Epic 4G Touch's screen "Gorilla Glass" but mine shattered when accidentally dropped my phone today. I am disappointed to say the least. Teach me to fall for the sales pitch tossed by the Sprint store sales rep. And I quote him "no sir, no need to buy an Otter Box or similar case. You can through the S2 across the parking lot and the screen won't even have a scratch. This is because it has Gorilla Glass screen."
My mistake and he is a liar, bottom line.
Now to find an honest place to have this shattered screen on a 3 week old phone replaced so I can get back to business.
"The above is m personal opinion and based on fact as I observed all activities listed."
Regards,
Disappointed

 

[byrdcfmma]

No reason to be disappointed, glass cracks. Doesn't matter what phone you have, if you drop it there is a chance it can break. I would take it back to the store and call him out on it.

 

[ScottMGS]

My understanding is that Gorilla Glass (or maybe they're calling it Corning Glass, now) may well be very resistant to scratches but that it is more susceptible to shattering - harder but more fragile.