Google Pixel 7 Pro has been out for nearly a month. Its durability and build quality were finally tested by Zack Nelson from the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel. Google has not made any drastic design changes in the Pixel 7 series in comparison to the Pixel 6 lineup. The most notable alteration is the metal strip covering the rear camera on the Pixel 7 Pro, instead of glass. This decision has seemingly introduced a structural issue with the handset. However, the position of the antenna line could also be a contributing factor.

Beginning with the scratch test, the 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display of the Pixel 7 Pro showed signs of scratches at level 6 with deeper grooves appearing at level 7. This level of performance is expected from most smartphones by popular brands these days. Moving ahead, the right and left sides of the frame are made from metal, whereas the top edge is plastic.

The metal camera bump of this Google smartphone is expected to lose its paint and be riddled with scratches over time. However, the metal strip appears to serve as a significantly worse flaw in the Pixel 7 Pro’s design. Submitting the handset to Nelson’s bend test reveals that the metal strip reduces the rigidity of the back panel.

Notably, both the front and rear panels of the Pixel 7 Po are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. However, the rear panel suffered significant bending, whereas the front panel was able to hold its shape. Nelson believes that this supposed weakness in the design could have been caused by the metal strip and the proximity of the antenna line to the camera bump.

Although the Pixel 7 Pro survived the durability test, the disfiguring most likely resulted in the handset losing its water resistance. Nelson recommends that Pixel 7 Pro owners use the handset with a case to preserve its durability and appearance. This performance is in stark contrast to that of the Pixel 6 Pro, which was declared a “solid phone” by Nelson.