The Consumer Reports Gadget Stress Test Lab: A Scientific Approach to Testing Gadgets' Durability

In the world of gadgets, manufacturers often claim that their products are durable and can withstand various types of physical harm. However, it's not always clear what these claims mean or how they're tested. The Consumer Reports Gadget Stress Test Lab is a facility that puts gadgets through a series of tests to evaluate their durability and see if they can handle the typical physical abuse that consumers might put them through.

The lab uses specialized equipment, including calibrated picks based on the Mohs scale, which is a scientific standard used to evaluate the hardness of minerals. The Mohs scale ranges from 1 (soft like talc) to 10 (very hard like diamond). The team at the lab starts with a test number seven and gradually increases it, checking how well each gadget can withstand scratches. In this case, Maria is testing a smartwatch, which starts showing signs of wear after the pick changes from seven to eight.

This test may seem simple, but it provides valuable insights into a device's durability. By comparing different gadgets side by side, consumers can get an idea of which ones are more resistant to scratches and other forms of physical damage. For instance, if one smartwatch is rated for scratch resistance until number nine, while another model requires even harder surfaces (number ten), that might give consumers pause when considering their purchase.

But testing is just the first step. The Consumer Reports Gadget Stress Test Lab also has equipment designed to simulate real-world scenarios. One such device is a depth pressure chamber, used to test gadgets' water resistance. In this lab, Jack is putting an action camera through its paces by simulating 33 feet of underwater pressure. This test helps manufacturers gauge how well their devices can handle the stresses of being submerged in water.

While it's impossible to fully replicate real-world conditions, these tests provide a reliable way for consumers to assess gadgets' durability. The lab is particularly interested in testing mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, which are prone to scratches and other forms of damage. By comparing different devices side by side, consumers can get a better understanding of what to expect from their purchases.

The Tumble Tester: A Drop-Tested Reality Check

Another device used at the lab is the tumble tester, designed to simulate drops from various heights and angles. This test provides valuable insights into a gadget's ability to withstand falls and other forms of physical abuse. In this case, Jack is testing a smartphone by dropping it repeatedly while rotating it in different orientations.

The results are striking: after 50-100 drops, the phone emerged unscathed, with only minor smudges on its surface. However, not all devices fared so well. Some smartphones required more than 100 drops to survive, while others didn't even make it through 10 drops without sustaining damage. This data suggests that manufacturers are making stronger phones in response to these tests.

Drop Tester: A Tool for Oriented Drops

The drop tester is another device used at the lab, which allows researchers to orient the phone in different ways during the drop test. In contrast to the tumble tester, where the orientation of the fall is random, the drop tester enables scientists to simulate drops on specific edges or corners of the device.

Maria uses this device to test a phone's durability by dropping it on its corner repeatedly. To her surprise, the phone emerges with only minor scratches and no damage to its internal components. This suggests that manufacturers are designing phones with improved edge protection in mind.

The Importance of Scientific Testing

As an engineer, Maria appreciates the scientific approach used at the Consumer Reports Gadget Stress Test Lab. By using standardized equipment and testing protocols, researchers can ensure that their results are reliable and consistent. As a consumer, Maria values this approach because it helps her make informed decisions about her purchases.

In particular, she's concerned about durability, given her recent experience of dropping her phone. By understanding which gadgets are more resistant to scratches and falls, she can choose devices that will withstand the rigors of everyday life. The lab's tests provide a reality check on manufacturers' claims, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases.

In conclusion, the Consumer Reports Gadget Stress Test Lab is an essential resource for anyone interested in understanding gadgets' durability. By using standardized equipment and testing protocols, researchers can evaluate devices' performance under various conditions, providing valuable insights into what to expect from different products. Whether it's scratch resistance, water resistance, or drop durability, these tests provide a reliable way for consumers to assess gadgets and make informed purchasing decisions.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enOm.Om.Om.Om.Hey Jack.What are you doing?Oh, hey Maria.I'm here getting readyfor my stress test.It's not a stresstest for people,it's a stress test for gadgets.Gadgets.Oh, looks like I gotthe wrong stress test.Yeah, you'll likethis one a lot better.Follow me.OK, you got it.So we head to the ConsumerReports Gadget Stress Test Lab.This is where we testgadgets-- mobile devicessuch as smartphones,smartwatches, tablets--to see if they can stand upto the manufacturer's claimsfor durability.And also to seeif they can handlethe typical physical harmthat consumers might put themthrough.We use these picks for it.These are picks that arecalibrated to the Mohs scale.What is the Mohs scale?The Mohs scale is ascientific standardthat is used to evaluatethe hardness of minerals.It works on the principle thata harder material will alwaysscratch a softer material.Oh, I see.So you kind of go througha soft scratch all the wayto a very hard scratch.Correct.So the scale is 1 to 10.1 being very soft like talc,and 10 being very, very hard,like diamond.So why don't we start the test?Of course.All right.And we'll start from scratch?OK.Maria starts with the numberseven on the Mohs scale.And this going back andforth, there's no scratch.It's very smooth.Does that mean that thewatch is scratch resistant?No, it means that thematerial of the watchis harder than thematerial on the pick.So Maria swaps out theseven pick for an eight.It's scratching.Now we know that a numbereight can scratch this watch.How does this thenhelp a consumerwhen it's time topurchase a watch?Right.Well, we're checking thewatches comparatively.So another watch that maybedoesn't scratch until nineor maybe not even scratch atnine will have a harder surfaceand will be lesssusceptible to scratches.We could also do thiskind of a test on phones.Same thing.If you don't want scratcheson the face of your phone,we could figureout which ones aremore susceptible toscratches than others.OK.So now that we knowthis, are thereany more tests we got to do?Yeah, we have plentyof equipment in here.Let's move on to the next one.So Jack, this is ourdepth pressure chamber.What exactly does it do?We use this for a dunk test.We use it to test devices suchas smartphones or smartwatches,or action cameras like this forthe manufacturer's claim of howdeep underwater it can go.In this case, thisparticular action camerais supposed to be able togo to 33 feet underwater.That's the manufacturerspec for it.So even though it'snot 33 feet, then howdo you simulate that toget an accurate reading?So 33 feet under the wateractually exerts pressure.The water itself to exertpressure on the device.In this case, we're goingto simulate that pressurewith air pressure.And that's what this tank does.Oh, so you'regoing to use those.Yes.All right, great.And I get to play lab assistant.We have somecompressed air here.Would you turn on that valve?Just swing it over.All right.Until it reaches the simulatedpressure of 33 feet underwater.OK, so in a real test we wouldleave it in for 30 minutes.But for this demonstrationwe could take it out now.All right?So first we're going torelease the pressure.All right.We're almost there.Finally, the momentof truth arrives.OK Jack, you wantto take the lid off?And then we'll take it out.We'll dry it off.Does it work?Look, working.It works.Looks like it's working.We can see your face in it.Yeah.Hi.This is our tumble tester.We use this totest mobile devicessuch as a smartphoneor a tablet,to see how it canwithstand being dropped.OK.Here's a phone.All right, let's try it.Shall we use it?Yeah.And soon it's rumblingtumbling around.It's going to rotate.It's not movingparticularly fast,but it's enough to havethe phone drop from endto end repeatedly.It looks like it's beencompletely wrecked in there.Well, it's dropping about threefeet, which would be like offa table or out of your pocket.About that type of a height.The theory is thatthe phone willdrop in all differentorientations,so that you kind ofget it everywhere.And if it can come out ofthis alive after 50 or 100of these drops, it's going tobe pretty resistant to a drop.It's hard to believe anyphone could withstandthis kind of punishment.And yet--All right, let'ssee the results.Let's take it out.It passed.It works.Yep.Do you feel thatmore manufacturersare making stronger phonesbecause of a test like this?So what we do findis that there aremany phones that can pass thistest, even after 100 drops.They come out withoutdamage, or there'ssome that will just takea little bit of damage.OK.So we have one more test, Maria.So Jack, this isour drop tester.So what is the differencebetween the droptester and the tumbler?So the tumblerwill drop the phonein any differentrandomized orientation.With the drop tester,we can orient the phoneto drop on its corner, on itsedge, any edge that we want,any kind of face that we want.Well my phones,every time they drop,they drop always on a corner.On the corner?I don't know why.All right, let's try that.So we're going to put iton the corner right here.Here we go.That was it.That's it.It landed on concrete.And there's just a smudge on it.So I'm looking to seeif the phone actuallygot scratched or smudged.It turns out that wasjust concrete dust.See, it wipes right off.So the phone itselfis not damaged.The phone itselfis still working.That leaves Maria feelingpretty good about her workhere in more ways than one.As an engineer, Iappreciate that we'redoing this in a scientific way.And as a consumer,it's important to mebecause I just dropped myphone a little while ago.So I'd like to know whichphone will last longer for meas well.Thank you so much, Maria.I really learned a lotfrom these demonstrators.You're welcome.Jack, don't forgetyour cell phone.I don't want toleave this in there.\n"