Recently we have carried out a stress test of a Samsung S5230 Star. This time we are going to abuse its “younger brother” – Samsung S3650 Corby which is cheaper than its counterpart. In spite of this the touchscreen of a Corby is more crashproof and therefore expensive. The fact is that the resistive touchscreen of a Star is able to withstand 35mln. touches at one point while the capacitive touchscreen of a Corby will survive even if you touch one of its points 300mln times. By the way a Corby goes without a stylus. You can only press the screen with your finger which is not always comfortable.

Samsung S3650 phone is made of plastic. It does not contain any metal. The back cover is very strongly attached. It is difficult even to take it off. There are 3 lustrous buttons on the front panel of the phone.

The results

The delivery set includes a handsfree with a special plug, a charger and 2 additional back covers (pic.2).

In order to find out how a Samsung S3650 Corby can survive in extremal conditions we prepared a special stress test for it.

1. Stress test of the Samsung S3650 Corby. Stage 1 ability to withstand light shocks

1.1 Drop-down

As usual we began our experiment with a drop-down test. The Corby was sequentially dropped onto each face, edge and corner from 1m on the carpet (video 1) and from 30cm on the ceramic tiles (video 2). We must say that it is not very comfortable to keep this phone in a hand because of its streamline shape. So you may accidentally drop it down. That is why this test is relevant for this device.

The drop-down did not cause any damage (video 1). But when the gadget fell on the tiles the back cover and the battery fell off (video 2). It happened only once. There were neither scuffs nor scratches. The phone easily survived.

Video 1. Drop-down on the carpet from 1m

The grade is 30 from 30 possible

Video 2. Drop-down on the tiles from 30cm

The grade is 20 from 30 possible

1.2 Ability to withstand squeezing

In the 2nd test we squeezed the phone by putting a 5kg plank on it. We need to say that the back cover of a Samsung S3650 Corby is not smooth. The plank was carried only on the 2 bulges on the back cover (pic.5).

The gadget fully survived. Only the menu button sounded once but we heard no more creaks.

The grade is 24 from 24 possible

1.3 Bend test

Anyone can accidentally step on their cell phone or sit down on a chair with a phone in a pocket. It can cause serious damage. In the bend test we simulated such a situation in order to check what can happen with the Corby. Actually we placed the device between the two supports and hitched a rope with a load of 1kg over it. We saw no bend, the phone passed the test with no problem.

The grade is 24 from 24 possible

1.4 Wearout test

In order to find out how the Samsung S3650 would look in the course of time we simulated the situation of keeping it in a pocket with other things (keys, coins) for a long time. We put it into a cylinder of a centrifuge together with some keys, coins and plastic balls. The centrifuge rotated the cylinder at the speed of 500 rpm. The test lasted for 5 min (video 3).

Even after such a small period of time the lustrous buttons were damaged (pic.6). We also noticed the scuffs and the dents at the edges of the phone (pic.7). The scuffs were not so clearly seen on the white back cover. But if you looked carefully you would notice it. Fortunately there was neither scuffs nor scratches on the screen.

Video 3. The rotation of the centrifuge

The grade is 10 from 15 possible

1.5 Quality of the material of which the phone is made

In order to check the quality of the materials of which the gadget was made we scratched the display and the back cover with a nail at the force of 100g (video 4). To tell you the truth we failed to make any scratch either on the screen or on the back cover.

The screen gets 15 from 15 possible

The back side gets 15 from 15 possible

1.6 Hot temperature

This test is a good way to simulate the situation when people leave the phones in the sun or nearby an open flame.
We placed the Samsung inside the metallic container and installed a 45Wt lamp there. The distance between the lamp and the phone was 5cm. The test lasted for 3 min. The device worked perfectly after the experiment. The phone was safe and the picture on the screen was as good as before.

The grade is 12 from 12 possible

1.7 Dust resistance test

In everyday life any mobile phone can not be absolutely protected from dust. Dust penetrates into gaps between buttons, into ports and everywhere. Much dust can break a cell phone. In this stress test we checked the Corby’s dust resistance. We put it inside a container which was full of dust and then shook it for 2min.

After the time was over we took the gadget out (pic.8) and happily saw very little dust inside the loudspeaker and inside the ear-microphone socket (pic.9, 10, 11). This result surprised us.

The grade is 12 from 12 possible

All in all for the first stage the Samsung S3650 Corby gets 162 points from 177 possible

2. Stress test of Samsung S3650 Corby. Stage 2 – tougher conditions

2.1 Drop-down

We increased the height of the drop-down on the carpet from 1m to 1,5m and we also dropped it down from 50cm on the tiles.

As you can see in video 5 the Corby was absolutely safe when we dropped it down on the carpet. The result of the drop-down on the tiles was the same as in the 1st stage. The back cover and the battery fell off. It happened only once and did not cause any damage.

Video 5. Drop-down on the carpet from 1,5m

The grade is 30 from 30 possible

Video 6. Drop-down on the tiles from 50cm

The grade is 30 from 30 possible

2.2 Ability to withstand squeezing

At first we were sure that the increase of weight could be fatal for the phone as the back cover of a Samsung S3650 Corby is not smooth. The 2 bulges on the back cover (one in the upper part of the phone, the other in the lower part) carried the load. But the Corby easily survived under the 5kg plank – neither damage nor deformation.

The grade is 24 from 24 possible.

2.3 Bend test

We increased the weight of the load on the rope from 1kg to 5kg. This time the bend was clear but not fatal (video 7, pic.12). Such deformation cannot damage a mobile phone. The Samsung passed the test well.

The grade is 24 from 24 possible

2.4 Wearout test

We increased the time of this experiment and put the phone into the centrifuge for 10min. In the result there appeared much more scuffs on the whole front side of the device (pic.13). Some deep dents appeared at the back cover. They were full of dust and mud (pic.14). However the screen remained absolutely safe. There was not any scuff or scratch.

The grade is 10 from 15 possible

2.5 Quality of the material which the phone is made of

We increased the force of scratching the phone to 300g. In the result the scratch at the back side was quite noticeable but not very deep. The display showed better result – no scratch at all. Please, see the photo gallery of all the stages of this test at the end of the article.

The display gets 15  from 15 possible

The back cover gets 10 from 15 possible

2.6 Cold temperature

Cheap mobile phones are usually provided with displays that are not adapted for extreme temperatures. In order to know how the Samsung S3650 perfomed in freezing temperatures we put it into a freezer (-15 °С) for 2 hours. The phone was in a speaking mode. In pic.15 you can see the phone in the freezer.

When the time of the test was over we took out our cell phone. When we tried to browse the menu we noticed that the device operated slower (video 8). The buttons became stiff because the gaps between them and the phone were blocked with ice.

The picture on the screen hung up sometimes. The touchscreen operated well. But when the ice which covered the screen melted the performance of the touchscreen became worse. The touchscreen did not respond immediately.

The buttons at the edges operated well. The battery charge decreased by 1 point. But when we dried and warmed the phone the battery indicator showed that the battery was full.

Soon the Corby performed as a new phone. Ho wever we were sure that this cell phone did not show good results in this test and there would certainly be some problems with its performance if you used it in freezing temperatures, e.g. the touchscreen would not work if you put on gloves and pressed it.

Video 8. The state of the phone after 2 hours in the freezer

The grade is 12 from 18 possible

2.7 High temperature

We increased the time of the test from 3 to 5min (video 9). The phone was heated so much that the front buttons melted a bit (pic.16). The screen was so hot that we could not even touch it. But after we took the Corby out of the container and cooled it down the quality of pictures on the screen was good. The buttons were deformed and sometimes it was difficult to press them. But they functioned anyway.

Video 9. High temperature test

The grade is 4 from 12 possible

2.8  Water resistance test

People often drop their mobile phones into some liquids. The safety of cell phones in such cases depends on their design and quality of the assembly.In this test we dunked the Samsung S3650 Corby under water for 1 second (video 10). After we took the phone out we checked some of its functions. The touchscreen performed badly at once but when we got rid of the drops of water which covered the screen everything was all right. The buttons did not always function well – evidently some water reached the board.

We saw a lot of water spots under the battery (pic.17). But it did not penetrate inside the the ear-microphone socket (pic.18) because the plastic peg did not let the water in. The protecting cloth which covers the polyphonic earpiece got wet and the ring sound of the phone became low. Even after we dried the phone the sound was not as loud as before. But the buttons started to perform well and the touchscreen was excellent.

Video 10. Immersion in water for a sec

The grade is 20 from 30 possible

2.9 Dust resistance test

This time we put the phone into the box with dust again and shook it for 5min. After the test was over we took the S3650 out and saw much more dust and mud under the protecting cloth of the earpiece than in the previous dust resistance test (pic.19). It was impossible to clean all the dust. As a result the sound became a bit lower. There was also more dust under the battery cover than in the previous dust test. But it caused no damage (pic.20). In the ports of the phone we also found more dust that in the previous test.

In spite of all this the performance of the Samsung S3650  was as good as before.

The grade is 8 from 12 possible

All in all for the second stage the Samsung S3650 Corby gets 177 points from 225 possible

3. Stress test of the Samsung S3650 Corby. Stage 3 – the toughest conditions

3.1 Drop-down

At the last stage of this stress test we increased the height of the drop-down on the carpet from 1,5m to 2m and we also dropped it from 1m on the tiles (video 11, 12).

Video 11. Drop-down on the carpet from 2m

Video 12. Drop-down on the tiles from 1m

When we dropped the phone on the carpet nothing bad happened; it was not broken, it did not switch off. It did not loose connection to the base station. Every time when we dropped it on the tiles the battery and its cover fell off.

And it was not the worst thing that happened. The external screw fell out and the back cover was not closely attached. There appeared the gap (pic.22). Fortunately it was the only damage. We easily screwed it back.

Drop-down on the carpet from 2m.

The grade is 30 from 30 possible

Drop-down on the tiles from 1m.

The grade is 20 from 30 possible

3.2 Ability to withstand squeezing

This time we increased the weight of the load from 10kg to 20kg. The load pressed the area near the camera but the phone survived. No cracks, no deformation (pic.23).

The grade is 24 from 24 possible

3.3 Bend test

The load of 10kg made a more significant bend than the 5kg load. We must notice that the bend was less when the screen of the Corby looked upwards than downwards (video 13, 14). The phone showed us full survival. We can presume that there is a metallic frame inside a Samsung S3650 Corby. That is why the result of this test was good.

Video 13. The bend when the screen looked upwards

Video 14. The bend when the screen looked downwards

The grade is 24 from 24 possible

3.4 Wearout test

At the last stage of this stress test we put the phone into the cylinder of the centrifuge for 20min. and there were more damage in the result. But the scratches and the scuffs did not strike our eyes as they did after the previous wearout test (pic.25). There appeared more dents at the edges and at the back (pic.26, 27). The screen got some droplets but they did not spoil the picture.

The grade is 10 from 15 possible

3.5 Quality of the material of which the phone is made

This time we pressed the display and the back side of the phone with the nail at the force of 600g (video 15). Surprisingly the scratch on the screen was hardly noticeable (pic.28). At the back the scratch was very deep (pic.29).

Video 15. Scratching the back cover

15 points (from 15 possible) for the display

5 point (from 15 possible) for the back side of the phone

3.6 High temperature

At the 3rd stage we increased the time of heating the gadget by the lamp to 10min. When we took it out of the container we noticed a black spot at the bottom of the screen. We saw it disappearing (video 16). The buttons melted much more than in the previous test (pic.30).

When we cooled down the device to normal temperature the phone started to perform well. However the buttons were deformed, they creaked and functioned badly.

Video16. The result of the heating

The grade is 4 from 12 possible

3.7 Water resistance test

This time we dunked the Corby under water for 20sec. (video 17). After this experiment the touchscreen did not work, the front buttons did not function at all. A lot of water penetrated inside the earpiece (pic.31). The ear-microphone socket was safe. Water did not penetrate there (pic.32). There was also no water under the back cover.

We dried the Corby with a blow of warm air for an hour. But the ring sound was not as loud as before.

Video17. Immersion in water for 20 sec

The grade is 20 from 30 possible

3.8 Immersion in beer

Sometimes a person can spill some drink on his or her phone. Beer is one of the most popular drinks in the world and we decided to find out what would happen to the Corby if we dunked it under beer (video 18). After 10sec. of immersion we took it out. The result: the touchscreen did not work after it. But the buttons functioned. Evidently the beer did not penetrate there. As in the water resistance test there was no beer under the back cover (pic.33).

Then we dried the phone with warm air for an hour. Unfortunately we could not switch the phone after it. We found the reason after we took it apart (3.12).

Video 18.  Immersion in beer

The grade is 0.

The Samsung S3650 Corby did not pass this test.

3.9 Dust resistance test

We increased the time of this test to 10min. The results: the earpiece was full of dust (pic.34) and we could not get rid of it. But there was little dust under the back cover and under the battery. The dust penetrated there through the USB port which was protected by the peg (pic.35). The back cover is closely attached to the phone and all the dust sticks in the gaps (pic.36). A lot of dust also penetrated under the buttons that were a bit melted because of the heating. It was more difficult to press them.

The grade is 8 from 12 possible

3.10 Test for the keyboard

The front buttons are made of a low quality clear plastic with a black base frame. These buttons are easily damaged and can melt in relatively high temperature. The gaps between the buttons and the phone are large and either water or dust penetrates inside and reaches the board. But we must notice that water did not penetrate under the carrier of the keyboard. We saw no corrosion there. The carrier is broad and it is closely attached to the board. The fail of the keyboard in this test was not because water penetrated under the buttons. It was caused by damaging the other parts of the board.

The buttons at the edges of the Corby are the same as in all cell phones. Their safety depends on their design and how deep they are placed inside the phone. These buttons performed without problems. The only thing that we did not like was that these buttons had a protuberant shape and perhaps somebody might press it harder than needed as they did not feel it while pressing.

The grade is 10 from 30 possible

3.11 Electric overloads

We did not carry out this test because the gadget was broken

So the charger gets 0 points

The battery gets also 0 points

The grade for the ability to bear overvoltage is 0

The grade for the ability to work with a minimum voltage supply is 0.

3.12 Disassembling, the quality of the assembly

After all the tests we took the Samsung S3650 Corby apart. There was little dust under the back cover (pic.37). But we noticed that water reached the electric circuits. There is a dural frame between the display and the board. We saw some water spots on it (pic.38).There was very much dust under the front panel of the phone. It got there through the gaps between the front buttons and the phone. The dust was soaked by water and hardened. In the result a lot of large balls of mud were inside the phone.

The board in a Samsung S3650 is as big as the phone itself (pic.39). The design of the board is not excellent. There is a lot of space which is useless. By the way such large boards are prone to bends.

In order to make the sound of the phone and the ring sound better Samsung engineers installed 2 noise canceling microphones inside the Corby. As in all cell phones that are produced by Samsung the most important electronic chips in the S3650 are potted.

There are no electronic chips in the market for a Samsung S3650 Corby and it makes it difficult to repair this gadget. But we could find the reason of the Corby’s breakdown after the immersion under beer. There was a corrosion on the board near the chip responsible for a bluetooth (in the upper part of the board).

The grade is 20 from 30 possible

All in all for the third stage the Samsung S3650 Corby gets 180 points from 336 possible.

Conclusion:

Summing up the results we may say that in the majority of cases this phone did not show good results. It passed successfully only the scratching, the bending and the squeezing. But do you really expect an excellent performance from one of the cheapest mobile phones in the market?

“Samsung” produced S3650 for a special segment of the market – the segment of cheap cell phones. Such types of phones are on demand today. But is it cost-effective to install a good expensive touchscreen in the phone which is made of a low quality plastic? Perhaps this is one of their marketing methods. May be they are right because most people would prefer to browse the cell phone with their finger rather than with the help of a stylus which is always lost.

The Corby after the test (pic.40, 41).

All in all, the Samsung S3650 Corby gets 519 points from possible 738

According to 100-rating scale Samsung S3650 gets 70

Stress test of a cell phone Samsung S3650 Corby, 8.2 out of 10 based on 5 ratings