Just hours after the iPad mini became available at Apple (AAPL) stores, a drop test video is already up on YouTube.
Square Trade, a firm that deals in extended warranties, has posted the following drop test comparison video between the iPad 3, iPad mini, and Nexus 7. The test, which was performed by using a specialized apparatus that dropped the three tablets from a height of four feet, revealed that despite having an extremely thin bezel, Apple’s new iPad mini thanks to its aluminum casing outperformed both Google (GOOG)’s Nexus 7 and the 3rd-Gen iPad.
Square Trade performs a total of three tests in the video: two dropping the three tablets on their corners and with the displays facing downward, and one where the devices were placed in water for 10 seconds to see how they would survive an accidental dunking.
Taking all three drops into consideration, the iPad mini performed the best and seemed to be fully functional.
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Aside from the fact that this tested only specific angles and forces (it did not, for example, test repeated minor bumps, slides, etc), it didn’t address the primary damage complaint of scratches, which of course happens much more easily and severely with anodized aluminum. Recall “ScratchGate” with the iPhone 5? Same process used for the Mini.