Overall, it looks like the iPhone X is actually more durable than the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
Several people have lamented that they've broken their new iPhone X within days, sometimes within hours, of using them. It may have caused the impression that the iPhone X is more fragile than any previous iPhones, but it's more likely that breaking the iPhone X causes a greater emotional effect due to its gorgeous design and high price tag.
While the iPhone X may appear to be more durable than the iPhone 8 phones, it's still the most expensive to repair to date. With that in mind, you'd still do well to buy a good protective case if you're an iPhone X owner.
Zack dropped the iPhone X twice from about waist-height, and it got a nick in the glass on the second drop.
The iPhone X survived two of Zack's knee-height drops, whereas the iPhone 8 Plus' back shattered on the second drop.
Zack from JerryRigEverythin dropped the iPhone X from knee-height, or about three feet, and it was "totally fine."
Dropped from about shoulder-height, the iPhone X's display finally succumbed.
It took three drops from about shoulder-height until the iPhone X's screen was totally shattered, and the bottom portion stopped responding to touch on the fifth drop. It meant that the iPhone X couldn't unlock with the "swipe up to unlock" gesture.
Dropped from waist-height on its bottom edge, it seems that the iPhone X's stainless steel frame is more durable than the iPhone 8's aluminum frame.
In PhoneBuff's drop tests, the iPhone X didn't fare quite so well as EverythingApplePro's drop test. It showed a small crack on the back from a single waist-height drop, but the screen was fine.
Filip of EverythingApplePro had some pretty great things to say about the iPhone X's durability based off his drop tests.
During the drop-test video, Filip seemed pretty amazed by the iPhone X's durability, saying the "iPhone X seems to be one of the most durable phones I have ever tested on a drop, it's incredible." He believes the stainless steel frame on the iPhone X has something to do with its surprising durability.
And, of course, the glass on the iPhone X's front and back sustained no damage from a total of six drop tests from different angles; three from waist height, and three from head-height.
