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Glass screen protectors
Posted on 7/8/14 at 1:50 pm
Posted on 7/8/14 at 1:50 pm
Are they worth it? Do you use one? What brand?
Posted on 7/8/14 at 11:13 pm to Neauxla
Wasn't sure if you meant protectors for glass screens or actual screen protectors made of glass. Just looked it up. Seems interesting. I've always used the cheap static cling ones that you can get on amazon for a dollar or two. My reason for using a screen protector is to prevent micro scratches on the oleophobic coating on the phone's glass, and I always end up putting my phone in the same pocket as my keys. When the protector gets scuffed up enough from that, I just switch it out with a new one.
Seems like these $20+ fancy screen protectors would make me just as afraid of scratching the protector as I would my phone screen.
Seems like these $20+ fancy screen protectors would make me just as afraid of scratching the protector as I would my phone screen.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 12:40 am to ILikeLSUToo
quote:
Seems like these $20+ fancy screen protectors would make me just as afraid of scratching the protector as I would my phone screen.
They used to pop up on Groupon in the $10 range quite frequently (and I am seeing this one on Amazon with nearly 10,000 reviews maintaining a 4.5 star average). I heavily debated grabbing one to work in tandem with my uNu battery case, since that case offers essentially no buffer around the edges, and my biggest fear is a drop that cracks the screen- seemed like this would offer decent protection against that. I read that these, much like the plastic, static cling screen protectors are prone to falling off over time (that time being shorter than the 2-3 years that I typically hang on to phones), so in the end, I opted against it. I think the average time I was seeing was 6-8 months. As usual, despite the 4.5 star rating, I let the 600 or so 1 star reviews with valid concerns (difficult to install flat with no bubbles, discolors the screen, is actually somewhat scratch-prone).
That combined with a malfunction of my uNu battery case pushed me to a Jackery (threw the concept out to my mother who was struggling to find a gift for me for my birthday and would not allow me to request nothing, so I don't actually know whether she'll go for the 3200, 5600, or 12000mAh version...thanks to those who recommended this in a previous thread) + a $15 Otterbox Defender from Groupon
Posted on 7/9/14 at 1:27 am to Neauxla
The nexus 5 has screen that is prone to cracking, I've read that the tempered glass protectors for them are the way to go. People say that the protector will break, but the actual screen itself won't.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 1:32 am to Hopeful Doc
I ignore reviews complaining of bubbles. I have perfected the art of installing even the shittiest screen protectors. So well that I tricked my wife with one. I told her she should put one on her phone. She didn't want to because she thought it would look bad. I installed one while she was sleeping and didn't tell her about it for a week.
These glass screen protectors look interesting, though. Might have a better feel than the basic plastic ones. I'll probably get one for whatever phone I buy next.
These glass screen protectors look interesting, though. Might have a better feel than the basic plastic ones. I'll probably get one for whatever phone I buy next.
This post was edited on 7/9/14 at 1:34 am
Posted on 7/9/14 at 1:34 am to ILikeLSUToo
quote:
I have perfected the art of installing even the shittiest screen protectors
But how many of those that you have installed were of the hard, non-flexible type?
Posted on 7/9/14 at 2:21 am to Hopeful Doc
None of the rigid ones, so I'm interested in trying one now. The whole "lift and fix" and squeezing out bubbles probably won't be possible, but I rarely need to do that, unless I fricked up the alignment (which means I have to remove the whole thing anyway). The main cause of air bubbles are impurities on the screen, specks of dust that you might not even see. Easiest trick to mitigate that is to install it in a makeshift "clean room" -- a steamy bathroom with hot water running -- to cut down on dust in the air, and use tape wrapped around a pencil (sticky side out) to remove tiny dust specks if they settle on the "adhesive" side of the protector itself. This was also handy a couple days ago when I had to disassemble my WQHD IPS monitor and separate the top layer of the screen from the diffuser to remove a dead bug. That was a high-stress task.
After watching the Flossy Carter video, these rigid ones look way easier to install than the flimsy plastic ones and look nicer too. I may look for one for my 4S. Will report the results of install.
EDIT: Oh, take a closer look at those reviews. The product listing includes choices for what amounts to Tech Armor's entire line up of screen protectors (a total of 7 different products), and the other ones are your typical plastic static clings (plus one case). Amazon lumped all the reviews together, so you'll have to pay attention to which ones are specifically for the ballistic glass. I'm betting the complaints of bubbles are mostly pertaining to their standard plastic ones, which would be 100% user error.
EDIT 2: Looks like I have some choices. The prices vary widely, and the basic specs are the same -- tempered glass, 0.33mm thick, 9H Hardness, oleophobic coating. In my experience with the standard plastic screen protectors, having used about 6 different brands, they were all the same from $1 to $15 -- with the exception of one brand I got at WalMart, WriteRight, which was way more scratch prone than the others. With these rigid ones, I'm wondering if quality would vary in clarity and flatness. I don't want to spend $20 on one just as an experiment, but the < $10 ones with zero reviews have piqued my curiosity...
$4.99 - LINK
$6.99 - LINK
$6.99 - LINK
$7.99 - LINK
$9.90 - LINK
$11.99 - LINK
$14.95 - LINK (Tech Armor)
$21.99 - LINK (this was the one in the Flossy Carter video)
After watching the Flossy Carter video, these rigid ones look way easier to install than the flimsy plastic ones and look nicer too. I may look for one for my 4S. Will report the results of install.
EDIT: Oh, take a closer look at those reviews. The product listing includes choices for what amounts to Tech Armor's entire line up of screen protectors (a total of 7 different products), and the other ones are your typical plastic static clings (plus one case). Amazon lumped all the reviews together, so you'll have to pay attention to which ones are specifically for the ballistic glass. I'm betting the complaints of bubbles are mostly pertaining to their standard plastic ones, which would be 100% user error.
EDIT 2: Looks like I have some choices. The prices vary widely, and the basic specs are the same -- tempered glass, 0.33mm thick, 9H Hardness, oleophobic coating. In my experience with the standard plastic screen protectors, having used about 6 different brands, they were all the same from $1 to $15 -- with the exception of one brand I got at WalMart, WriteRight, which was way more scratch prone than the others. With these rigid ones, I'm wondering if quality would vary in clarity and flatness. I don't want to spend $20 on one just as an experiment, but the < $10 ones with zero reviews have piqued my curiosity...
$4.99 - LINK
$6.99 - LINK
$6.99 - LINK
$7.99 - LINK
$9.90 - LINK
$11.99 - LINK
$14.95 - LINK (Tech Armor)
$21.99 - LINK (this was the one in the Flossy Carter video)
This post was edited on 7/9/14 at 3:01 am
Posted on 7/9/14 at 10:23 am to ILikeLSUToo
PThink hired a midget with a hammer for their photo; so I would call them the front runners:
But as far as those negative reviews I had read, they weren't necessarily about that one protector that was linked. I distinctly remember being drawn to a "tempered glass" model and reading about rigid protectors that didn't stick very well. More than likely it was user error, but based on the lack of popularity (defined as: "I don't know anyone who owns one"), I shied away. And at your "clean room;" I would be lying if I said I didn't do the same thing. I see it as a personal challenge to install these with no bubbles. My last plastic protector came off a couple of days ago after my fingernail caught the corner of it just right when I was pulling it out of my pocket. That's probably the worst place it could've had separation. It didn't last another week on there.
But as far as those negative reviews I had read, they weren't necessarily about that one protector that was linked. I distinctly remember being drawn to a "tempered glass" model and reading about rigid protectors that didn't stick very well. More than likely it was user error, but based on the lack of popularity (defined as: "I don't know anyone who owns one"), I shied away. And at your "clean room;" I would be lying if I said I didn't do the same thing. I see it as a personal challenge to install these with no bubbles. My last plastic protector came off a couple of days ago after my fingernail caught the corner of it just right when I was pulling it out of my pocket. That's probably the worst place it could've had separation. It didn't last another week on there.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 11:02 am to ILikeLSUToo
I'm completely terrible at putting the soft screen protectors on. Had the lady at cspire put one on my phone. Attempted to put one on the ipad a couple days ago and there were bubbles EVERYWHERE. I need to try the "clean room" technique.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 11:42 am to Neauxla
quote:
the Zagg one is $35
That would be my last choice. Zagg screen protectors are overpriced and overrated. I'm betting the glass one is 100% identical to at least one of the units I linked above, just a huge markup because of their warranty and placement in retail brick and mortar.
And for me, there's a point of ridiculousness when paying for screen protection since I can repair my own devices. The 5s Zagg glass is $40. I can get a new LCD/Digitizer assembly for a few dollars more than that. I can get a 4s screen assembly shipped overnight for half that.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 12:09 pm to prplhze2000
Posted on 7/9/14 at 12:21 pm to Neauxla
Just got a skinomi one for my Tab S, hopefully it's good.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 11:26 pm to ILikeLSUToo
Decided to order 2 just because. When I get my next phone I'll know whether these screen protectors are "you get what you pay for" or if they're similar to the static clings, where you're mostly paying for branding and overhead.
I got this one for $4.99: LINK
And the Tech Armor for $12.95: LINK
Couldn't bring myself to get the $21 brand, but this test may give some indication of what could differentiate the no-names from the more popular brands, if anything.
I got this one for $4.99: LINK
And the Tech Armor for $12.95: LINK
Couldn't bring myself to get the $21 brand, but this test may give some indication of what could differentiate the no-names from the more popular brands, if anything.
This post was edited on 7/9/14 at 11:27 pm
Posted on 7/10/14 at 2:08 am to ILikeLSUToo
I have the tempered glass one from Verizon for my iPhone 5. It's awesome. Doesn't feel like a screen protector, feels like touching actual glass. I've dropped it and it landed on a metal pipe, screen first. Screen protector shattered, screen underneath was fine. Totally worth it.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:39 am to ILikeLSUToo
I am debating getting rid of my case once this glass comes in and get the natural cork skin from slickwraps. It looks pretty sick.
LINK
LINK
Posted on 7/10/14 at 8:48 pm to Neauxla
My $4.99 and $12.95 glass screen protectors came in.
As I suspected--in terms of clarity, fit, feel, touch response, and initial durability--they are 100% identical. I bet they came from the same chinese factory. Tech armor's packaging is fancier. Both come with the same accessories for installation.
HOWEVER...
The $12.95 Tech Armor was clearly a used/returned item. The alcohol swab was open, the package slightly torn, and the plastic protective film screen protector itself was horribly misaligned and full of bubbles -- it had clearly been slapped back on by the idiot customer who botched the installation and then returned it to Amazon.
Since the adhesive side had been exposed to the elements -- dust, dirt, lint -- I had to clean it off thoroughly with alcohol. When I installed it, the top left corner wouldn't stay down. The previous installer had obviously warped the glass from repeatedly lifting it off the phone by the corner.
So then I reprepped my phone for the $4.99 glass. It installed in 10 seconds. No bubbles. Flawless. Easier than installing a plastic screen protector.
So, in conclusion, while my Tech Armor was slightly fricked up because Amazon obviously doesn't inspect customer returns, the two screen protectors are identical. Only difference is the marketing and distribution and packing built into the price.
As I suspected--in terms of clarity, fit, feel, touch response, and initial durability--they are 100% identical. I bet they came from the same chinese factory. Tech armor's packaging is fancier. Both come with the same accessories for installation.
HOWEVER...
The $12.95 Tech Armor was clearly a used/returned item. The alcohol swab was open, the package slightly torn, and the plastic protective film screen protector itself was horribly misaligned and full of bubbles -- it had clearly been slapped back on by the idiot customer who botched the installation and then returned it to Amazon.
Since the adhesive side had been exposed to the elements -- dust, dirt, lint -- I had to clean it off thoroughly with alcohol. When I installed it, the top left corner wouldn't stay down. The previous installer had obviously warped the glass from repeatedly lifting it off the phone by the corner.
So then I reprepped my phone for the $4.99 glass. It installed in 10 seconds. No bubbles. Flawless. Easier than installing a plastic screen protector.
So, in conclusion, while my Tech Armor was slightly fricked up because Amazon obviously doesn't inspect customer returns, the two screen protectors are identical. Only difference is the marketing and distribution and packing built into the price.
This post was edited on 7/10/14 at 8:51 pm
Posted on 7/10/14 at 8:56 pm to ILikeLSUToo
Email tech armor customer service with a picture of the screen not adhering and they'll ship you a new one free of charge.
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