Most smartphones today come with Corning Gorilla Glass (versions may vary) on their display screen to protect them from scratches.
While this glass does good justice to its job, it is still helpless against some common minor mishaps that you may not foresee. An example of this can be when you enjoy regular beach outings with family and friends. If the sand on the shore of the beach happens to rub accidentally against your Gorilla Glass screen, you may be shocked to see a scratched display as the result. Additional objects with which the Corning Gorilla Glass screen fails to assure complete protection are when it comes in contact with diamonds or any hard rock, other glass materials and rare metals.
So, what can you do to ensure maximum safety of the display screen of your handset? This is when screen protectors can prove to be handy. You can fix them using either dry mount or wet mount. The method to be adopted is usually mentioned in the box of the screen protector you are buying. These protectors are available in either glass or plastic, with each material having its own merits and demerits. If you opt for a glass protector, then it is worth bearing in mind that the glass is tempered. On the other hand, plastic protectors are usually PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) based. A properly fit screen can be a worthy investment as it can serve its purpose for about six months to a year.Although plastic protectors are more economical than their glass counterparts, the latter is the most preferred choice worldwide. This is because a tempered glass protector has many advantages over a plastic protector.
One of the foremost reasons you should give more thought to a tempered glass screen protector is that it is capable of resisting a lot of heat that can lead to thermal expansion. This in turn stops the glass from peeling off the surface and keeps the adhesive bound to the surface. This is barring the fact that high heat is directly applied to the glass. Tempered glass is also about five times stronger than normal glass and comes with rounded edges instead of the usual sharp edges. Additionally, a tempered glass protector has three layers. These comprise an absorbent silicon layer at the bottommost layer, a middle PET layer and an adhesive based tempered glass with oleophobic coating on the top. This coating helps in protecting the screen from smudges when it is touched using oily hands. Also, the coating ensures that there is no stretching, smudging and bubble formation when the protector is applied. All these are common problems with plastic protectors.
While a tempered glass protector can be easily affixed by the smartphone owner, a plastic protector requires the assistance of a professional for fixing it in place. Additionally, most glass protectors are custom made and are of the size for the device they are intended. In other words, a mere fixing is all that is needed. Plastic screen protectors usually come as large sheets that have to be cut or re-shaped to fit correctly on the handsets. Because of the expansion property, they can tend to stretch or form bubbles if not handled properly.
If the smartphone or tablet is dropped accidentally, the thin plastic hardly tolerates the pressure and may break the screen. This can defeat the whole purpose of having a screen protector, In contrast, the tempered glass protectoris shock and pressure absorbent that prevents the display screen from getting smashed. Only the protector breaks and this can be easily replaced.This makes it easy on your pocket to invest in a new glass protector than to buy a new screen altogether for your device. Toughness is another point worth mentioning. Glass protectors are usually about 0.3 to 0.5 mm thick, as against plastic ones that are 0.1 mm thick. And yet, the thickness variation does not make the glass protector much heavier or bulkier than the plastic version. One more reason why a tempered glass protector surpasses a plastic protector is in its light transmittance ability. Glass is capable of transmitting light far better than plastic and calls for better display clarity. To add to this, glass is more capable of eliminating glass and is anti-reflective in nature. As a bonus, glass feels smoother to touch than plastic and feels very much like the original screen.
There are various brands of tempered glass in the market. Most of them offer the same features and have only a small difference in their price tags. Take your time and choose the one that you think is best. It is always a good idea to buy the protector that is exclusively intended for your device. Avoid those that claim to look just like the original or sort of fit.