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During my time on Android Forums I've notice a common recurring question throughout: Which screen protector should I get?
This is a question many of us have and rightly so. You can't try out screen protectors before you commit to a purchase like how you would try on clothes in a dressing room before leaving the store. Finding the right fit and preference for your phone without any trial is tough.
To start off in the selection process, you must first ask yourself what is your main need. Do you want the best safety possible for your entire device? Do you just want a front protector? Do you want something that is just as clear as the stock naked screen? These questions will narrow down your choices into categories. These categories are body skins for the ultimate protection and your standard screen protectors. The latter usually comes in two choices, a crystal clear solution and a anti-glare or anti-fingerprint solution.
To also help you in your decision this thread will be updated with user reviews. This thread is what you guys make it so please take a few minutes and provide your input to help the community. Also if anyone has questions about any product just post in them in here.
I ask that anyone who has something good or bad to say about their protector/skin PM me with the following format:
Username:
Protection: (specify brand and also if it's clear or anti-glare if it is applicable)
Device:
Cost of protector/skin: (include shipping and any coupon or discount you may have received in final price)
Picture: (if you have any)
Review:
Rating: (out of five, ex. 3.5/5, 4/5, etc)
Also PM me about brands I don't have listed and I'll put them up.
If your review consists of "This screen protector sucks, don't ever buy," I will not post it in this thread. Tell us why you are unsatisfied with your purchase. Same goes for positive reviews--tell us why you're satisfied.
This thread is a work in progress so if you have suggestions I will gladly listen to them. Thanks.
Body Skins:
ZAGG invisibleSHIELD Average AF Score: 4/5
ZAGG | invisibleSHIELD | iPhone, iPod Cases, Screen Protectors, Covers, Shields, Skins, Invisible Shield
--Review--
Ghost Armor
Ghost Armor | cases, screen-protectors, shields, skins, covers, armor
PhantomSkinz Average AF Score: 4.5/5
Cell Phone Screen Protectors, Invisible Protection Skins & Screen Covers | PhantomSkinz.com
--Review--
Steinheil Shield
SGPStore.com | iPhone, iPod Cases, Pouches, Protector Film, Camera, Laptop Skin, Metal Skin
BodyGuardz
BodyGuardz - Scratch-Proof Transparent Protective Skins for Mobile Devices | Skins, Covers, Screen Protectors, Cases, Shields
Standard Screen Protectors
Clarivue (Ultra-Clear and Anti-Glare)
Clarivue Screen Protectors - Blackberry, iPhone 3G, HTC Droid Incredible protection
Steinheil (Crystal Clear and Anti-Fingerprint) Average AF Score: 5/5
SGPStore.com | iPhone, iPod Cases, Pouches, Protector Film, Camera, Laptop Skin, Metal Skin
--Review--
BoxWave (ClearTouch Crystal and ClearTouch Anti-Glare)
BoxWave Accessories - iPhone, Blackberry, Treo, HTC Cases, Batteries, Chargers & More
Verizon Brand Average AF Score: 2.5/5
Enter your location
--Review--
This is a question many of us have and rightly so. You can't try out screen protectors before you commit to a purchase like how you would try on clothes in a dressing room before leaving the store. Finding the right fit and preference for your phone without any trial is tough.
To start off in the selection process, you must first ask yourself what is your main need. Do you want the best safety possible for your entire device? Do you just want a front protector? Do you want something that is just as clear as the stock naked screen? These questions will narrow down your choices into categories. These categories are body skins for the ultimate protection and your standard screen protectors. The latter usually comes in two choices, a crystal clear solution and a anti-glare or anti-fingerprint solution.
To also help you in your decision this thread will be updated with user reviews. This thread is what you guys make it so please take a few minutes and provide your input to help the community. Also if anyone has questions about any product just post in them in here.
I ask that anyone who has something good or bad to say about their protector/skin PM me with the following format:
Username:
Protection: (specify brand and also if it's clear or anti-glare if it is applicable)
Device:
Cost of protector/skin: (include shipping and any coupon or discount you may have received in final price)
Picture: (if you have any)
Review:
Rating: (out of five, ex. 3.5/5, 4/5, etc)
Also PM me about brands I don't have listed and I'll put them up.
If your review consists of "This screen protector sucks, don't ever buy," I will not post it in this thread. Tell us why you are unsatisfied with your purchase. Same goes for positive reviews--tell us why you're satisfied.
This thread is a work in progress so if you have suggestions I will gladly listen to them. Thanks.
Body Skins:
ZAGG invisibleSHIELD Average AF Score: 4/5
ZAGG | invisibleSHIELD | iPhone, iPod Cases, Screen Protectors, Covers, Shields, Skins, Invisible Shield
--Review--
- Username: syztemlord
- Protection: Zagg Invisible Shield and Custom Skin
- Device: Sony X10
- Cost of protector/skin: $35
- Picture: http://goo.gl/VWAL
[*]Review: I'm in the UK and the item was shipped from the US so it took a little while to arrive (just over 2 weeks). I was reluctant to use my phone until I have the cover so it was a little annoying but I expected that. The covers where packed in a basic jiffy envelope but it was enough to protect them during postage.
I had order the invisible front shield and a custom back skin. The custom skin was printed to a good standard and I was quite happy with it.
The instruction for installing the covers are good and there is also videos on their website. Installing the back skin was very easy and went without a problem. The front cover also went on pretty well. It does advise to leave the phone for 12 to 24 hours after installing to let micro air bubbles out. I had a few bubbles which went after 24 hours but I have a number of horizontal streaks still on the front cover. It's not a major issue as you can't see them when the phone is in use and only when the screen is off. It has been about 4 days since I put the cover on and the streaks are still there. I will leave it another week to see if they go, if not I might be tempted to re apply the shield.
The cover also adds extra grip when holding the phone. It's a bit like a rubbery grip feeling. Moving your finger across the screen is probably not as smooth as not using any screen protector but it's not really any bother.
All in all I've very happy with the covers and it is the best I've used on any phone - Rating: 4 (5 if it didn't have the streaks)
Ghost Armor
Ghost Armor | cases, screen-protectors, shields, skins, covers, armor
PhantomSkinz Average AF Score: 4.5/5
Cell Phone Screen Protectors, Invisible Protection Skins & Screen Covers | PhantomSkinz.com
--Review--
- Username: Paimon.Soror
- Protection: PhantomSkinz Screen Only
- Device: HTC Incredible
- Cost of protector/skin: 9.95 w/ free shipping + 'spring25' code = 7.49 (for a package of two)
- Picture: Will Provide When I Get Home
- Review: I have had 3 smartphones, two being Blackberries and the Incredible being my first HTC/Android based phone. The first phone I had, I used the ZAGG protective skin. Although a nice product, the cost and the orange peel effect really deterred me from making a second purchase. I eventually had to replace the protective skin with another because of the amount of dust/dirt that was collected on the edges after some use. I then ordered a BSE full body skin. BSE had a wonderful price, fast shipping, and a non-orangepeel type skin, however, like the ZAGG, its thickness really attracted some dirt. When i purchased my Storm 2 I heard a lot of rave about PhantomSkinz so i decided to go with it. I couldn't be happier. Its a nice thin, inexpensive, non-orange peel skin. It isn't a huge finger print magnet (no different than a bare screen), and looks like there is nothing applied to the screen at all. Usually the people that saw my phone would ask why i havn't put a skin on, much to their surprise when i showed them that there was indeed a skin. Because of my experience, I immedately ordered a PS for my incredible. Application was easy as always, and the results are supurb
- Rating: 5/5
- Username: mrchambo
- Protection: PhantomSkinz
[*]Device: Droid Incredible
[*]Cost of protector/skin: $7.49 for two w/ Spring 25 discount code
[*]Review:Largely due to operator error, I would give them a 4/5. They do exhibit a little orange peel effect and after two days, there is still a little haze left from the wet application. PS recommends a drop of baby wash to a cup of tepid water as the application medium.
[*]Rating: 4/5
Steinheil Shield
SGPStore.com | iPhone, iPod Cases, Pouches, Protector Film, Camera, Laptop Skin, Metal Skin
BodyGuardz
BodyGuardz - Scratch-Proof Transparent Protective Skins for Mobile Devices | Skins, Covers, Screen Protectors, Cases, Shields
Standard Screen Protectors
Clarivue (Ultra-Clear and Anti-Glare)
Clarivue Screen Protectors - Blackberry, iPhone 3G, HTC Droid Incredible protection
Steinheil (Crystal Clear and Anti-Fingerprint) Average AF Score: 5/5
SGPStore.com | iPhone, iPod Cases, Pouches, Protector Film, Camera, Laptop Skin, Metal Skin
--Review--
- Username: mrchambo
- Protection: Steinheil Crystal Clear
- Device: Droid Incredible
- Cost of protector/skin: $13 and change
- Review: Just got the Steinheils for my Incredible today. 2 for $13 and change delivered. Without question, they are the bomb! Worth every penny and more. Absolutely a breeze to install. No wetting, timing nada. Realignment is drastically simple. Removing those pesky dust specks simple.
Will wait to see how they hold up, but I am sold on these. Nothing I have tried to date even comes close...
Different feel than all the others too. Not flimsy and soft, but solid and harder feeling. Wow! No wonder they are sold out all the time. I got the clear ones, had heard that the anti-fingerprint ones were, like all others, prone to make the screen a little fuzzier.
Will be ordering another set of these once the furor dies down. - Rating: 5/5
BoxWave (ClearTouch Crystal and ClearTouch Anti-Glare)
BoxWave Accessories - iPhone, Blackberry, Treo, HTC Cases, Batteries, Chargers & More
Verizon Brand Average AF Score: 2.5/5
Enter your location
--Review--
- Username: rwmoon
- Protection: Verizon branded anti-glare screen protector (I think they are supplied by Amzer)
- Device: Droid Incredible
- Cost of protector/skin: 12 bucks after a 20% accessory discount
- Review: Save your money for something else. The screen protector only covers the screen itself even though on the Incredible the entire face is glass. I have looked at other screen protectors and they seem to cover the entire front of the phone. The clarity is also terrible. While I knew it wouldnt be crystal clear because of the anti-glare I did not expect it to look as distorted and grainy as it does. Will be replacing ASAP.
- Rating: 2* out of 5
- Username: UBChain
- Protection: Clear Screen Protector - Stock sold at VZW Corporate Store
- Device: HTC Droid Incredible
- Cost of protector/skin: $12 for package of 3
- Review: Installation was OK (ANY dust causes a hard to get rid of bubble). Was disappointed that these did NOT cover the entire face of the phone but rather only the viewable screen area. I will not purchase these again for this reason alone. Touch sensitivity does not seem to be impacted at all by the protector. My fat fingers work equally as well on the Swype keyboard with the protector as without a protector. I will purchase the same style again but something which covers the entire phone face.
- Rating: 3/5 (due to the size of the protectors being less than the full face of the phone)