screen protectors - gorilla glass, is it enough?

shane17

Newbie
I have a galaxy note i717 and i want to take care of it well as im sure any of you android lovers would agree, so i thought a discussion about our screens would be good. Apparently thess new phones have gorilla glass and i watcgex a you tube video showing a stress test and they look mucg stronger, which is good but how do they hold up for scratches? Iv been hearing so much about acreen protectors both good and bad and am confused about them. Are they worth it are they needed? I spent a good part of the weekend researching them and realized there aee quality made screen protectors, atleast compared to the cheap ones lol. Like the SGP Steinhields protectors, pretty suee i spelt that wronv but you get the point. They actually make this glass scren protector that you put on top of the pohne but its very expensive and you only get one shot.... Are these necessary for new phone. Does anyone have any comments bout the glass protectors? Oh and noo sales men allowed lol jk but really lets keep it real.
 

chanchan05

The Doctor
Glass can only be scratched by something as hard or harder. Sand for example is the same as glass, so it can cause a scratch. Keys probaby can't but it depends on what kind of stuff the keys are made of. Personally I put matte finish screen protectors not mainly for protection, but because these prevent fingerprints and grease.
 

shane17

Newbie
Thread starter
Yea good point about the sand. I read on this forum that small bits of sand blow around in the wind so you gotta be careful. Im just goin to put my phone in a good case when i travel wit it. But yea it would be good to have a screen protector for keepin glass clean too. Its just that the galaxy note has a stylus and alot of ppl have left bad reviews saying the screen protectors get marked up from the stylus... So im not sure. If any one has any recommendations let me know. I keep hearing the SGP protectors are real good. But are tgey worrth the extra money?
 

B2L

Android Expert
Gorilla Glass can scratch, my wife's Note already has a few small scratches on the screen from not using a screen protector. I have the Steinheil Glas.t screen protector that you were talking about. It's by far the best screen protector I've owned yet.

It's extremely easy to install, doesn't lower screen clarity, or cause trouble with the S-pen. It may seem expensive for $40, but you will be much happier in the long run.
 

dralways

Member
I wont even carry my phone without atleast an eBay 25cent protector or better. But I'm the type that cares about preserving all of my electronics to the utmost, not just my phone.
 

Hadron

Smoke me a kipper...
Conversely I've never used a screen protector on my 2 year old HTC Desire, which just has ordinary glass, and have just one tiny scratch that you can only see if you know where to look.

It's a matter of what you do with it I guess.
 

Satires

Android Expert
I just saw a thread in the forums somewhere where the guy was saying his gorilla glass got scratched and he just wanted to warn others. I say most definitely get a screen protector. :)
 

MSUgEEk

Android Expert
My wife's engagement ring put about a 2" long gash, not just a surface scratch, on my OG Droid less than a month after purchase. Ever since, I have never been without a screen protector on either of our phones. Things happen, phones get scratched and Gorilla Glass isn't impervious to scratches at all. It's just stronger so it's less likely to shatter than glass when you drop it. Get a screen protector.
 

chanchan05

The Doctor
My wife's engagement ring put about a 2" long gash, not just a surface scratch, on my OG Droid less than a month after purchase. Ever since, I have never been without a screen protector on either of our phones. Things happen, phones get scratched and Gorilla Glass isn't impervious to scratches at all. It's just stronger so it's less likely to shatter than glass when you drop it. Get a screen protector.

Uh, I'm assuming your wife's ring is diamond, and well, a diamond can scratch ANYTHING, even another diamond.
 

shane17

Newbie
Thread starter
Gorilla Glass can scratch, my wife's Note already has a few small scratches on the screen from not using a screen protector. I have the Steinheil Glas.t screen protector that you were talking about. It's by far the best screen protector I've owned yet.

It's extremely easy to install, doesn't lower screen clarity, or cause trouble with the S-pen. It may seem expensive for $40, but you will be much happier in the long run.

Yea i hear there awesome and the glass protector would be a good investment for a good phone but.... I hear you only get one shot with installation for it. Does the glass interfere with the phone in any way? Some ppl on youtube were complaining about the buttons on there phone not working after.
 

shane17

Newbie
Thread starter
My wife's engagement ring put about a 2" long gash, not just a surface scratch, on my OG Droid less than a month after purchase. Ever since, I have never been without a screen protector on either of our phones. Things happen, phones get scratched and Gorilla Glass isn't impervious to scratches at all. It's just stronger so it's less likely to shatter than glass when you drop it. Get a screen protector.

Damn dude how did her ring scratch yur screen... I dont plain on gettin married anytime soon so i dont think there will be any diamond rings near my screen lol. But yea i hear you about the screens can get scratched by hard things like sand or diamonds.
 

B2L

Android Expert
Yea i hear there awesome and the glass protector would be a good investment for a good phone but.... I hear you only get one shot with installation for it. Does the glass interfere with the phone in any way? Some ppl on youtube were complaining about the buttons on there phone not working after.


I have had mine for over a month now and still no problems, screen sensitivity, and buttons are the same as without one. As long as you are careful while installing it everything should be just fine.
 

MSUgEEk

Android Expert
Uh, I'm assuming your wife's ring is diamond, and well, a diamond can scratch ANYTHING, even another diamond.

Wasn't the diamond, it was the 18k gold prongs. Soft metal. There's no possible way it could have been the diamond due to the type of setting it is in.
 

MSUgEEk

Android Expert
Damn dude how did her ring scratch yur screen... I dont plain on gettin married anytime soon so i dont think there will be any diamond rings near my screen lol. But yea i hear you about the screens can get scratched by hard things like sand or diamonds.

Was an accident. Phone was sitting by my side and wife was sitting on the same side doing school work, she reached down to pick up a pen which was laying by my phone and her ring grazed the phone. She didn't even notice she had touched the phone until I picked it up a few minutes later and noticed it and showed her what happened.

Stuff happens and you never know what little thing will end up scratching your phone. It could be a one time freak accident like my wife's ring grazing my phone at just the right angle or a few grains of sand getting in your pocket...or you just flat out dropping it on concrete or something. I will always use screen protectors.
 
I've never used a screen protector. I've been carrying my Droid Incredible (with Gorilla Glass) around in my pocket, bare, for a year and half. The first half of that time, I was living in Arizona, so my screen saw plenty of sand.

The screen is still near-perfect. I have one tiny scratch that you can't see unless you turn off the screen and angle it just so. You know what it took to do that? A forceful 4-foot drop, face-down, onto broken concrete. If that's what it takes to make the tiniest of scratches, I can't imagine what it takes to do significant damage.

I think it's a waste of money. Apparently others disagree, but I honestly don't even know how I would damage this thing. The screen is very, very tough.
 

Chi-TownTx

Well-Known Member
I use them on my Razr and honestly always have on any phone. Gorilla Glass is tough but i have always believed in better to be safe than sorry.

Plus fingerprints drive me insane. That is probably the main reason. I use an anti fingerprint screen protector. It takes away from the clarity a little but to me it's worth it since i only have to clean the screen off once in a blue moon.
 

chanchan05

The Doctor
Wasn't the diamond, it was the 18k gold prongs. Soft metal. There's no possible way it could have been the diamond due to the type of setting it is in.

Gold has a hardness of 2.5 on the Moh's scale, and plain normal glass 5.5... Its impossible for gold to scratch gorilla glass it unless its not really gold or the amount of gold in the alloy is really low. You sure that you weren't ripped off when you bought the ring?
 

B2L

Android Expert
I say better safe than sorry, but you don't need to spend a whole lot - 14.99 for 2 and it looks like nothing's on the screen at all. Realook is a great protector.

Amazon.com: REALOOK AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note (Model# SGH-i717) Screen Protector, Crystal Clear 2-PK: Computers & Accessories

you can also screw up the installation and re stick the protector, even rinse them off and re-install them.

With the S-pen it can make a huge difference, I went through 3 cheaper screen protectors and had problems with every single one of them. (1 out 3 was a Realook screen protector.) You have to be careful when choosing with the Note, the S-pen will leave permanent marks, or typically they will decrease the sensitivity.
 

shane17

Newbie
Thread starter
With the S-pen it can make a huge difference, I went through 3 cheaper screen protectors and had problems with every single one of them. (1 out 3 was a Realook screen protector.) You have to be careful when choosing with the Note, the S-pen will leave permanent marks, or typically they will decrease the sensitivity.

Yea exactly what i was going to mention. The galaxy note is unique wit the s pen so i think all screen protectors get marked up from the pen. The stienheld glass would probably be best for note. That is as long as installion goes rite otherwise you got an expensive peice of glass wit no use! I think for now im just going to have my phone in a good case whenever im not using the phone. If there is a case covering the front of the phone then no scratches can occur. And im careful with it when the phone is out of case.
 

MSUgEEk

Android Expert
Gold has a hardness of 2.5 on the Moh's scale, and plain normal glass 5.5... Its impossible for gold to scratch gorilla glass it unless its not really gold or the amount of gold in the alloy is really low. You sure that you weren't ripped off when you bought the ring?

Aluminum is along the same hardness of gold...so you're telling me you'd feel comfortable with me taking a soda can, cutting it, then using the sharp edge of it and running it all over your screen. Lest we forget that gold, especially white gold, is mixed with other alloys and then plated with rhodium. You can quote hardness scales to me all day long, doesn't mean anything in terms of what can happen in the real world. Ring prongs can be very pointed/sharp, just because it's soft metal doesn't mean it is impossible for that to happen. I know jewelry, I didn't get ripped off my friend.
 

shane17

Newbie
Thread starter
I use them on my Razr and honestly always have on any phone. Gorilla Glass is tough but i have always believed in better to be safe than sorry.

Plus fingerprints drive me insane. That is probably the main reason. I use an anti fingerprint screen protector. It takes away from the clarity a little but to me it's worth it since i only have to clean the screen off once in a blue moon.

Yea im not worried about fingerprints being on my phone. when my screen is turned on i dont see anythin like that. The light hides the smudges and prints i only see them when my phone is turned off.. Isnt this the same for any phone though. ?
 

chanchan05

The Doctor
Aluminum is along the same hardness of gold...so you're telling me you'd feel comfortable with me taking a soda can, cutting it, then using the sharp edge of it and running it all over your screen. Lest we forget that gold, especially white gold, is mixed with other alloys and then plated with rhodium. You can quote hardness scales to me all day long, doesn't mean anything in terms of what can happen in the real world. Ring prongs can be very pointed/sharp, just because it's soft metal doesn't mean it is impossible for that to happen. I know jewelry, I didn't get ripped off my friend.

We were taught that it was how you know if its true gold or false. i must admit that I do not know the plating of rhodium. Oh well. You learn something new everyday. :D
 
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