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Swisspo

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 19, 2015
287
152
Ohio
I apologize if this has already been covered, but has anyone noticed any scratches starting to form on the screen of their iPad Pro, due to moderate or heavy usage of the Apple Pencil? I personally have not. I'm just curious as to whether or not this could become an issue somewhere down the road. Again, sorry if this has been covered already. Thank you!
 
I apologize if this has already been covered, but has anyone noticed any scratches starting to form on the screen of their iPad Pro, due to moderate or heavy usage of the Apple Pencil? I personally have not. I'm just curious as to whether or not this could become an issue somewhere down the road. Again, sorry if this has been covered already. Thank you!
The nib is made of a relatively soft plastic. The screen is a very hard glass. If you're seeing scratches, it's not the Pencil that's causing damage, but rather a small bit of grit being pushed around by the Pencil. Keep your devices clean and you should be fine.
 
i would get a screen protector. these things always scratch eventually. my screen protector has a scratch after a long trip. plus if you get matte the pencil feels much better. but you do lose a little screen quality.
 
i would get a screen protector. these things always scratch eventually. my screen protector has a scratch after a long trip. plus if you get matte the pencil feels much better. but you do lose a little screen quality.
No, these things don't scratch eventually. Just look at the 20 iPad Airs that we deployed to college students for two semesters with heavy stylus use. They are still in pristine condition.

Personally I would never sacrifice display quality with a screen protector.
 
No, these things don't scratch eventually. Just look at the 20 iPad Airs that we deployed to college students for two semesters with heavy stylus use. They are still in pristine condition.

Personally I would never sacrifice display quality with a screen protector.

appreciate your opinion but i disagree. i would not want to risk any of my devices to scratches. a scratch is really annoying every-time you run a stylus over it. despite your experiences i have scratched ipads and even a cintiq 27". you can get clear screen protectors if you dont mind the poor drawing experience of a slick screen. i prefer matte as it offers a better drawing experience at the slight expense of image quality (and who cares on such a small consumer device anyway). no one ive shown photos to on the IPP have even noticed the matte protector.
 
appreciate your opinion but i disagree. i would not want to risk any of my devices to scratches. a scratch is really annoying every-time you run a stylus over it. despite your experiences i have scratched ipads and even a cintiq 27". you can get clear screen protectors if you dont mind the poor drawing experience of a slick screen. i prefer matte as it offers a better drawing experience at the slight expense of image quality (and who cares on such a small consumer device anyway). no one ive shown photos to on the IPP have even noticed the matte protector.
Well, I don't regard an iPad Pro as "such a small consumer device." :) Personally, I wouldn't be able to use an iPad Pro with a screen protector.

But I'm a big believer in peace of mind, so if a screen protector gives you peace of mind, go for it. (But I have AppleCare+ for that.)
 
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Well, I don't regard an iPad Pro as "such a small consumer device." :) Personally, I wouldn't be able to use an iPad Pro with a screen protector.

But I'm a big believer in peace of mind, so if a screen protector gives you peace of mind, go for it. (But I have AppleCare+ for that.)

just curious, does apple care cover user caused scratches? i might get it if it does, if i can get used to the feeling of drawing on slick glass.

by consumer device, i meant lack of professional software, input/output ports, file management, and color calibrating tools. i love my IPP, but mine is only a companion device to my more capable cintiq systems for my art. Of course for some it might be plenty pro enough, just not for me and my needs. 13" still feels small to me. i like to work big.

i think i misspoke, you can also get a clear screen protector that offers the same factory glass slick feel. there really is no downside except it costs another 20$. I found the palm rejection also works better with a screen protector, even though its still only so-so.
 
AppleCare+ does not cover cosmetic damage. It would do nothing for scratches. I use a glass protector. No fear of scratching now...
I'm talking about a scratch or scratches that impede usability. Grit on the screen? A fall? Etc. That would be covered.

There won't be any cosmetic scratches, even without a screen protector. :) But I'm glad you are happy with your screen protector.
 
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Well, I don't regard an iPad Pro as "such a small consumer device." :) Personally, I wouldn't be able to use an iPad Pro with a screen protector.

But I'm a big believer in peace of mind, so if a screen protector gives you peace of mind, go for it. (But I have AppleCare+ for that.)


Just because my medication has kicked in and made me chatty and curious :rolleyes: Why couldn't you use a screen protector?
I mean, of course it's a personal preference thing, and we're all entitled to our own likes and dislikes, so fair enough.

I have AppleCare+ also, I always get it for all of my Apple devices. But even so I always fit screen protectors these days. Having experienced a scratched screen on an iPad that was never dropped, never left the house, never used by anyone but me and always treated carefully. But still, a stylus caused a small scratch. This was quite some years ago now of course.

I've fitted my iPad pro with a (good quality) tempered glass screen protector. There's no visible signs of degradation in the image quality and it feels exactly like the bare screen did when I'm using either my finger or the Apple Pencil. So I don't mind that at all. I'm less of a fan of the plastic ones, those definitely have an effect on the image and tactile response. Although I did test a matte one on my iPad Pro while I awaited the arrival of the glass one and I did kind of like the feel of the Pencil on it compared to glass, or bare. But the reduction in image quality is a deal breaker with those.

I'll stop waffling on now :D
 
Just because my medication has kicked in and made me chatty and curious :rolleyes: Why couldn't you use a screen protector?
I mean, of course it's a personal preference thing, and we're all entitled to our own likes and dislikes, so fair enough.

I have AppleCare+ also, I always get it for all of my Apple devices. But even so I always fit screen protectors these days. Having experienced a scratched screen on an iPad that was never dropped, never left the house, never used by anyone but me and always treated carefully. But still, a stylus caused a small scratch. This was quite some years ago now of course.

I've fitted my iPad pro with a (good quality) tempered glass screen protector. There's no visible signs of degradation in the image quality and it feels exactly like the bare screen did when I'm using either my finger or the Apple Pencil. So I don't mind that at all. I'm less of a fan of the plastic ones, those definitely have an effect on the image and tactile response. Although I did test a matte one on my iPad Pro while I awaited the arrival of the glass one and I did kind of like the feel of the Pencil on it compared to glass, or bare. But the reduction in image quality is a deal breaker with those.

I'll stop waffling on now :D
I can't stand anything that changes the way my iOS displays look or feel.
 
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ipad pro's screens can and will scratch. its just glass. it can scratch. im happy some have never had one scratch. but its misleading to say they wont ever scratch. mine had a small cosmetic scratch after a couple days.

interestingly the screen protector actually improved the crappy palm rejection and tactile feel on my IPP, and my images still look great.
 
Brand new Ipad pro and Apple Pencil.....

Day 1 using Pencil and I have a scratch!

I have been extremely meticulous making sure screen is clean and wiping pencil nib with silk cloth before use. I have not taken the Ipad or Pencil out of the house. My eyesight is perfect and the screen and pencil are visually pristine and free of dirt and grit. Obviously there is some seriously tiny grit which was dragged by the pencil creating a scratch in a straight line. This is despite inspecting screen and very gently wiping the screen over with silk cloth prior to use. At one stage I thought I heard & felt a tiny bit of resistance when using the Pencil and I suspect this is when the scratch occurred.

I should emphasise this is definitely a scratch and not the markings caused by greasy fingers followed by pencil tip creating what could look like scratches.

I was worried about using the Pencil without a screen protector but was re-assured that the screen is very tough and that the Ipad should not need a screen protector if you take care. I most certainly have taken extreme care but I guess I've been unlucky! I was planning on getting a screen protector but didn't expect the very first time I used the Pencil on a visibly pristine screen whilst taking extreme care would result in a scratch.

My excitement over the new Ipad and Pencil is some what flattened!

P.S. Also wifi is unusable when I connect the Apple Pencil and requires me to manually reconnect to wifi constantly. Disconnect pencil and wifi works flawlessly.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/wifi-drops-out-since-pairing-apple-pencil.1977029/
 
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I can't stand anything that changes the way my iOS displays look or feel.
It looks better without scratches.

I'm super careful with all my devices and keep them all clean with Whoosh and a clean micro fiber cloth. As careful as I am, I always get scratches when I leave a screen unprotected. They may only be micro scratches seen in the right light but they are there. I've tried to go naked on the screen a few times and within a month get the dreaded first scratch.
[doublepost=1465883065][/doublepost]
Brand new Ipad pro and Apple Pencil.....

Day 1 using Pencil and I have a scratch!

I have been extremely meticulous making sure screen is clean and wiping pencil nib with silk cloth before use. I have not taken the Ipad or Pencil out of the house. My eyesight is perfect and the screen and pencil are visually pristine and free of dirt and grit. Obviously there is some seriously tiny grit which was dragged by the pencil creating a scratch in a straight line. This is despite inspecting screen and very gently wiping the screen over with silk cloth prior to use. At one stage I thought I heard & felt a tiny bit of resistance when using the Pencil and I suspect this is when the scratch occurred.

I should emphasise this is definitely a scratch and not the markings caused by greasy fingers followed by pencil tip creating what could look like scratches.

I was worried about using the Pencil without a screen protector but was re-assured that the screen is very tough and that the Ipad should not need a screen protector if you take care. I most certainly have taken extreme care but I guess I've been unlucky! I was planning on getting a screen protector but didn't expect the very first time I used the Pencil on a visibly pristine screen whilst taking extreme care would result in a scratch.

My excitement over the new Ipad and Pencil is some what flattened!

P.S. Also wifi is unusable when I connect the Apple Pencil and requires me to manually reconnect to wifi constantly. Disconnect pencil and wifi works flawlessly.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/wifi-drops-out-since-pairing-apple-pencil.1977029/

Get a screen protector now as it'll cover up all but the biggest. At least it won't be staring you in the face.
 
Apparently some screen protectors reduce the antiglare quality of the glass. Antiglare is very important to me - I always used an antiglare screen protector on my iPads and I have one on my iPhone. Has anyone found a screen protector that has no reduction in the antiglare?
 
I apologize if this has already been covered, but has anyone noticed any scratches starting to form on the screen of their iPad Pro, due to moderate or heavy usage of the Apple Pencil? I personally have not. I'm just curious as to whether or not this could become an issue somewhere down the road. Again, sorry if this has been covered already. Thank you!
Yup, I have a few long but light scratches, presumably from pieces of dust that's been pushed around by the pencil. They are really only visible when looking at an angle with a newly cleaned display that's turned off, so they don't have any practical impact for me.
 
Yup, I have a few long but light scratches, presumably from pieces of dust that's been pushed around by the pencil. They are really only visible when looking at an angle with a newly cleaned display that's turned off, so they don't have any practical impact for me.

Are you going to continue using pencil without screen protector? How long have you been using the pencil on the iPad for?
 
Are you going to continue using pencil without screen protector? How long have you been using the pencil on the iPad for?
Hmmmm....I actually have a screen protector but I've been to lazy to put it on, maybe I should? :rolleyes: I got iPad + Pencil like 5 months ago and since I'm using it entirely as a portable drawing device and often outdoors, I rather guess that I'm pressing it a little past the more casual user.
 
I am happy to attempt to post a photo but I don't have any scratches on this 13 inch pro.

I've had it since launch day and have had the pencil since its launch.

I use the pencil as a mouse and I use it daily . No screen protector.

I'm on my second pencil tip as well.
 
I just found a small scratch on my 9.7" iPad Pro. It's not a deep scratch--can't feel it with my fingernail--but it's visible under certain light on a clean screen. I really can't be sure if it was from Pencil use or not. I don't remember feeling any grit while drawing or writing recently.

Here's the the problem though--I tried a screen protector for one day on the Pro and it absolutely RUINED the anti-reflective properties of the display. After you have a display with that low of reflectivity, there's really no going back. When I put the screen protector on, I felt like I was looking in a mirror every time I used the iPad.

So my dilemma is put the screen protector on to prevent that stuff, or leave it off and have the display look and feel the way it's supposed to and maybe pick up some minor marks here and there. Not sure what to do at this point.
 
I just found a small scratch on my 9.7" iPad Pro. It's not a deep scratch--can't feel it with my fingernail--but it's visible under certain light on a clean screen. I really can't be sure if it was from Pencil use or not. I don't remember feeling any grit while drawing or writing recently.

Here's the the problem though--I tried a screen protector for one day on the Pro and it absolutely RUINED the anti-reflective properties of the display. After you have a display with that low of reflectivity, there's really no going back. When I put the screen protector on, I felt like I was looking in a mirror every time I used the iPad.

So my dilemma is put the screen protector on to prevent that stuff, or leave it off and have the display look and feel the way it's supposed to and maybe pick up some minor marks here and there. Not sure what to do at this point.

Thanks for the post. This is why I haven't put on a screen protector yet.
 
I have an iPAD 4 since 2013 and used a screen protector that was expensive at the time (100 $ in local currency), however I never lend or left the house with any device, and every single day I wipe the screen with help of two microfiber cloths, that never leave my sight.

And this might be an obvious advice, but I always cut my nails as shortest as possible, and clean my hands most of the time.

This is what it looks like:
http://i.imgur.com/BW1SIrM.jpg

Anyway,

- It's hard to put the screen protector properly. You have to get someone to do it for you. I once tried myself and the whole thing was ruined.

- Despite the screen still looking fine, with no bubbles, stains or classic signs of use after all these years, I am afraid it really sacrifices display quality just by being there, and obviously you can see that the screen gets dirty easily after minor use (something that the microfiber cloth fixes it). So if you dislike the idea of losing image quality or cleaning your screen very often, then don't get a screen protector.

- I got an Apple Pencil and iPAD Pro, however I decided to not use these old microfiber cloths, instead I purchased one that was recommended to be the best, the "3M Scotch Brite Hi-Tech Cleaning Cloth for Gadgets". I will not use others for that job.

And this time I will try not using a screen protector, and see how it goes. Besides sacrificing display quality, I suspect this might prevent the Pencil from working as it should (introducing some lag or anything of the sort). And once a screen protector is there, I don't think there's a way to remove it easily, at least not without some possible side effect or risk of damage.

Sure, even a minor scratch in a so expensive device would be dreadful. The thing is, I have no idea if this is due to misuse or an inevitable consequence of prolonged normal use. We need more hard evidence for the latter.
 
I have an iPAD 4 since 2013 and used a screen protector that was expensive at the time (100 $ in local currency), however I never lend or left the house with any device, and every single day I wipe the screen with help of two microfiber cloths, that never leave my sight.

And this might be an obvious advice, but I always cut my nails as shortest as possible, and clean my hands most of the time.

This is what it looks like:
http://i.imgur.com/BW1SIrM.jpg

Anyway,

- It's hard to put the screen protector properly. You have to get someone to do it for you. I once tried myself and the whole thing was ruined.

- Despite the screen still looking fine, with no bubbles, stains or classic signs of use after all these years, I am afraid it really sacrifices display quality just by being there, and obviously you can see that the screen gets dirty easily after minor use (something that the microfiber cloth fixes it). So if you dislike the idea of losing image quality or cleaning your screen very often, then don't get a screen protector.

- I got an Apple Pencil and iPAD Pro, however I decided to not use these old microfiber cloths, instead I purchased one that was recommended to be the best, the "3M Scotch Brite Hi-Tech Cleaning Cloth for Gadgets". I will not use others for that job.

And this time I will try not using a screen protector, and see how it goes. Besides sacrificing display quality, I suspect this might prevent the Pencil from working as it should (introducing some lag or anything of the sort). And once a screen protector is there, I don't think there's a way to remove it easily, at least not without some possible side effect or risk of damage.

Sure, even a minor scratch in a so expensive device would be dreadful. The thing is, I have no idea if this is due to misuse or an inevitable consequence of prolonged normal use. We need more hard evidence for the latter.
I didn't notice any Pencil lag in the very brief time I had a screen protector on mine, but the glare that it introduced was very distracting. The anti-reflective coating doesn't seem to work at all through the screen protector, because the screen protector itself isn't manufactured the same way.
 
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