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Best Glass Screen Protector for 5S

Bootsie

Bootsie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 23, 2008
628
36
Utah
I am interested in trying a glass screen protector for my brand new 5S but I don't know which ones are the best. There seem to be lots of different options and i would like to get some opinions from 5s owners who are actually using them. Specifically with Touch ID

Is there one brand that is much better than the others? Is there something specific I should be looking for?

Also does anyone have coupons codes that I might be able to use on these? Thanks!
 
I got some responses to a similar question on another thread today, with people who have tried the Spigen brand protectors with the 5s, and said that it was just fine.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1643350/

I went ahead and got the bundle deal with the Spigen ToughArmor, $37 + free shipping, via a deal I found on Cult of Mac. https://deals.cultofmac.com/sales/the-iphone-5s-tough-armor-bundle-free-us-shipping

Did a lot of research, the tempered glass from them has great reviews, as does this case, so I took the plunge. (Hopefully, my phone won't ever take a plunge though... at least not before case manufacturers figure out how to make a waterproof case compatible with the Touch ID!)
 
I purchased the bodyguardz pure for iphone 5s that i'll be receiving wednesday/thursday
 
i've used the spigen glas.t (original) ever since it came out. about a few months ago, i dropped my phone and it hit the corner (edge) of the protector and it created a nice crack on it.

i decided to try out the bodyguardz pure since i got it on sale from amazon. it's pretty much the same thickness as the original glas.t. i heard great reviews about bodyguardz and some even said it was better than glas.t.

however, i have to say, i totally disagree about bodyguardz being the better screen protector.

IMO, the glas.t was WAY better than bodyguardz. i have earrings (diamonds) and the glas.t seriously held up from being banged by my earrings... aside from the crack, the rest of the screen was pretty much pristine.

the bodyguardz on the other hand, i've had for maybe 3-4 months (maybe less), and there's already a ton of micro scratches from my earrings, and other scratches from daily use (i don't really abuse my phone and seriously, i was really disappointed with bodyguardz especially after coming from glas.t). also, i felt that the glas.t's oleophobic coating is a lot better than bodyguardz.

the bodyguardz protector's coating seemed to have already lost most of it's potency. it's unfortunate really. even tho, i'm part of the bodyguardz program where i can get a replacement protector for cheap, i think i'm gonna have to go back to glas.t when i decide to replace my protector.

i know spigen has newer, slimmer ver of the glas.t and i just hope it has retained the same quality as the original glas.t.

tl:dr - glas.t :D
 
tokiidokii said:
i've used the spigen glas.t (original) ever since it came out. about a few months ago, i dropped my phone and it hit the corner (edge) of the protector and it created a nice crack on it.

i decided to try out the bodyguardz pure since i got it on sale from amazon. it's pretty much the same thickness as the original glas.t. i heard great reviews about bodyguardz and some even said it was better than glas.t.

however, i have to say, i totally disagree about bodyguardz being the better screen protector.

IMO, the glas.t was WAY better than bodyguardz. i have earrings (diamonds) and the glas.t seriously held up from being banged by my earrings... aside from the crack, the rest of the screen was pretty much pristine.

the bodyguardz on the other hand, i've had for maybe 3-4 months (maybe less), and there's already a ton of micro scratches from my earrings, and other scratches from daily use (i don't really abuse my phone and seriously, i was really disappointed with bodyguardz especially after coming from glas.t). also, i felt that the glas.t's oleophobic coating is a lot better than bodyguardz.

the bodyguardz protector's coating seemed to have already lost most of it's potency. it's unfortunate really. even tho, i'm part of the bodyguardz program where i can get a replacement protector for cheap, i think i'm gonna have to go back to glas.t when i decide to replace my protector.

i know spigen has newer, slimmer ver of the glas.t and i just hope it has retained the same quality as the original glas.t.

tl:dr - glas.t :D
Click to expand...

funny... what little research i did over the past few days said that sgp's protector had the weaker oleophobic coating... leading me to purchase the bodyguardz pure... i hope what you said is not true for everyone or I just wasted my money. SGP has like 5 different glass protectors which made it confusing for me to differentiate which is the popular model also.
 
Blau said:
+1 for their Feather Glass. Just got mine delivered today.
Click to expand...

+2 for mime feather glass! It's super thin, on .15mm thick. It's not bad using the home button unlike most .4mm tempered glass screen protectors.
 
trevorplease said:
funny... what little research i did over the past few days said that sgp's protector had the weaker oleophobic coating... leading me to purchase the bodyguardz pure... i hope what you said is not true for everyone or I just wasted my money. SGP has like 5 different glass protectors which made it confusing for me to differentiate which is the popular model also.
Click to expand...

Lol, i did the same because of the research and people saying about the coating.. well hopefully it's true!
 
trevorplease said:
funny... what little research i did over the past few days said that sgp's protector had the weaker oleophobic coating... leading me to purchase the bodyguardz pure... i hope what you said is not true for everyone or I just wasted my money. SGP has like 5 different glass protectors which made it confusing for me to differentiate which is the popular model also.
Click to expand...

hopefully you're right. what i wrote was just my experience between the 2. but, like i said, i had the original glas.t (this one didn't have the beveled edges) and if it hadn't cracked, i'm sure i'd still be happy with it now. i guess it might be confusing now (with all the choices) but when i was searching for a protector last year, and came upon the new glass types, at the time there was only 1 ver of glas.t. also, it was the only brand that was out at the time... or at least it was the most talked about.

anyway, i was really happy with the glas.t and i really wish i just stuck with it. again i'm talking about anecdotal evidence... and i haven't exactly changed my usage habits (and i do really take care of my phone), but the bodyguardz protector i have is scratched up from my earrings already. for comparison, i think i got the glas.t in october (last year) and replaced it this past june with the bodyguards... so 9 months with glas.t and no scratches from my earrings... 4 months with bodyguardz... and well you can see the pic.

and i guess i'll clarify the whole oleophobic thing... i didn't explain it well. over time the coating weakens. and i noticed it on the glas. t as well. it's just that it feels like the bodyguardz coating wore down much faster than glas.t.

again this is my experience and ymmv. but i'm definitely going back to sgp after. just really hoping that the new versions of the glas.t will give me the same satisfaction as the original glas.t.
 

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I received my mime feather glass today. I don't know if I just got a dud, but this protector shows smudges like crazy. I never had this issue with the bodyguardz pure. It's as if there's no oleophobic coating to speak of.
 
That is my biggest worry with the glass protectors, I have always had anti glare protectors from power support because I just can't stand the smudges and finger prints. They drive me nuts! But I also hate decreasing the clarity of the beautiful screen.

So I guess I'm wondering if any of the coatings really last because if not I might have to look at some other options. Thanks everyone!
 
Bootsie said:
That is my biggest worry with the glass protectors, I have always had anti glare protectors from power support because I just can't stand the smudges and finger prints. They drive me nuts! But I also hate decreasing the clarity of the beautiful screen.

So I guess I'm wondering if any of the coatings really last because if not I might have to look at some other options. Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...

The coating doesn't last forever, BUT the smudges are always easy to wipe off.
 
I'm just curious, glass protectors use adhesive as opposed to the static cling of the plastic kind, right?
Isn't that damaging to the screen underneath, or at least the coating?
 
Vidd said:
I'm just curious, glass protectors use adhesive as opposed to the static cling of the plastic kind, right?
Isn't that damaging to the screen underneath, or at least the coating?
Click to expand...

i thought the same thing... until i had to take off my glass protector so i can replace it. the adhesive isn't like super glue or anything. it doesn't leave any residue at all. once you pry a corner, the rest comes off easily.
 
i just bought the spigen glas.tr nano slim

it's coming on thursday and will let you guys know
 
I had the Glas tr. slim for my iPhone 5 and it was so awesome. Everyone thought it was part of the phone. I'm most likely going to get the tr. nano for my 5S. Has anyone ever put a screen protector over their glass protector?? lol I haven't but I just randomly thought of that.
 
What is the main advantage of using a glass protector over the regular static cling or wet/3m style ones?
 
Has anyone tested the iLoome Flex? I am specially interested in a comparison with the Mime Feather as they are thinner (.12mm vs Mime .15mm).
 
mike1111 said:
Looks good, like Mime Feather but with rounded borders. Are the any reviews or is it not available yet?
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I like the fact that this has rounded edges. However, another thread mentioned that that attribute may not matter with these new glass screen protectors that are now around .13-.15mm thick.

Unfortunately I don't see a replacement program from this company, unlike bodyguardz (pure) or mime.
 
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