Review: Thule Atmos X4 for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s Plus with Revised Screen Protector!

[obatron1]

Finally got my hands on a proper Thule Atmos x4 after having a go with the Atmos x5 returning it. Definitely liking the x4 over the x5 for my specific needs. The case on the x5 is really strong but the closed ports which led to a drop in sound input and output quality which is a deal breaker for me (I'm an audio guy). Not Thule's fault as the case is designed to keep water and other debris out. Thanks Kgenova for the great review on the case shout out to Mobile Reviews Eh as well.

 

[zvecka]

servicecenter.bagsbe@helpdesk.thule.com warranty claim address for Europe only! Same conditions apply few pictures and warranty form filled.
Sorry for hijacking,thought it would be handy for someone!

 

[kgenova]

servicecenter.bagsbe@helpdesk.thule.com warranty claim address for Europe only! Same conditions apply few pictures and warranty form filled.
Sorry for hijacking,thought it would be handy for someone!

Great info, thanks for sharing!!

 

[HorseTears]

Hey all - before I contact Thule support, I thought I'd check with you folks first. New iPhone 6 user. Just got my Thule Atmos X4 in the mail. Was a breeze to install and the case itself is great. Having some issues with the screen protector. When I peeled off the the protective plastic on the screen protector, I noticed a big smudge on the back - the end that sits directly on the screen. So, I took the microfiber cloth that came with the product and attempted to wipe the smudge off. I did not realize - nor was there any warning - that the back of the screen was very tacky - I assume to help it adhere to the phone. As a result little black pieces of the microfiber cloth got attached to the screen and the smudge remained. Before improvising any further, I contacted Thule support on Facebook. They responded very quickly and told me to clean it with soap and water, dry it and then reapply.

So, I followed their instructions - using a tiny amount of a very mild, non-oil-based soap and water. This did take care of the smudge (lessened, but did not remove it), but then I found it impossible to get the back of the screen dry without leaving streaks or lots of tiny fibers of whatever I would use to try to try it - very smooth microfiber cloths, smooth satin dress shirt cloth, even cloths made especially to clean screens. Everything would - I assume because of the tacky nature of the back end of the screen protector - leave lint and smudges. When looking at darker images/screens/apps it isn't very noticeable, but if you're looking at lighter colors - say a mostly white web page on Safari - the specs of lint and accompanying smudges are very noticeable.

For those of you who've had the Thule Atmos X4 for more than a minute, how on earth do you clean (and dry) the screen protector without leaving a permanent splattering of lint and smudges?


EDITED TO ADD:
If there really isn't any way to keep this screen protector clean without leaving streaks and lint on the back end, does anyone know if it's possible to find a tempered glass screen protector for iPhone 6 that would be compatible with the Thule X4 case? I like the case and would prefer to keep it, but feel a bit iffy about leaving the screen unprotected in the long run.

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

Hey all - before I contact Thule support, I thought I'd check with you folks first. New iPhone 6 user. Just got my Thule Atmos X4 in the mail. Was a breeze to install and the case itself is great. Having some issues with the screen protector. When I peeled off the the protective plastic on the screen protector, I noticed a big smudge on the back - the end that sits directly on the screen. So, I took the microfiber cloth that came with the product and attempted to wipe the smudge off. I did not realize - nor was there any warning - that the back of the screen was very tacky - I assume to help it adhere to the phone. As a result little black pieces of the microfiber cloth got attached to the screen and the smudge remained. Before improvising any further, I contacted Thule support on Facebook. They responded very quickly and told me to clean it with soap and water, dry it and then reapply.

So, I followed their instructions - using a tiny amount of a very mild, non-oil-based soap and water. This did take care of the smudge (lessened, but did not remove it), but then I found it impossible to get the back of the screen dry without leaving streaks or lots of tiny fibers of whatever I would use to try to try it - very smooth microfiber cloths, smooth satin dress shirt cloth, even cloths made especially to clean screens. Everything would - I assume because of the tacky nature of the back end of the screen protector - leave lint and smudges. When looking at darker images/screens/apps it isn't very noticeable, but if you're looking at lighter colors - say a mostly white web page on Safari - the specs of lint and accompanying smudges are very noticeable.

For those of you who've had the Thule Atmos X4 for more than a minute, how on earth do you clean (and dry) the screen protector without leaving a permanent splattering of lint and smudges?


EDITED TO ADD:
If there really isn't any way to keep this screen protector clean without leaving streaks and lint on the back end, does anyone know if it's possible to find a tempered glass screen protector for iPhone 6 that would be compatible with the Thule X4 case? I like the case and would prefer to keep it, but feel a bit iffy about leaving the screen unprotected in the long run.

dawn and hot water then canned air = no problems at all

 

[kgenova]

dawn and hot water then canned air = no problems at all

I love the Thule Atmos X4. So sorry for your screen protector issues! I haven't tried the canned air, but it sounds like a good solution. Trying to dry any kind of adhesive screen protector with a cloth is a recipe for disaster. As far as glass screen protectors that work with the X4, there are a number, but keep in mind you will have very little lip left. The built in screen protector of the X4 adds additional lip, but if you are using a regular glass screen protector, it takes away from what little lip the X4 has. Case friendly screen protectors such as the OtterBox Alpha Glass should work fine, as should the Zagg Glass Luxe, if you want something more edge to edge in nature. Good luck!

Kristin

 

[HorseTears]

dawn and hot water then canned air = no problems at all

Rolltide1 - sounded like a good suggestion, but unfortunately, it didn't work. I tried doing this with both canned air and with a hair dryer (on cool air setting). Because of the tacky nature of the back side, the remaining droplets of water (left after washing and shaking off excess liquid) stuck to the back side and wouldn't budge. The only way to remove the droplets is by using a cloth and by using a cloth, the screen protector gets smudged. It's a never-ending cycle of smudging and lint. A bit of a catch 22. Thanks, anyway!

I think it's downright irresponsible of Thule not to include any kind of warning about this in the packaging or instructions. Even more frustrating was being told by their customer service reps that I could wash both sides of the screen protector with soap and water and thoroughly dry before reapplying as many times as I need to. I'd love to see someone do that without causing massive smudging and leaving a trail of lint. What terrible customer service.

I love the Thule Atmos X4. So sorry for your screen protector issues! I haven't tried the canned air, but it sounds like a good solution. Trying to dry any kind of adhesive screen protector with a cloth is a recipe for disaster. As far as glass screen protectors that work with the X4, there are a number, but keep in mind you will have very little lip left. The built in screen protector of the X4 adds additional lip, but if you are using a regular glass screen protector, it takes away from what little lip the X4 has. Case friendly screen protectors such as the OtterBox Alpha Glass should work fine, as should the Zagg Glass Luxe, if you want something more edge to edge in nature. Good luck!

Kristin

Kristin - Firstly, thanks for the great video reviews. I stumbled across your YouTube channel while doing research on iPhone 6 cases and your stellar review is what convinced me to give the X4 a shot. I'm curious, is the suggestion then that users will never need to clean the back of the screen protector? That seems bizarre to me. Has yours stayed clean all this time?

Also, I may be being thick here, but I don't quite understand your warnings about how a tempered glass screen protector "takes away from what little lip the X4 has". Does that mean that the typical glass screen protector will cover part of the X4 case itself? Or the opposite - that there will be a gap between where the edge of the tapered glass ends and the inner edge of the X4 case begins? Dumb it down for me, would ya?

 

[kgenova]

Rolltide1 - sounded like a good suggestion, but unfortunately, it didn't work. I tried doing this with both canned air and with a hair dryer (on cool air setting). Because of the tacky nature of the back side, the remaining droplets of water (left after washing and shaking off excess liquid) stuck to the back side and wouldn't budge. The only way to remove the droplets is by using a cloth and by using a cloth, the screen protector gets smudged. It's a never-ending cycle of smudging and lint. A bit of a catch 22. Thanks, anyway!

I think it's downright irresponsible of Thule not to include any kind of warning about this in the packaging or instructions. Even more frustrating was being told by their customer service reps that I could wash both sides of the screen protector with soap and water and thoroughly dry before reapplying as many times as I need to. I'd love to see someone do that without causing massive smudging and leaving a trail of lint. What terrible customer service.





Kristin - Firstly, thanks for the great video reviews. I stumbled across your YouTube channel while doing research on iPhone 6 cases and your stellar review is what convinced me to give the X4 a shot. I'm curious, is the suggestion then that users will never need to clean the back of the screen protector? That seems bizarre to me. Has yours stayed clean all this time?

Also, I may be being thick here, but I don't quite understand your warnings about how a tempered glass screen protector "takes away from what little lip the X4 has". Does that mean that the typical glass screen protector will cover part of the X4 case itself? Or the opposite - that there will be a gap between where the edge of the tapered glass ends and the inner edge of the X4 case begins? Dumb it down for me, would ya?

Sorry, what I am trying to say is that there won't be much usable lip, in terms of lay on the table protection, once a thicker glass screen protector is applied. (I'm not talking about a glass screen protector covering any part of the X4 case--just a case-friendly one which fits within the exposed screen area when the X4 case is on.) This is because the Atmos X4 case has a very small amount of lip itself (its built-in screen protector, because it has a raised plastic rim around it, gives the case more lip, but when it is removed, the amount of lip that the actual case has is quite small. Tempered glass screen protectors tend to be on the thicker side, so once one of those is in place, the top of the screen protector will almost be level with the lip, leaving you with very little 'lay on the table design' protection.

In terms of needing to clean the adhesive side of the screen protector, I can see your point with this type of screen protector, particularly if you use the X4 in rough conditions. And I suspect the suggestion above with the Dawn detergent and the canned air (and maybe with the addition of a rinse in distilled water, to reduce water spots, should probably work well. Personally, I have never needed to do it, for two reasons:

1. My iPhone leads a very quiet, protected life. It encounters very little in the way of dirt and challenging conditions.
2. I never keep cases and screen protectors on for very long, because I always have something new in the pipeline to review.

Good luck! Hope this helps!

 

[HorseTears]

Sorry, what I am trying to say is that there won't be much usable lip, in terms of lay on the table protection, once a thicker glass screen protector is applied. (I'm not talking about a glass screen protector covering any part of the X4 case--just a case-friendly one which fits within the exposed screen area when the X4 case is on.) This is because the Atmos X4 case has a very small amount of lip itself (its built-in screen protector, because it has a raised plastic rim around it, gives the case more lip, but when it is removed, the amount of lip that the actual case has is quite small. Tempered glass screen protectors tend to be on the thicker side, so once one of those is in place, the top of the screen protector will almost be level with the lip, leaving you with very little 'lay on the table design' protection.

In terms of needing to clean the adhesive side of the screen protector, I can see your point with this type of screen protector, particularly if you use the X4 in rough conditions. And I suspect the suggestion above with the Dawn detergent and the canned air (and maybe with the addition of a rinse in distilled water, to reduce water spots, should probably work well. Personally, I have never needed to do it, for two reasons:

1. My iPhone leads a very quiet, protected life. It encounters very little in the way of dirt and challenging conditions.
2. I never keep cases and screen protectors on for very long, because I always have something new in the pipeline to review.

Good luck! Hope this helps!

Thanks so much! I just ended up calling Thule and getting a replacement screen protector. Still, it's a bit disconcerting to know that if you get so much as a tiny smudge on the end that touches the screen, you'll never be able to remove it would ruining the screen. What a defective design. If it gets messed up again, I'll go for a tempered glass replacement. Appreciate your helpful response. I hope anyone considering buying the Atmos X4 keeps my experience in mind.

 

[kgenova]

Thanks so much! I just ended up calling Thule and getting a replacement screen protector. Still, it's a bit disconcerting to know that if you get so much as a tiny smudge on the end that touches the screen, you'll never be able to remove it would ruining the screen. What a defective design. If it gets messed up again, I'll go for a tempered glass replacement. Appreciate your helpful response. I hope anyone considering buying the Atmos X4 keeps my experience in mind.

Glad you were able to get a replacement screen protector from Thule. Did you try the previous poster's suggestion about washing with Dawn and drying with canned air? That might have worked to fix your smudge...I don't know...

 

[HorseTears]

Glad you were able to get a replacement screen protector from Thule. Did you try the previous poster's suggestion about washing with Dawn and drying with canned air? That might have worked to fix your smudge...I don't know...

Yes, I did try that. Here's what I wrote about that in post #107 above:

Rolltide1 - sounded like a good suggestion, but unfortunately, it didn't work. I tried doing this with both canned air and with a hair dryer (on cool air setting). Because of the tacky nature of the back side, the remaining droplets of water (left after washing and shaking off excess liquid) stuck to the back side and wouldn't budge. The only way to remove the droplets is by using a cloth and by using a cloth, the screen protector gets smudged. It's a never-ending cycle of smudging and lint. A bit of a catch 22. Thanks, anyway! ​

 

[kgenova]

Yes, I did try that. Here's what I wrote about that in post #107 above:

Rolltide1 - sounded like a good suggestion, but unfortunately, it didn't work. I tried doing this with both canned air and with a hair dryer (on cool air setting). Because of the tacky nature of the back side, the remaining droplets of water (left after washing and shaking off excess liquid) stuck to the back side and wouldn't budge. The only way to remove the droplets is by using a cloth and by using a cloth, the screen protector gets smudged. It's a never-ending cycle of smudging and lint. A bit of a catch 22. Thanks, anyway! ​

Sorry I missed the initial post, and so sorry your washing experience was not successful! What about air-drying for the last bit? And doing the final rinse in distilled water to reduce water spotting? It seems to me that there was some MacRumors member here that posted about washing a screen protector (I think it may have been the Cinder) and they said they air dried it and it was fine. I've never tried washing any screen protector myself, so I obviously really don't know. It seems a shame that they are single use items--particularly given the price--but it generally seems to be the way they've been designed. Good luck!!

 

[Minarets]

Know I'm late to this game but just ordered a x4 for my 6s 32 gig. My corporate is always a year behind in phones. Just got rid of the 5s. I had a x3 on a 6s plus I had to return. Long story there. Loved the case. Had one for my 5s too. An x3 that is. Just ordered an anker glass to go with it. Not planning on using the included plastic one that comes with the x4. I'll have to see what it feels like.
The added grip over the x3 and some lip looks preferred over the x3

 

[kgenova]

Know I'm late to this game but just ordered a x4 for my 6s 32 gig. My corporate is always a year behind in phones. Just got rid of the 5s. I had a x3 on a 6s plus I had to return. Long story there. Loved the case. Had one for my 5s too. An x3 that is. Just ordered an anker glass to go with it. Not planning on using the included plastic one that comes with the x4. I'll have to see what it feels like.
The added grip over the x3 and some lip looks preferred over the x3

It does have a slightly better grip, easier press buttons and a larger lightning port opening as compared with the X3, but I don't think the lip is any higher...

 

[Minarets]

It does have a slightly better grip, easier press buttons and a larger lightning port opening as compared with the X3, but I don't think the lip is any higher...

Hmm there was zero lip on my 5s. And barely one on the 6s plus with screen protector.

 

[kgenova]

Hmm there was zero lip on my 5s. And barely one on the 6s plus with screen protector.

I don't know about the 5s, but I agree that the 6 Plus/6s Plus versions do not have much lip at all...

 

[Minarets]

Got the X4. Love it. That said I have some adhesive or something on the stratoshield and I can't get rid of it. I washed it per the instructions, let it dry and reapplied and it's still there. Sent Thule a tweet to see if I can get a replacement of the stratoshield only. Love the feel of the case and I never in a million years thought I'd actually prefer the slick feeling of the screen protector to a glass screen protector. The fact there is no gap like in the fre is glorious. I know I'll have to get over the smudge factor if I can. But the imperfections of the glue or scratches on the screen protector are killing me

 

[kgenova]

Got the X4. Love it. That said I have some adhesive or something on the stratoshield and I can't get rid of it. I washed it per the instructions, let it dry and reapplied and it's still there. Sent Thule a tweet to see if I can get a replacement of the stratoshield only. Love the feel of the case and I never in a million years thought I'd actually prefer the slick feeling of the screen protector to a glass screen protector. The fact there is no gap like in the fre is glorious. I know I'll have to get over the smudge factor if I can. But the imperfections of the glue or scratches on the screen protector are killing me

How irritating! Hopefully Thule will come through for you with either a replacement or instructions on how to properly clean it up...

 

[Minarets]

I'm supposed to be receiving a replacement stratoshield. Here is to hoping.

 

[Minarets]

And as I expected, Thule came through. Sent me a stratoshield today. Much better. Thanks Thule. Great customer service.

 

[kgenova]

And as I expected, Thule came through. Sent me a stratoshield today. Much better. Thanks Thule. Great customer service.

Great to hear! I'm looking forward to reviewing the X3 and X4 for the iPhone 7 Plus....