I don't believe there is much difference in the physical product for a name brand vs. a no-name or Amazon seller brand. Some users do claim that the oleophobic coating on a more expensive one may last longer, but they'll all wear off eventually, and when they do, one still must replace them by requesting a replacement, or buying and installing another cheap replacement. Your choice.
Some brands also claim to source glass from a particular supplier like Asahi, or even the famed Corning GorillaGlass, but again, I haven't seen those claims manifest any palpable benefit, so personally, it's not something I shop for or have to have.
And even for a name brand, like one that's well-known and sold at a place like Best Buy, there's no guarantee that the product is necessarily superior. There's currently a thread in the main iPhone forum that clearly illustrates that one of those name brand protectors isn't cut properly for the phone it's installed on, so the dimensions are off and the contours for the notch aren't correct. (Also, Belkin had to issue s stop sale order and recall some of their protectors last year because they were too fragile, until a new thicker version could reach Apple stores.)
But, as an example, what that user can do is call up the company, and likely have a replacement sent easily and quickly. Some will even replace ones that have broken during installation due to user error, not any fault of the product. That's what the higher prices pay for, along with nicer packaging and extra help like installation videos.
The product itself? It may or may not be better, if even only marginally, but I doubt it, and if one doesn't need that kind of assurance or comfort, then it might not be worth paying for. Some do, and don't want to deal with the hassle of DIY, so that $40 Belkin glass that the Apple Store guy/gal installs for you is worth it for them.
On pure principle, I can't bring myself to spend more than ten bucks on a thin piece of glass whose ultimate purpose is to be sacrificial, so I'm not chasing some holy grail that is absolutely perfect. There are still many choices on Amazon that are reasonably priced, even from brand names that specialize in protectors (like Tech Armor), well-known accessory makers (Anker), or the no-names.
Everyone's needs and preferences are different, but in the end, these things are simply very thin panes of glass with a silicone adhesive layer. Apple did make everyone's life a bit harder when it started using designs with very slight curvatures at edges starting with the 6, so it took some time for adjustments, but everyone has figured out how to work around that. Surveying the user experiences will provide a guide as to which ones may still have issues and which don't.
Last edited:
