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Tempered Glass - Does it really protect the screen?

XTheLancerX

XTheLancerX

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 20, 2014
1,911
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NY, USA
What is all of your experiences with tempered glass screen protectors? I'm kind of skeptical about whether they really shatter instead of the glass of the iPhone, it seems like it could still break the screen too.

I want to get a slimmer case for my iPhone, the spigen thin fit in black for my iPhone 6 space gray. However I wouldn't feel comfortable with screen protection with that case, so I'm considering tempered glass but I'm new to it.

Anyone else use this combination of accessories on their iPhone? Would you recommend it? What would be the best glass screen protector for me to get if I choose to use one?
 
I've gone naked forever and never had a cracked screen. I too am skeptical, but never tried it myself. I did get minor scratches, so that's the only reason I would get one.
 
Well, I had a Zagg tempered glass protector on my 6 Plus and dropper a router on it (don't ask). The Zagg protector cracked quite nicely but the actual screen was fine. I don't know whether or not the screen would have cracked, but who knows?
 
I'm pretty sure it won't do much to protect the screen when the phone is dropped. I have a Spigen glass screen protector on my 6s+ just to keep it from getting scratched. Hopefully my thin Spigen case will do what it can to prevent any major dings or cracks to my phone if and when I do drop it.
 
I've been using tempered glass screen protectors since the 6 came out. I only broke one recently, and my screen was fine.

I think it's very useful for light impacts, not heavy ones. Like when you drop it face down on the ground, it's gonna crack it + your screen.

But when you accidently drop something solid on your phone (which happenned to me, it was the metal part of a belt..) it can save your screen.

But putting a good case on your phone + a tempered glass is way better than nothing or just a case.
 
They do their job.

I had a screen protector on my 5s. A friend, who had been drinking, dropped it face down on my asphalt drive way twice. The tempered glass was shattered beyond use, but the screen was perfectly fine (mint actually).

It's physics. When the phone falls on its screen, with a tempered glass screen protector, the impact of the drop is distributed across the surface of the tempered glass. It may break the tempered glass at the impact point, but the force transferred from the tempered glass to the actually iPhone screen will be distributed over a wider surface area, around the impact point. Since the force is spread out, it is much less likely to crack the screen underneath. You would need a father forceful impact to break both the protector and screen underneath. Now, the corners would be the weak point and a possible exception, depending on the screen protector, if you have a case, etc

Think of it from a carpenters point of view. When a carpenter is hammering a beautiful, smooth, stained piece of wooden furniture together; he doesn't use a roofing hammer. He is likely to use a wooden mallet (wide area of
Impact), but in a pinch, he can take a typical hammer, place a small 2x4 over the area he needs to direct the force, and hammer away. The 2x4 will dent and take damage, but will transfer the force of the impact over a wider area and thus the beautiful wooden furniture won't be damage...but the force will help align pieces as they need to be.

Make sense?

If you hit your glass screen protector, forcefully, with pointed objects, you may damage the phone. Otherwise they do a really great job at protection. Tempered glass protector have saved me from scratches and potential shatters numerous times.

Personally, I recommend spending 9-14 dollars on the edge to edge screen protector on Amazon. Tech armor and daswise (something like that) have them. They match the color of the front of your iPhone. I have used both, and both work great.

I apologize for any spelling errors, etc. I typed this on the go and didn't proof read.
 
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I've got a tempered glass screen protector from Anker and a slim case from New Trentium. Never used a glass screen protector before, but I'm really liking this. I like how it feels and the slight thickness to it. Was also ridiculously easy to do a perfect install.
 
The best protection for your phone isn't a glass screen protector or a phone case. It's using common sense to not let your screen get scratches, and making use of your skills of not dropping the phone out of your hands. Just like you would never let a baby fall out of your hands.
 
I use a tempered glass screen protector primarily to protect from scratches. However, I think that every phone drop is unique to itself, in other words it's a crap shoot whether my screen protector and or my screen will break or not. I figure that it has to help your chances of screen survival to some degree, it can't hurt them.
 
I always use screen protectors. I've dropped phones twice which both hit on corners. The screen protector and case were damaged but the phone stayed looking like new.
 
AintDutchNotMuch said:
The best protection for your phone isn't a glass screen protector or a phone case. It's using common sense to not let your screen get scratches, and making use of your skills of not dropping the phone out of your hands. Just like you would never let a baby fall out of your hands.
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True, but it's not a baby. It's a device you carry in your pocket, purse, whatever and you grab and access multiple times a day. The phone can skip pulling it out of the pocket, using it, etc. You don't do this with a baby.

Some people never drop their phones. I'm careful and rarely do, but as probability would have it, every 1000 times or so (once or twice a year) I will drop the phone when pulling it out of my pocket, etc.

During those rare events, it's nice to have a slim, protective case and screen protector.
 
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BlueGoldAce said:
True, but it's not a baby. It's a device you carry in your pocket, purse, whatever and you grab and access multiple times a day. The phone can skip pulling it out of the pocket, using it, etc. You don't do this with a baby.

Some people never drop their phones. I'm careful and rarely do, but as probability would have it, every 1000 times or so (once or twice a year) I will drop the phone when pulling it out of my pocket, etc.

During those rare events, it's nice to have a slim, protective case and screen protector.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
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I dropped my galaxy note 3 43 times. I counted. 7 times on concrete on a street 12 times on kitchen tile .

My tempted glass screen protector was all sorts of ****ed up and cracked. People used to look at my phone like daaaaamn and I told them its the protector.

I decided to be more careful took the protector off and the screen is new. No blemishes or scratches to this day and its 2 years old.

That **** works

But it only protects the screen. Get a case if you want to protect the unibody
 
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I didn't have a screen protector on my 6 and dropped it multiple times and no screen issues. I did get a tempered glass protector for my 6s Plus that I put on the other day. I don't like how it doesn't conform to the rounded edges of the screen. I like the protection but I feel I will go back to naked one day. My friend had a tempered glass protector on his phone and managed to shatter the protector but it saved the phone screen. I like the protection but hate the fit.
 
RRF985 said:
I didn't have a screen protector on my 6 and dropped it multiple times and no screen issues. I did get a tempered glass protector for my 6s Plus that I put on the other day. I don't like how it doesn't conform to the rounded edges of the screen. I like the protection but I feel I will go back to naked one day. My friend had a tempered glass protector on his phone and managed to shatter the protector but it saved the phone screen. I like the protection but hate the fit.
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There are edge to edge ones on Amazon fairly cheap. Tech armor is one such brand.
 
AYNOM said:
I dropped my galaxy note 3 43 times. I counted. 7 times on concrete on a street 12 times on kitchen tile .
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yasserSpears said:
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Hello everyone
There is a really good tempared gorilla glass screen protector for iPhones 6s. It covers the entire screen edge to edge and it has curved corners like original iPhone glass. You can not see it that you have it on. It's called ice max 3D glass.
Highly recommended the best I have ever purchased. Other products can't cover the entire surface and you'll probably end up with bubles on a side of the screen.
 
XTheLancerX said:
What is all of your experiences with tempered glass screen protectors? I'm kind of skeptical about whether they really shatter instead of the glass of the iPhone, it seems like it could still break the screen too.

I want to get a slimmer case for my iPhone, the spigen thin fit in black for my iPhone 6 space gray. However I wouldn't feel comfortable with screen protection with that case, so I'm considering tempered glass but I'm new to it.

Anyone else use this combination of accessories on their iPhone? Would you recommend it? What would be the best glass screen protector for me to get if I choose to use one?
Click to expand...
Zagg. Because of warranty and performance. Looks and feels good,and if it cracks or scratches, they replace with no questions asked.
 
I've dropped my phone 3 times, twice the tempered glass screen protecter cracked but the actual screen did not. For that reason, I will continue to use glass screen protectors.
 
XTheLancerX said:
What is all of your experiences with tempered glass screen protectors? I'm kind of skeptical about whether they really shatter instead of the glass of the iPhone, it seems like it could still break the screen too.

I want to get a slimmer case for my iPhone, the spigen thin fit in black for my iPhone 6 space gray. However I wouldn't feel comfortable with screen protection with that case, so I'm considering tempered glass but I'm new to it.

Anyone else use this combination of accessories on their iPhone? Would you recommend it? What would be the best glass screen protector for me to get if I choose to use one?
Click to expand...

Yes it does. I use one and it protects against scratches.
 
Bf dropped his phone to the concrete / pebbles and the screen protector smashed and the screen was fine. Im using thin fit spigen too and a temp glass. Of course if the screen gets hit to the corner the protector doesnt help much then... I prefer ultimate shield because the glass looks exactly the same as your phone, this one.
 
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