Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Jdreyes

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 20, 2015
27
7
Had the Xs Max for a week now. Already two hairline scratches. I know I dont use a screen protector because I dont the experience, but it scratches quite easily. I take serious care of my phones, and my old iPhone 7 barely had a scratch in two years. If you are getting an XS, get a protector.
 

1144557

Cancelled
Sep 13, 2018
925
2,413
Screens haven't gotten softer or harder. That is simply a fallacy. Tests from 3-4 years ago still show hairline scratches at a Mohs level 6, same as today.

More drop resistant to shattering, sure slightly better.

Bad luck of the draw due to the user. Sometimes all it takes is a grain of sand in a pocket. Why I always spend a few bucks on a cheap edge to edge screen glass screen protector.
 

iPad Air

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2013
229
48
SC, USA
Interesting. I’ve had mine for a week as well (Max on launch day)...and I do some construction related work. I crawled under a house under costruction the second day, went to the coast all last week and got sand on my unprotected display, and all that time pulling it in and out of my pockets with grit present. And, NO scratch whatsoever so far. I do believe it is the most scratch resistant display so far, but maybe your situation is a lot tougher than mine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,031
There are posts like this with every release the last handful of years. Not sure what to think of it...

My wife and I did stand in a rather long line to get Zagg screen protectors yesterday but mine is already popping up on one side even though it was installed perfectly - no amount of pressing is making it stay down. :( I was going to go protector'less this year too... Whatever. I've used tempered glass on my 6+, 6s+, 8+, and now my Xs Max.

They never really last that long, the longest being 8 months. I've had them randomly spider and on any drop, even minor, the protector shatters (when the phone glass under would have been more than fine). I usually get Anker ones because you can get 2 for $9.

I am leaning against them because, especially with the Xs MAX, they show reflections MUCH worse than the original iPhone glass.

My wife is much harder with her iPhones and never uses screen protectors (this is her first one on the Xs MAX) - she's had a scratch here and there but usually due to an accident, but nothing horrific.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Newtons Apple

stevenbeerbaum

macrumors member
May 30, 2015
39
15
I switch to every new iPhone model. I also wear it inside a case and put in my jacket or a bag, which is mostly clean.
The 6 and 6S Plus looked good after a year, the 7 Plus was okay, but the X last year had scratches after two weeks.
The XS Max had 2 scratches after the first day and now after one week, the complete front has long parallel scratches from putting it inside my jacket. No sand, it was the metal zipper ... I don't know what's wrong with my screen, but I'll return tomorrow. Maybe I'm also switching back to the dark model, because the steel-frame scratches like the old iPods, while my X looks great after one year.
 

ray737

macrumors 6502
Sep 11, 2014
424
183
It’s a personal choice but I have always bought the Zagg invisible shield that has a warranty. Usually just pay $4 shipping and they send replacement protectors as needed. I’ve never had a screen scratch. I figure I just paid $1800 for my Max with Apple care and taxes. I opt to protect it
 

From0toHero

macrumors regular
Nov 24, 2014
133
43
Switzerland
It’s a personal choice but I have always bought the Zagg invisible shield that has a warranty. Usually just pay $4 shipping and they send replacement protectors as needed. I’ve never had a screen scratch. I figure I just paid $1800 for my Max with Apple care and taxes. I opt to protect it
I'm a long time apple product user. From the iPhone 3GS I owned almost every iPhone except the iPhone 5C. I gladly each time accepted that apple products cost a bit more because of the service and quality. But I have a very hard time to justify 1749.- swiss francs (almost 1800 dollars) for the top model. With apple care I would reach the 2 thousand mark. That's insane. Does the iPhone xs max do so much more than the note 9 as example? I don't think so. The price of the new iPhone made me this year to chose a other mobile. Apple can't be let to milk us that way.
 

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,031
I have never scratched an iPhone screen so we will go without a protector.

I regret getting mine. It reflects easily 2x as much light as the screen behind it, and ... it is continuing to pop up on one side. What a waste of $. The only ones I can really justify are the $9.99 Anker ones (for 2). But blowing $50+ on a Zagg just has me in a bad mood. :(.

Should have just followed what you do and I'd be a much happier camper right now. lol.
 

littlemidge

macrumors member
Oct 1, 2018
98
75
I’ve had mine since release day, with no screen protector. Not a single scratch so far which is great.

Unfortunately I’ve scuffed/scratched the bottom of the phone, the polished gold band.

I used a cape cod polishing cloth to get the scratch out without taking any of the colour off. Risky, I know. But it was bugging me.
 

phillytim

macrumors 68000
Aug 12, 2011
1,747
1,242
Philadelphia, PA
I go amFilm all the way; haven't seen a better reason to switch to anything else.

Even the Wirecutter gives amFilm his top recommendation.
 

Jordan921

macrumors 603
Jul 7, 2010
5,069
2,171
Bay Area
I regret getting mine. It reflects easily 2x as much light as the screen behind it, and ... it is continuing to pop up on one side. What a waste of $. The only ones I can really justify are the $9.99 Anker ones (for 2). But blowing $50+ on a Zagg just has me in a bad mood. :(.

Should have just followed what you do and I'd be a much happier camper right now. lol.

I have the spigen tempered glass on mine and seems to be good. I always go with spigen protectors and never had any problems with them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire

IFortWorth

macrumors member
Sep 22, 2014
96
110
I tried going without the screen protector last year and wound up with an annoying scratch within 2 months of getting the phone that I still don't know the source of (8+). My phone is always the only thing in my front, left pocket. So this year one of the first things I did was install a Maxboost Glass Screen Protector. It's cheap and thin and comes with a frame that sits on top of the phone that assures the perfect placement of the glass. It's much less obvious with the Xs since it doesn't have the cutout and ridge around the home button. Don't understand why my $14 (for 3) screen protector doesn't seem to get scratches but my $1,000 phone screen does, but it is what it is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: phillytim

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
I regret getting mine. It reflects easily 2x as much light as the screen behind it, and ... it is continuing to pop up on one side. What a waste of $. The only ones I can really justify are the $9.99 Anker ones (for 2). But blowing $50+ on a Zagg just has me in a bad mood. :(.

Should have just followed what you do and I'd be a much happier camper right now. lol.

Everyone has to make choices reflecting what has happened to them in the past.

$50 for a screen protector? HOLY COW!

Sorry, I would be in a bad mood too!
 

neil74

macrumors 6502
Sep 20, 2017
341
300
I'm wondering if this version of the glass may be more drop resistant at the expense of being more scratch prone?

Mine has as small mark on the back and I have no idea how it got there! Minor but slightly annoying nonetheless, touch wood the screen is still ok though. I always go caseless and am very careful for example my X is still totally immaculate but I guess my luck had to run out eventually.
 

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,485
5,405
You're going to get scratches no matter what you do. I babied my X and still got 2 very fine scratches and some swirling. I don't even notice them at all unless I tilt my phone up close to my eye when it's off. As long as they aren't deep scratches just ignore them. I suppose it's a toss up what looks uglier, a couple of scratches or an ugly screen saver without an oleophobic coating.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.