Tempered glass screen protectors : Why and Which ones should you buy

There used to be a time when mobile users didn’t have to bother about their phone screens – small displays with plastic screens seemed sturdy and long lasting. Then the smartphones entered the fray – bigger screens which only got bigger by as companies started increasing form factor. However, this created an issue – you could no longer be careless with your phones. The screen being the most delicate aspect of a smartphone, needed protection. Most current generation smartphones come with display glass raised over the bezel which means that in case of a face down fall, the display will take the impact and……

Screen protectors came to the rescue. They offered protection against scratches, lasted for a few months, and then you’d have to replace it. However, they didn’t protect the screen from cracking. Gorilla Glass then came in to sort this out, but it wasn’t enough.

Tempered glass tries to avoid this fatality by adding an extra layer of glass on top of your phone’s screen. It’s also better in terms of responsiveness and avoiding fingerprints compared to plastic screen protectors. Generally, tempered glass protectors are made like this – a silicon to absorb the shocks, above which there’s the plastic screen protector followed by the tempered glass. These three layers have an adhesive sandwiched between them. Lastly, there’s an oleophobic coating on the glass to keep things smooth and fingerprint free.

So, when you drop your phone accidentally, the silicon layer present to absorb the shock does its job, which is then distributed over the surface of the tempered glass protector first. If you’re lucky enough, this should work as intended, preventing any damage to your phone’s actual screen. If the screen protector’s good enough, it should get away without any damages, too. The major advantage is that when compared to plastic film screen guards, tempered glass will resist scratches and as long as the protector is not broken, you get superb clarity for months and months. Tempered glass protector will also retain the touch sensitivity and smoothness that you get when you use the display without any screen guard. But a sub-standard or counterfeit product can seriously affect the performance or the sensitivity of your touch screen. There are loads of cheap tempered glass out there in the market, buyer’s discretion is adviced here. Always go for quality product. Also, the downside is that tempered glass protectors are thicker than plastic ones and if the protector shatters, you will have to clean the glass particles that lie on the floor.

Tempered glass protectors are the best screen protectors out there. Not only do they offer enhanced protection for your phone’s screen, they also improve your experience because they’re clearer and smoother than normal plastic screen protectors.

So now that you know the importance of tempered glass protectors, here are some of our recommendations – Nillkin, Buff, Zagg and Spigen. They may cost a bit higher than you’d think you’d pay for a screen protector, but knowing that they’ll protect your phone’s screen if the need arises, I think it’s a better deal than relying on your luck alone.

Where should you buy these protectors?

For starters, Flipkart and Amazon are good places. Ordering from Amazon Fulfilled or Flipkart Advantage sellers is always safe. If you still can’t find the one you’re looking for, Ebay can be another option, but you need to be careful for counterfeit products.