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Although some say screen protectors are no longer necessary, they provide an added level of defense for your device and greater peace of mind, especially for those of us who are accident-prone. A good protector also protects your screen from stains resulting from daily use, as well as scratches that can lead to more serious cracking. This keeps your smartphone, tablet, portable gaming device or whatever you want to protect in good condition, especially if you replace your screen protector in a timely manner. But when it comes to screen protectors, you have two main types to choose from: tempered glass and plastic.
Although plastic screen protectors are lighter and generally less expensive, aside from these benefits, they pale in comparison to tempered glass ones. Tempered glass is made through a process of extreme heat and rapid cooling, resulting in a material that is significantly stronger than regular glass. This results in higher quality screen protectors that are more likely to protect your device if dropped. On the other hand, while plastic can protect your screen from scratches and smudges, it doesn’t offer much else in the way of benefits. Tempered glass screen protectors also tend to be much easier to apply than the plastic ones that we’ve all had trouble aligning with our phone screens.
Plastic screen protectors are hard to recommend
The only real advantage of plastic screen protectors is the price. However, even though there are expensive screen protectors that claim to save phones, you can also get a good tempered glass screen protector at a more affordable price. A two-pack of Spigen tempered glass screen protectors for most iPhone models costs $19.99 on Amazon, or about $10 each. But even though the plastic ones are cheaper — Amazon seller JDHDL offers a three-pack for $13.99, which works out to $4.66 per screen protector — the difference isn’t so big that price should be the final deciding factor when it comes to quality.
Plus, the added cost of tempered glass screen protectors balances out when you consider that they typically last longer and maintain their quality until it’s time to replace them. Plastic screen protectors become less transparent and lose their stickiness over time. This means more frequent replacements, which (as previously mentioned) can be a frustrating process.
It’s worth mentioning that tempered glass screen protectors can crack and break after a while, but that’s kind of their purpose. They take the brunt of drops and shocks, thus preventing your phone from some wear and tear. Replacing a worn or broken screen protector is much less of a headache than repairing damage to your device’s screen, which is a greater risk if you use plastic. Overall, tempered glass makes for more durable screen protectors that remain crystal clear until replacement time, which is why they are always a better choice than cheap plastic ones.
