Do You Really Need a Tempered Glass Phone Screen Protector?

Are tempered glass phone screen protectors worthwhile, or are they a needless extravagance that you shouldn’t waste money on? It’s a fair question. 

It’s easy to see the costs build up when you buy a new phone, especially if you’re anything like us and enjoy splashing out on extras. There isn’t a single person at the Ghostek offices who hasn’t gone over budget when shopping for a new Android or iPhone device. Can skipping the screen protector save a few pennies?

Spoiler, yes, but we’d still suggest buying a glass screen protector if you can afford it. There are few things in the smartphone world more frustrating than accidentally scratching your shiny new device mere days after spending a month’s wages on it. 

Let’s elaborate. 

Glass Screen Protectors: The Beginner’s Guide

A tempered glass screen protector provides added protection to a phone’s display screen. It consists of multiple layers of safety glass and reduces the risk of scratches. Screen protectors are small but remarkably durable, and can extend the life of your phone. 

The majority of phone shops offer screen protectors as optional extras. They are easy to install and remove, are reasonably inexpensive, and tend to be more resistant to fingerprints than the screen itself. We’ve previously included them in our list of recommended accessories, and we stand by that. 

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, don’t rush to add one to your online cart just yet. There might be a suitable alternative that’s better suited for your needs. And frankly, some of you won’t need a screen protector. 

You Might Already Have Screen Protection

If you’ve recently invested in a sturdy case to protect your phone against everyday wear and tear, you could have a screen protector already and not realised. A lot of modern phone cases come with some form of built-in screen protection. We found protective cases from the following brands that all included them:

• OtterBox (Defender Series)

• i-Blason

• Lanheim

• Seacosmo

• Poetic (Guardian Series)

• Ghostek (cases like the Covert feature lifted bumpers to naturally protect the screen)

Phone case manufacturers have recognized the value of screen protection. Shop for a case online and you can easily scroll past the relevant text and miss it. Before you do anything else, check your phone case. You might not have to spend any money. 

Certain Phones Include Screen Protectors

If you haven’t bought a case for your phone and are feeling left out, fret not. You might also be part of The Screen Protector Club without knowing. Certain types of phones come with protective screens straight out of the box, including:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Two things immediately stand out from that list: they’re all Samsungs, and they’re all foldable phones. There are others, but they’re usually produced by smaller companies. Samsung is the largest phone company to embrace screen protectors, but for the time being, they’re concentrating on their folding range. 

That’s understandable; Samsung is the world’s market leader when it comes to folding phones. They’ll want to retain that position, especially as Apple is launching a foldable iPhone later this year, and including a screen protector is one extra benefit to shout about. 

Plus, the very nature of folding phones means it’s harder to make a detachable case or screen cover. It makes sense to work the break and scratch protection in, rather than creating a separate accessory. We don’t know for certain if the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 will include one, but it’d be foolish to bet against it.    

Why Should You Choose Tempered Glass?

If you haven’t got a screen protector yet, a tempered glass one is an excellent choice. It’s not the only type out there; make a cursory search online, and you’ll find screen protection products made with plastic and even something called ‘liquid glass’ (we’ll explain that one later). As far as we’re concerned though, tempered glass is the best. 

The Advantages of Tempered Glass

Tempered glass screen protectors provide the following benefits:

• Easy installation - tempered glass screen protectors are very simple to install. They can be fitted over the original screen without trapping air bubbles, and aligning them is disarmingly straightforward. 

• Scratch protection - tempered glass achieves 9H surface hardness. It’s tested to withstand a 9H graphite pencil, so it provides ample protection against scratches.

• Clarity - tempered glass won’t affect the quality of your phone’s original screen. It doesn’t affect the pixels and, unlike certain plastic screen protectors, is less likely to distort images or text. 

• Safe to use - tempered glass screen protectors are designed to withstand impacts, and in the unlikely event that it takes a hit powerful enough to break it, it’ll shatter into small, safe pieces. This will spare the actual screen and reduce the risk of injury to the user. 

Glass Screen Protectors Reduce Blue Light

We could have included this last one in the previous list of advantages, but it’s worth highlighting on its own. Glass screen protectors reduce blue light levels from your phone.

Prolonged exposure to blue light is harmful to our sleep patterns. It disrupts your circadian rhythm and can impact your cognitive function and alertness, and thereby turn dragging yourself out of bed in the morning into an almost biblically challenging task. 

Okay, that’s slightly over-egged. However, blue light is one of those quiet, everyday things that can have a big impact on your health. Anything you can do to mitigate those effects is worth considering. 

What is Liquid Glass?

Let’s round things off by returning to the subject of liquid glass. These are sometimes mentioned alongside tempered glass, but are not the same thing. However, they are fascinating.

These screen protectors are applied to your phone in liquid form and bond with the surface. When solidified, liquid glass forms a protective layer over your phone screen that repels oil and water, and offers excellent scratch resistance. Plus, it’s invisible, so it won’t alter the look or design of your phone one iota. And unlike cases, there’s no risk of them affecting wireless charging.  

Liquid glass is undeniably cool. It looks like something out of a science fiction movie, but it offers less impact resistance than tempered glass. It also doesn’t last as long and has to be reapplied every two years. 

So, Should You Buy a Tempered Glass Screen Protector?

Screen protectors are a good investment for Google, Samsung, and iPhone devices, especially if you hate scratches. 

However, they’re not strictly essential. It’s perfectly fine to buy a phone without a screen protector, and if you’re careful, you can get many years of usage out of it. If pushed, we’d argue that a reliable case is the priority investment, but there are no major disadvantages to having a screen protector.

But if this article has you thinking about the subject, why not browse our collection of screen protectors? The right one will keep the scratches away and make protecting your phone that little bit easier.