Cell Phone Screen Protectors

Even though modern smartphones boast displays covered with Gorilla Glass and similar scratch-resistant coatings, their screens remain prone to scratching from dirt and sharp objects. A cell phone screen protector serves as an additional protective layer. Since it is easier to replace than a smartphone's display, this removable film preserves the integrity of the screen by ensuring that there are no unsightly scuff marks on it. Besides the aesthetic benefits, protecting the display in this way guarantees a high resale value for the phone.

Choosing Between Glass and Plastic
Screen protectors for cell phones are available as plastic or tempered glass films. The plastic varieties usually use PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). While plastic screen protectors are thicker than tempered glass, they are also more affordable. However, tempered glass offers better protection and feels similar to a phone's screen to touch. Finally, while plastic screen protectors offer basic protection against physical damage, tempered glass can provide additional features such as oleophobic coats that reduce smudges made by fingerprints.

The Different Types of Screen Protectors
Before ordering a screen protector, first decide on the kind you want. There are four types of cell phone screen protectors: clear, anti-glare, privacy and mirror. Clear protectors are the most common types of this cell phone accessory. They are usually thin, smooth and fully transparent. When applied properly, clear screen protectors are almost invincible. They may come in packs containing single or multiple films. Single-film clear protectors usually boast heavy-duty builds while multi-film protectors are thinner, disposable and easily replaceable.

Anti-glare screen protectors have matte finishes that diffuse light and reduce the brightness of highly reflective cell phone displays. This quality makes them ideal for those who regularly use their phones in direct sunlight. The anti-reflective coat of this type of screen protectors also hides smudges. Privacy protectors filter even more light than anti-glare ones. Besides protecting cell phone displays from scratches, this kind of screen protectors also limits the viewing angle by making displays only visible when viewed straight on. A mirror screen protector is rarer than the other varieties. In addition to its scratch-resistant surface, it is also totally reflective when the cell phone display it covers is unlit. In this way, it doubles as a makeshift mirror.

Choosing the Right Cell Phone Screen Protector
After selecting a preferred type of screen protector and deciding between plastic and tempered glass varieties, there are other things to look out for such as selecting between universal and device-specific films. The former requires users to cut the protector to the right sizes for their cell phones while the latter comes pre-cut for specific devices. To achieve a perfect fit, only consider cell phone screen protectors made specifically for your device.

Smartphones come in varying screen sizes and require protective films cut exactly to their dimensions. Avoid overlapping borders, air bubbles and trapped dirt by choosing a laser-cut screen protector. This provides custom fit because it comes pre-cut to the exact size of a particular smartphone. Furthermore, get a protective film that does not cover up essential parts of the cell phone. Depending smartphone model, the screen protector should leave openings for the front-facing camera, speaker, proximity sensor, fingerprint sensor and home button.