Screen Protectors: TPU or Tempered Glass
I've had a case on my phone for years. My Palm Centro and Pre were deemed tough enough to go caseless, but when my devices started coming with glass screens, on went a case. As the devices got more premium, the level of protection I wanted from my cases increased. For proof, at one point, I had the Otterbox Defender and then some Military-grade Pelican Voyager case on my iPhone 5. When I bought a new phone last year, I decided that I wanted to go for less case. The only protection I had on my iPhone 7 Plus was a tempered glass screen protector and Apple's leather case. The screen-protector + slim case combo has thus far served my phone well. However, some drops had taken their toll on the screen protector. I faced the decision to either buy another tempered glass protector or go with a TPU protector.
When I initially purchased the tempered glass protector, I noticed how flexible it is. It feels like it might be plastic, but that's just due to how thin it is. Through normal wear & tear, I promise you, it'll crack and chip just like real glass. Installation is pretty simple as it's usually just wiping off your phone and applying the sticky side of the protector to your screen. You might have an air bubble but it'll often work itself out over the course of a day or two.
Once on the phone, I noticed the thickness, only when pressing the home button. Since Apple's TouchID system requires direct finger contact, screen protectors and cases have to leave the home button available. Every time I unlocked my phone, switched apps, or manually initiated Siri (as opposed to using the "Hey, Siri" functionality), I could feel the screen protector. It wasn't annoying, but merely noticeable.
As the protector cracked and chipped, I started waffling between just buying a replacement screen protector or going with a different one altogether. I decided to buy one of the TPU film body protectors and try it out.
Initially, the TPU film feels like really tough Saran wrap. Like Packing Tape but more flexible. It feels smooth but not as smooth as the tempered-glass protectors. The downside to this is that the lack of smoothness could bother some people. However, the upside is that it has better grip. Being less smooth, there's slightly more surface area and it does make a difference. I personally like the feel of the TPU film protector, though I can see the difference when it's on the phone if I look for it.
The installation isn't very complicated, though it is more involved than that of the installation of a tempered glass screen protector. You start, like normal, by wiping off the phone and washing your hands. After that the TPU film installation requires you to spray your finger tips with a mild water/soap solution (usually provided), then peel and spray the film protectors, apply them to the device and use a card with a microfiber cloth to wipe out the moisture. This process takes a bit more time and patience than the installing the tempered glass protectors. The TPU film kits can be just a screen protector, or they can be a full-body protector. I bought the full body protector, even though I always keep my phone in a case.
The TPU film is much thinner around the home button than my old screen protector. Aside from the texture difference, I don't even notice it when using my phone. It also doesn't chip/crack and it's scratch resistant. You could drag a key across it and the indent from the key would simply rub out.
I've only had my TPU film protector for a few months or so, but so far, I'm liking it more than the tempered-glass one I had. However, that's not to say that I wouldn't recommend a tempered-glass protector.
Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the old or new protectors, so I can't show the differences described above. However, I wrote this in case anyone is curious to understand some of the real-world differences between the two. I've included links to the two protectors I'm comparing for your convenience.
Comments
Post a Comment