What screen protection are you using on your smartphone?

The screen is one of the largest and most prominent parts of a smartphone and costs a lot to repair or replace if it gets broken. Even with glass technologies like Gorilla Glass, it’s still good advice to give your device extra protection. The question now is what screen protector to use.

So far I’m seeing three kinds of screen protection being sold in the market: standard plastic film, glass, and the liquid-type. The first two are the most popular due to its availability and varying costs.

The standard plastic film is the most affordable and more common. Plenty of smartphone brands already have this pre-installed on their devices or included in the package. However, since it’s just a plastic film, it’s more prone to scratches and can get ugly over time. On the bright side, it’s affordable as you can get one starting at Php100USD 2INR 144EUR 2CNY 12 and easily replaceable.

If you want something that can last longer than a plastic screen protector, the glass type, or commonly known as tempered glass, is your next bet. They can resist scratches better than plastic and smoother on the fingertips as it feels like the original screen. However, they’re thicker and not as flush compared to the plastic screen protector. This can be an issue with some smartphone cases as it can get in the way.

The tempered glass has varying prices depending on the quality. I encountered one selling for as low as Php150USD 3INR 217EUR 2CNY 19 and can go up to Php1,000USD 17INR 1,445EUR 16CNY 124 for branded ones. When it comes to quality, you get what you pay for. From personal experience, the super cheap ones crack easily and sometimes affect the screen’s touch sensitivity. But those priced Php300USD 5INR 433EUR 5CNY 37 and up work just fine and still looks great on our devices.

Another alternative to the plastic and glass screen protectors is the liquid type. What it does is it treats your phone’s screen with a special liquid, making it resistant to scratches and damages. I haven’t tried it personally but based on the feedback and comments, it seems to work and able to withstand intentional scratches. If you have used one, please share with us your experience in the comments section.

Its advantage over the plastic and glass type screen protectors is that it can be easily applied even to screens with curves, glass back rears, or other devices with small screens like smartwatches. It’s a bit pricey though, going for as low as Php600USD 10INR 867EUR 10CNY 74 to Php3,000USD 51INR 4,334EUR 49CNY 372, depending on how much liquid you’re buying.

Which screen protection to get?

I guess this depends on the budget and your needs. If you’re looking for something a bit temporary, you can go for plastic films as they’re cheap and easily replaceable. But if you want something that can last longer and feels good at the same time, then go for quality tempered glass. For those devices with glasses with tricky dimensions and don’t have screen protectors custom made for them, the liquid type is the better fit.

How about you guys? What screen protection are you using on your phone? Let us know in the comments below.