Before the arrival of smartphones, most of us who launched a new smartphone, we chose to protect the screen (made of plastic) with the plastic that the manufacturer included on the screen, since there was no current need for protect delicate screens of current smartphones.
However, as smartphones were replacing featured phones, the need was created to protect the screens with something more than a simple plastic, which at the first change, began to come off. If we talk about screen savers, we have to talk, mainly about hydrogel and tempered glass. But which one is better?
Is it necessary to use a screen protector?
All smartphones carry a protective layer on the glass designed to protect it from rubbing and scratches, a protection that will not prevent the screen from breaking when you drop your smartphone.
The most popular screen protection technology among manufacturers is the one offered by Gorilla Glass, but it is not the only one, being Dragontrail another of the alternatives although much less lavish among the manufacturers of smartphones.
In the end, it does not matter what technology the manufacturer has used to protect the screen, it always ends up scratching itself at the first change, either by keeping it in your pocket with your keys, carrying it in your backpack or bag with other things, before a simple touch that seems harmless ...
It gives the feeling that really the technology that is implemented in the screens to protect them does not exist or is it really moving very slowly, so slow that it takes decades for us to see the results.
Obviously, this would not happen if manufacturers used sapphire crystals (Even if it was artificial like those used to protect the lenses of the cameras of some manufacturers like Samsung and Apple). The problem is that the price of the device would become very expensive.
Also, sapphire crystal is much more resistant to rubbing and scratches but not to shocks, so in the end, in the event of any accidental fall, the screen glass would also end up breaking.
What is the solution?
The only solution we have at our disposal to protect the screen of our smartphone is through spend more money on a screen saver.
This screen protector will withstand the first impact that the terminal receives and, depending on the material with which it is built, will avoid or not transmit the blow to the screen.
Screen protectors most used are tempered glass (although in most cases it is a glass sheet) and hydrogel. We can also find much cheaper screen protectors that are nothing more than plastic sheets.
What is better to protect the screen?
Hydrogel protector? Tempered glass protector? We answer this and other questions below.
The first thing we must analyze before buying one type of protector or another is the use we make of our device since what type of blows it can be exposed, since each protector offers a different type of protection.
Tempered glass screen protector
The main function of tempered glass screen protectors is protect the screen from scratches and scuffs mainly. As it is a glass, if the terminal falls on the screen, the protector will break and, depending on the angle of fall, the screen is likely to break as well.
This is because, as it is a non-malleable material, transfer the impact of the blow to the screen, as if we weren't using any protector.
These protectors, depending on the manufacturer, can cover all or only the central part of the screen, so it must be taken into account when buying the model that covers the most part of the screen.
If our smartphone has the curved screen on the sides, This type of protector may not be a good idea if we do not also use a protective case with the edges slightly above the glass.
In this way, if the terminal falls on its side, eWe will allow the screen to touch the ground at some point and break. In Amazon we can find tempered glass protectors for between 5 and 10 euros, and in most cases, they usually carry two.
Depending on the use you make of the terminal and the quality of the protector, if they last only a few weeksYou can choose to go to AliExpress and buy packages of 10 or more units and replace them as they break.
Hydrogel screen protector
While tempered glass screen protectors are designed to protect the screen from scratches and scuffs, screen protectors hydrogel screen are designed to protect the screen from bumps.
Hydrogel screen protectors are a layer of a silicone-like material that dampens screen shocks without transferring them to the screenHence, they are designed to protect the screen from bumps and not from scratches and rubbing.
If the screen comes into contact with a sharp object, such as keys, the screen will not be scratched but the protector will show a mark that over time, it can get bigger causing the cover to start to peel off.
The price of these hydrogel protectors It is similar to the tempered glass, so the price is not an excuse not to opt for this type of protector.
As I have commented, at the beginning, when choosing one type of protector or another, the best thing is analyze the use we make of our smartphone, how we transport it, if we drop it regularly, if it has a cover ...
Plastic screen protector
The only function that screen savers have is to avoid having to take out the broom when the screen of our smartphone has been broken into a thousand pieces.
This type of protectors do not offer any resistance to falls, so it is the same as if we do not use any type of protection. It protects very slightly from scratches and scratches and over time, they always end up lifting from the sides and peeling off.
How to prevent the mobile screen from breaking
Use a cover
Assuming that everyone has enough knowledge to properly treat a smartphone, one of the first tips to follow is use a cover to protect the device.
In the market there are all kinds of covers, from very light and hardly visible covers, to covers that offer an almost military security to the device. If you don't like using covers, the danger of breaking the screen will be the order of the day.
Types of covers
When choosing a cover, we must take into account the material with which it is made. Although in most cases, plastic and leather are used (although these are more expensive) it is increasingly common to find materials such as aluminum or wood.
These covers look very good aesthetically but are a danger to the integrity of the terminal, since they do not absorb shock in the same way that plastic or leather does.
Smartphone construction materials
Currently, most mid and high-end smartphones, they have stopped using plastic in the coating of the device to use aluminum or even glass to offer a more premium finish.
Plastic is made up of different organic compounds that have the property of be malleable, like aluminum, so that before any impact they absorb part of the blow without transferring it to the interior.
However, plastic is much more malleable than aluminum, so that if the device is made of plastic on the outside, when it falls, it will absorb almost all the impact Without affecting the rest of the components that we find inside in addition to the glass.
However, with aluminum, being a less malleable material compared to plastic, when suffering a strong blow, will transfer much of the impact to the interior, the screen being one of the first components that will receive this impact and will end up breaking.
The first mobile phones to hit the market, they were made of plastic on the outsideTherefore, in the event of any fall, it cushioned the blow and the terminal continued to function without problems (after replacing the battery inside along with the cover, since it was the only element that detached during the blow).
Use a holster with a safety harness
In recent years, covers that integrate a fastening system to the neck or trousers, to avoid that before any movement, the smartphone ends up falling to the ground.
This type of case allows us to always have our smartphone at hand, so if you are one of those users who he spends the day looking at his cell phone, is an excellent option to consider.
Use screen savers
As I have commented in this article, before buying a protector for the screen of our smartphone, the use we make of our terminal, how we transport it, what elements or actions that may affect its integrity.
Each screen protector has a different functionSo if you want to avoid scratching the screen, you should opt for a tempered glass while if you want it to break, the best option is a hydrogel screen protector.
