Can’t decide on whether to use a hydrogel screen protector or tempered glass? In order to safeguard your smartphone, it’s crucial to grasp how they differ
In the early days of the smartphone revolution, protecting yourself against the horror of a smashed screen meant investing in a clunky “life proof” case almost doubled the phone’s physical size. Although not exactly stylish or user friendly, the alternative was to face the very real prospect of forking out hundreds of dollars to fix a smashed screen.
Thankfully, advancements in technology have come a long way in terms of not just making the devices themselves less fragile, but the accessories designed to protect smartphones have also improved. Now, smartphone users have multiple choices with methods to protect their phone screens, with two of the most popular being a hydrogel screen protector and a tempered glass screen protector – but what’s the difference?
While both of these types of screen protectors are a pretty handy tool used to provide the maximum level of protection to the screen of your device, the materials that they are made from is where they differ.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, tempered glass screen protectors are thick, cheap, clear, and offer a high level of protection from surface scratches. However, the level of protection and its overall performance does often depend on what type of glass the screen protector is made from, and consumers aren’t often able to tell the quality of them on face value.
High quality glass screen protectors often use a material known as “gorilla glass”, which is harder than the metal used in keys, coins, and other household metal items. However, even the toughest quality glass screen protectors can still shatter into a thousand pieces once you drop it just the wrong way, or chip around the outside parameters. As it’s thicker, tempered glass can also negatively affect the touchability and responsiveness of your screen.
In comparison, a hydrogel screen protector is usually made from TPU or thermoplastic polyurethane, which is why these types of screen protectors appear to be so elastic and offer a clearer view than tempered glass. In a nutshell, users can expect automatic smudge-resistant technology while barely noticing the presence of a hydrogel screen protector at all.
As smartphones continued to evolve, tempered glass was limited with how its production could adapt to the changing faces of iPhones and other products on the global marketplace. In comparison, the world’s key hydrogel screen protector producers were already quite literally ahead of the curve.
Unlike any other screen protector, their flexibility offers equal security to the curves of more modern smartphones as much as it does to the display of the phone. As a result, a hydrogel screen protector tends to have a longer lifespan when compared to traditional glass options, especially considering the fact that they are able to be produced in over three thousands different custom cuts to fit a wide range of smartphones, tablets and even smart watches.
In addition, the TPU used in the production of a hydrogel screen protector also means that this material helps the screen protector to develop a new world form of aqua shield technology. They can readily dissolve any smudges, fingerprints, or minor scratches, and also helps reduce the signs of any major scratches.
While a hydrogel screen protector is often the more expensive choice when compared to the tempered glass alternatives, the quality that goes into their production can ultimately make them a better investment for users with newer phones, and for people that don’t want to constantly have to replace their screen protector of choice.
Talk Technology With The Professionals
SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones.
Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. However, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one.
While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve month warranty, and can be purchased at any of our sixteen store locations. In addition, each of our retail outlets is equipped with its own hydrogel screen protector machine, meaning we can help with adding an extra layer of protection that’s literally custom made just for you. If you are on the hunt for a new screen protector, quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.
