Thursday, June 13, 2013

Spigen Glas.t.R iPhone 5 Screen Protector Review

For the last few months I`ve been testing out a brand new approach to iPhone protection technology. Not many of you have probably heard of the accessory brand by the name of Spigen. (Pronounced 'spee gin".)
Spigen is a premium accessory maker that produce products for a lot of popular companies such as HTC, Samsung, Blackberry and most importantly, Apple. Although their accessories are slightly more expensive than what you would usually pay, the quality of their products is stellar. So without further ado, lets skip right into the review!
 
Design:
Design is one of the most critical elements that you look at when you are about to purchase a product. Normally I wouldn't have bought the screen protector because of its price (See below) but, since it was just Christmas I decided to indulge myself this once.
 
What sets the Glas.t.R apart from most screen protectors is that the whole thing is glass. Yes. You heard me, glass.
This is a major plus because you don't have to sacrifice the feeling of your default glass screen to have some rubbery, grainy piece of cheap plastic. It feels just like the iPhone`s screen so much, you`ll forget its even there. The Glas.t.R is completely transparent and is truly made of real glass.

 It is coated with an Oleophobic coating that helps with the fingerprints, and once installed has no gaps between the glass of the protector and the glass of the iPhone, hence, there are no worries about the screen being able to pick up your finger`s movements.
 
The Glas.t.R is .4mm thick which is supremely thin for what it does. Although it is incredibly thin, like Apple, it doesn't sacrifice design for functionality. My screen hasn't been scratched at all since my purchase of it back in December thanks to this screen protector.
Installation is as simple as it gets. The Glas.t.R has an adhesive on the back that simply sticks to your iPhone screen very firmly. You simply peel off the film on the back (much like a sticker) and drop it onto the screen. That's it! You then proceed to smooth out the bubbles and there you go!
Glas.t.R cracks within a film.
Protection
Why buy a screen protector if it`s not going to protect your screen? That's the question you should be asking yourself when purchasing anything besides this screen protector! This screen protector is the best that money can buy. This notion has been confirmed again and again by big tech sites such as Gizmodo, Wired, and countless reviews by consumers all around. My iPhone`s screen hasn't sustained any damage since the installation of the Glass.t.R and has definitely proven itself as a keeper and a true screen protector through and through.
 
Functionality
Even though this screen protector adds .4mm of thickness to your iPhone (much more than a sheet of plastic would) it doesn't sacrifice usability, as mentioned before, and truly is a functional protector. A possible gripe for some consumers is that it might not work with their case of choice (See here for a complete case list of compatible cases for the Spigen Glas.t.R.) I know, for me, it has worked with the Mophie Helium battery case perfectly and hasn't caused me any grief, whatsoever. Also, any of Spigen`s cases ,made for the iPhone 5, are designed to work with the Glas.t.R. So, no worries there.
My only con about this screen protector, is that if you`re not rocking a case with the screen protector, you tend to notice it sticking up above the iPhone slightly, forming a little slope from the screen protector to the phone. Its nothing major, but its still there, and looks like there's a screen on top of a screen. (Which it is.) ;)
Price
Price might be a deal breaker for some of you looking into buying the Glas.t.R. The screen protector is being sold by Spigen ,via online retail, for $35 US dollars. But, as the saying goes, "You get what you pay for". I can`t make you buy it, I can only tell you how good it is and how much you`re missing if you don't buy it. You have to stop and think. Will the total of buying a bunch of shoddy screen protectors equal the same amount of one good one? I`ll leave it up to you to make that call.
Verdict
Finally, I cant stress it enough, this is the best screen protector that money can buy. This is for the supremely devoted fans, the indulgent, and the premium members of the world who value their Apple device as it should be. They`re are practically no flaws in this product and if you have the means I strongly recommend you looking into purchasing it. There is also an iPad versions of the glass screen protectors. Happy shopping!
 
What is your opinion about the Glas.t.R? Let us know in the comments below!