Slight clarification: -The two cheaper screen protectors, don't claim to be level 9 in hardness specifically, but claim to be "9H". The point I should have added is that 9H is not the same as 9, and that 9H is MUCH weaker, but is used by these companies because it sounds a lot like "level 9", when it actually isn't - which you'll see demonstrated in the video. Thanks for watching once again, really appreciate it ❤️

"Glass is glass and glass breaks." -JerryRigEverything

The great thing about a $1 screen protector getting scratched is that you can just replace it with another $1 screen protector and still be $78 ahead.

Hardness and impact resistance are different things though. Even watches with sapphire glass can be shattered. Technically, the only purpose of a screen protector is to act as a "sacrificial" layer in case of accidental impact that could be easily replaced with least $$ by the user.

A bit late to the party, but here is my opinion as I have worked on cracked resistance for ion exchanged glass for some years. Before going too technical, a glass protector will mainly help you avoid scratched to the main glass screen... which usually is very tedious to replace. You could use a plastic screen protector but it will scratch way easier. Sapphire is no gimmick, it will truely prevent more scratches... but for x80 the price, you could simply buy more cheap ones tbh. Breackage on glass is very particular, it is no metal that breaks always after a certain threshold. Breackage is related to the amount of tension applied to it (for phones in the form of an impact) and is inversely proportional to the square of the defects of the glass. Theoretically, glass can whithstand a crazy amount of force, but due to manufacturing processes and manipulation, almost invisible scratches are always formed. Due to this, to measure crack resistance on glass, you need to perform multiple crack tests and use the assumption that the surviability follows a Weibull distribution. By multiple, I mean at least 30 samples. Test usually starts at low levels of impacts and goes higher. Test ends when one sample breaks and that energy is the one recorded for the statistics. To that... if your glass had scratches beforehand, you will significantly lower it's impact resistance... so you either have 2 options... you could use pristine samples for every test, or you could perform an homogeneous scratch to each sample to standarized scratch depths. Counterintuitively, this last option is preferred, you purposely do scratches bigger than the ones your glass had due to manipulation, therefore substantially decreasing the influence of scratches due to manufacturing and manipulation. That said, with this theory in mind... for a 'practical' but yet scientific approach on glass protectors for phones, I could suggest a drop test of phones from a set height. Is possible, have the phone be guided so that always lands on the same surface/corner. Good work btw, the video was interesting. One last thing, as a rule of thumb, when a glass protector (or glass) breaks, the more 'lines' or 'pieces' that are generated, the more energy the glass has released. So if the glass is completly shattered where you could barely see the screen, then the protector has 'absorbed' a lot of energy that otherwise would have gone into your main phone glass. Another good test is to perform a 3 or 4 point bending test on the protectors, and measure the amount of cracks it gets. The more cracks, the better (and more force was required to break). This is related to the ion exchange process that these glasses were supposed to be applied. To that said... Corning was the pioneer on engineering a glass that optimizes the IOX.

As a wise man once said: Glass is Glass. And glass breaks.

The outcome: You either spend next to nothing, or go all out. The middle ain't no good.

a phone droppimg on concrete vs concrete dropping on a phone are 2 very different things, with 2 very different forces and velocities to consider....

The brick test, while entertaining, is a pretty poor simulation of any actual usage. Screens break mostly when phones are dropped, not when heavy things are dropped onto them. Having said that, this was a very useful video. I typically go with a $1 per sheet screen protector that I buy on eBay. I dropped my phone from time to time, and while I get occasional cracks or scratches on the screen protector I have never damaged the underlying screen when I use these screen protectors. Thanks for a great and entertaining video.

A wise man once said, "Scratches at a level 6; with deeper grooves at a level 7."

"at least for 80$ you almost expect it to install itself" Just what I thought too.

There are 2 things to protect: If you want to protect against scratches, either get the cheapest ones and replace when there's too many scratches OR get the sapphire. If you want to protect against drops and cracks, get a phone case.

Back in the days, I bought the first Huawei Watch it comes with Saphire as the front glass. i use the watch everyday to this day and it still haven't got a single scratch on the screen. i even wore it when i hands on renovated our entire house! and still Not a single scratch. saphire might be more expensive but its worth every single penny!

I think the brick test was probably unsurvivable without additional cases, etc; Sapphire is tougher as well as harder, so it makes sense that it did a little better there, but... screen protectors are replaceable - get the cheapest one that's good and treat it as sacrificial

*"Scratches at level 6 with deeper grooves at level 7"* - JerryRigEverything

Personnel I think I will go with the $5 or less screen protector. And if I'm dumb enough to drop a brick on my phone or run over it. I'll use my $5 a month insurance and fix it for $25 at the shop down the road or get the phone replaced. Great video!

My track record at installing Screen Protectors, even those touted as "bubble free," is beyond dismal. Apple used to (maybe they still do) install them for you, using a gizmo that looked like a sandwich toaster. Were I to fork out £$80, there's no way I'd fit one myself. There's a serious gap in the market for companies that fit them for you. Here in the UK, they're very thin on the ground. Carphone Warehouse used to do it for a fiver, but they don't exist in the High Street anymore!

„Scratches at level 6, with deeper grooves at level 7”

As a wise man once said, "Glass is glass, and glass breaks."

Thanks for this video, I've always wondered how reliable some of these expensive screen protector brands actually were. I think your "brick test" at the end might have been overkill... most screen protectors seem to me to be manufactured to protect the phone if you happen to drop it accidentally on the pavement or something. Either way, I can't see spending eighty dollars on one, even though it obviously performed the best... that's ridiculous.

As someone who's watched your content since about this time, (I came back to this video to rewatch as I'm purchasing a screen protector for a new iPhone), and the energy and quality of the videos has INFINITELY improved since this time, keep up the outstanding work Arun.

My ear keeps hearing scratches at level 6 with deeper grooves at level 7. Thanksnjerryrigeverything

"Scratches at level 6, with deeper groove at level 7" -Jerry Rig Everything

I'd like to see a comparison from some plastic based ones vs the glass ones. I've never had good luck with the glass ones as they've always shattered but the plastic ones have lasted longer. At least until they start to separate.

The biggest issue with screen protectors is best practice you get one on your phone the moment you buy it. As if you have any scratches on the main glass you will always get bubbles. The only exception to this would be resin applied protectors like whitestone dome which fill those scratches with a curable liquid resin before curing but they are about as expensive as screen protectors go and the application process is complicated and easily fucked up to say the least, but worth it if you want to apply a protector then forget about it for years to come. My S22+ has one that has lasted over 3 years now, and my google pixel had one that lasted over 5 years without issues for everyday use.

Arun : "no scratches or grooves at level 7" Jerryrigeverything: "impossible"

Moral of the story: Spend minimum or maximum, don't go for the medium.

Hey Moh - your thorough analysis is awesome and a great help. Thanks for uploading!

Coming back to this after seeing several instances of cracked glass / screen protectors on phones (due to working at an Apple Service Provider) I must say that, 100%, dropping something heavy on your phone, no matter if it has a screen protector or not, will, in 99% of cases, break the screen or at least break something. The main use for screen protectors are for scuffs and scratches, and sometimes falls too. A fun thing we had done was we had to break a phone's screen (because it was a cheaper option than to repair), a 12 mini to be exact, and it took my co-worker a screwdriver and a literal hammer to break it. Not by hammering it down, by holding the screwdriver and hammering the screwdriver into the screen. It hadn't budged for several attempts. Still, if you don't have a folding case, get a screen protector.

I've been using ₹50 screen protectors. I just buy a 5 pack and change it when one gets scuffed up, or give them to friends/family.

Normal ppl: buys screen protector for their phone Mrwhosetheboss: buys phones for his screen protectors😂

Just started to watch your reviews and tests. Thanks. Use the $1 protectors. I'm guarding against scratches on my screen and can replace the protecter when needed. Always keep a few on hand. Daughters more than me or my wife.

Great video. To do a true drop test, put two pvc pipes 6ft tall, the width of the phone apart. Create a plate with two stubby pieces of pvc slightly bigger than the tall ones that will slide down the two tall ones. Velcro a phone to the plate and drop it to the floor. Then put rock under with pointy side up. Drop. Yes the Velcro will absorb a little; however, it would be a consistent test. I really appreciate your testing! If you want ideas for test rigs, Project Farm will give you lots of good ideas.

Fact: 90% of this comment section is made up of JerryRigsEverything references

The owners of that $40 glass are making real great coin by just repackaging that $1.

This was great, as I'm trying to understand what exactly screen protectors do/don't do, and if I really need one when I'm using any case, even minimalist like Arc Pulse... I've only ever used a screen protector on one smartphone (out of many) and never damaged a screen.... it's a bloody $$$ new phone and I could just throw on a cheap one.... but like others below, I really hate putting anything over the screen. Love to hear from others whose screens go 'commando'... I think the fact I've used (and dropped) the original Samsung Fold for over 4 years, no protector, and it FOLDs FFS... with zero screen issues, says a lot.

I've always avoided tempered glass protectors, like, why would you? They crack, scratch, and shatter so easily. I use wet application soft screen protectors like Armor Suit and the protectors is just a little bit soft. Impossible to shatter due to it's material, and it can't web or crack. It also heals, or ignores minor scratches. Glass ones have always been crap and come loose eventually.

As once said by a legend: “It scratches at level 6, with deeper grooves at level 7”

Mrwhosetheboss : 80$ screen protector Me : watching from 70$ phone

I would like to see a test of not only scratch resistance, but a simple drop of the phone. I drop mine like everyone else and some tempered protectors crack to save the phone's glass, and some do not. The brick dropping test I don't expect any phone to survive.

Arun: *brings out mohs picks* me: "glass scratches at a level 6, with deeper grooves at a level 7."

Jerry: Who took my hardness picks ? Arun: So I'm gonna scratch some phones today.

Great video! So knowing all this, what would you recommend? Case, screen protector if any?

Hardness is something's resistance to scratches and abrasion, but impact resistance is to sustain low damage against sudden, forceful impacts.

If he had used the Nokia instead of the brick, the floor would be destroyed

Remember children: Don't buy a screen protector that costs 40$. Get one that costs *80*

Haven't used a screen protector in ages nor do I plan on starting to use one. I have the apple leather case for my iphone 12 mini mainly for the patina look and more than two years in, not a scratch on the screen even with keys in the pocket :D

Oh WoW! i just had this idea a few days ago, whilst thinking of things as i wait for my new phone to be delivered...i mused how it would go if i tried doing it exactly the way you show us here..& Now...i know! Thank You So Much!...& i have a bad feeling...abt the hardness of the glass included with the case, which is touted as Military grade..i know it said 9..but..did it say H?...got to go look that up now...Also Grateful you thought to include this Vital bit of infos!

Morale of the story Either buy cheaper or expensive Don't buy midrange

Thanks for the surgshark vpn tip - does it block the adds on UKposts APP on iphone?

Usually I end up cracking a screen protector because it had a heavy scratch in it, and the crack formed from it. I run the cheap ones as they do the job and when it gets all scratched up, I can peel it off of my still immaculate screen and apply another one.

Normal people: *drops phone onto concrete* Arun: *drops brick onto phone*

Me who has already 3 years screen protector: this is fine

One thing I've discovered is, I really don't like glass screen protectors, they are hard to put on, peel off easily, and I feel like screen protectors are just there to stop normal damage from wear and tear. The 10 dollar 2 pack of vinyl protectors I've been using are fantastic, they are easy to swap out, i haven't had a bubble in one, and if it's scratched, it's doesn't make me sad, I just get excited because I can put a new one on and have a nice new shiny protector for 5 bucks

Would be cool to have had a control too, with an iPhone without any protectors applied, to see how easily that gets damaged. Of course, it’s not the sad kind of thing as the main part here is that the screen protector takes the damage, not the actual screen itself, but it would still be interesting, especially with Apple and their big “Cermic Shield” claims they sometimes make and whatnot. It’s seemingly actually stronger~

Arun - _“It was being scratched at level 6 and deeply scratched at level 7”_ JerryRigEverything - "I see what you did there"

"let's see what happens" **Proceeds to drop a brick on an iphone** "It's absolutely destroyed!" Well no fucking shit

I want the magic john one with the anti dust installation kit and fully automatic adhesion no bubbles and perfect install every time first time.

I think the logic applied doesn't cover the reasons to buy a sheet, for the most common damage scenario is the one of scraching it with every day use, like, expecting that keys or metal zippers would eventually beat the screen surface. So the cheapest screen protector may be enough for this purpose and it's disposable. You can scratch 89 $1 screen protectors before justifying spending $90 for the same purpose. Indeed, your phone may break, but that may happen if it falls in the wrong angle no matter how hard the crystal and the protection are. At least it happened to me, from 50 cm of height, landing right in the phone corner.

“If you jangle them around in your pocket...” I realise using just one iPhone is not cool today.

Mrwhosetheboss: "You are just buying a sheet of glass." Jerryrigeverything: "glass is glass and glass breaks."

Thanks your reviews are so informative, with a bit of humor excellent

If you drop your phone a lot, buy a case for it, preferably a flip case that can cover the front. Screen protectors protect the screen from scratches, not a brick being dropped on it. And as illustrated, buying expensive doesn't get you better results. I've actually heard that sapphire is more reflective, so worse than glass in some ways, maybe you could've done a test on that too.

Jurabol

JerryRigEverything: Hey!! that’s my job!!!

I loved this video. It did prove a lot although I feel we would need a bigger sample size to really know forsure!

Subbed simply because when you asked you said spiffing as you sipped your tea. That's all I need

"Minor scratches at level 6 and deeper grooves at level 7." -JerryRigEverything (lifetime) -MrWhostheboss (2020)

Arun: Takes out Testing kit JerryRigEverything: *sweating profusely*

Thanks for the video. Good to know you don't have to pay loads..

I buy my screen protectors from TJ Maxx /Marshall. I got a 2 pack for the 14 Pro for $5 dollars a brand called Avalanche. The one I had on my 6S lasted for years. I bought a Zagg long ago for my iPhone 5 for a high price and it cracked within 2 weeks of use from a small nail tap. I learned my lesson. 😂

“Scratches at level 6 with deeper grooves at level 7” - JerryRigsEverything

He scratched, he hammered, but he wasn't satisfied So he bricked them.

Nobody does color accuracy tests on screen protectors 😔 I got one of those uv glue ones and when an edge cracked away I realized it gives my entire screen a tint and slight grainy quality compared to the crisp clean screen underneath

I've broken/cracked 3 phone screens by dropping them on the sidewalk or in the street (asphalt). Will one of these glass screen protectors help me avoid future screen shatters on a new phone? I tend to drop my phone when getting out of the car or trying to carry too many things at once. Thanks.

*phone drops* 1$: *dead* 40$: *dead* 80$: “Oh no! Anyways”

A wise man once said: "glass is glass, and glass breaks"

Great video. Thank you! Do you have any drop tests using a Mous case on iPhone 14 Pro Max?

Thank you. So... the take home message is all screen protectors are really only useful for fending off day-to-day scratches regardless, so buy a cheap one. But... if you want to spend really, really, silly money you might get much the same protection in a protector that doesn't scratch as easily. Got it.

"Scratches at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7..."

"Scratches at level 6 with deeper grooves at level 7"

The main takeaway I get is that the testing is all purposeful damage as opposed to the normal accidental damage that rarely leads to breaks or scratches on either screen protector.

You are a true asset well spoken and a scholar and gentleman thank you😊

"Spiffing" : The vocabulary of the day.

“Scratching at a level 6, with deeper grooves at a level 7.”

There was one brand of screen protectors I always loved and even saved one of my phones once. I can't remember for the life of me the name of the brand since all my recent phones came with protectors already on, but it came in a hard plastic case with black and orange packaging, contained THREE of them, tempered glass and smudge resistant and the whole package was reasonably priced at between $5-10 depending on the phone it was for. If you ever see the orange and black packaging, just know that these are great protectors and do their job well. I dropped my phone once and it landed screen first and the protector cracked all over but the phone screen was completely unharmed. Took forever to get all those glass pieces off though.

every screen protector I've bought has ended up hindering my phones touch screen perfomance and 2 broke from a single minor drop, and 2 broke in my pocket. now I have a phone case which covers the phone except the screen itself, I've dropped it 10's of times and the screen hasn't got a single scratch and even though there's no protectorx the case is about a half a mm in front of the screen

Me : almost dropped my moms iPhone X on my bed and got an heart attack Arun : buys 3 iPhone 12 s and breaks them and also gets another one. Our life is very different

"Scratches at level 6, with deeper grooves at level 7" the magic words of Jerry

Dropping a brick on it means very little about the hardness. The extra material may help a little more with absorbing the energy, but overall what is happening is that you're transferring all that power into the phone's internal components. It's like hit by a car: the card didn't technically touch your bones inside, but the energy goes through the skin and flesh and still breaks them. You'd need a case to protect against that kind of damage. Overall, investing heavily into a screen protector against scratches is not that good of an idea. Sand is a 7, meaning even gorilla glass won't stop it entirely. And even if you go above it, it won't protect the screen protector from other forms of damage (which, you know, even if your phone is safe, you might start worrying about damaging the 80$ protector, missing the whole point). The best thing is to just go with the cheap but decent. Unless your phone receive actual device-worrying damage, it will only affect the glass sheet on top which you can swap easily. It's the whole point of the part: a cheap sheet you can damage to potentially save your actual screen. Heck, you might be able to find screens for less than 80$, so at that point it just makes no sense.

The fact that the $1 product had 2 pieces in it, that's just 50c per glass. You van replace it 80 times for the price of replacing the more expensive one once. Or 160 times for replacing the sapphire one once. It's pretty crazy. Of course if I'm someone with enough money to throw away, I'd get the sapphire for the higher quality and the need to replace it less often, but for the average consumer this is really great information. Thanks.

Came for the JerryRigEverything comments, was not disappointed

I bought the cheapest one on the market, never do any crazy stuff, just keeping it safe from scratch.

Glass is glass What you need is a plastic, rubberized cover that won’t break glass breaks. In my local Apple Store they have a screen protector that they will fit to any device it does not need to be an apple product. It’s a plastic ,rubber type cover that’s self repairing but it will not shatter or break that’s the way to go. They have two versions one is a privacy type where you can’t see from the side the other is a standard type £30 Uk about $40 USA but well worth it

I'm really curious how that sapphire glass screen protector manage to spread and absorb the impact force of that brick such that the phone LCD screen itself did not sustain any damage. Cos with an impact like that, it's more about energy absorption than scratch resistance that any screen protector needs to accomplish. Absorb and spread the energy horizontally so that any impact shock does not hit the LCD underneath at a single point.

Mrwhosetheboss channelling his inner JerryRigEverything

I think the glass protector is meant to avoid the worst damage from keys in pocket or a short drop, not a large brick dumped on it.

very cool vid. about the dropping bricks human error possibility and likelihood, i don't think the hammer is different. you could "just" buy 3 identical bricks and have a programmed machine drop each one identically on each phone

My heart fell every time you dropped that brick on the phones! Lol. I saw dollar signs😂

"So I grabbed the biggest heaviest brick I owned" *Proceeds to pick up the Nokia 3310*