Link: Xtreme Guard Nexus 7 Screen Protector
1-10 scale short stick
Cut: 8
Grip: 6
Clarity: 7 (initial)
Ease of install: 2
Glare: 9
Starting with cut, I gotta say the cut is not perfect, but it is pretty good. I did notice flaws near the corners and on the cut-out for the front facing camera. Not a big deal but this is a review right? The cut is definitely not a deal breaker. (pics below, before install)
Ok now when I talk about grip, I'm talkin about how grippy it is during touchscreen use, not just holding the device. There is nothing I hate more than when I am doing some swipe gestures on the screen and I feel like my finger catches goin along here. I have a real problem with the invisible shield line because of this and that is why I don't bother with them. I didn't know at the time what kind of a screen protector the xtreme gaurd one was when I purchased it, but it was (still is) a cheap screen protector for the size device that it is made for. This protector is similar to the invisible shield line, but much better in my opinion. Still grippy (hence the rating above), but not terribly so. I will probably keep this on the device for protection sake until I find a different option.
Clarity is not bad at all. I gave it an initial rating of 7 because I just installed it and it has yet to dry. And that gives me a good segue into install.
I gotta say install was a pain in the butt. This is a wet install screen per the directions. All other wet application screen protectors I have used on my devices, the glue seemed to de-activate when wet. Not this one, it was sticking the whole time I was trying to get it on there. I actually ended up puddling soap/water solution right onto the screen of the N7 to keep the screen from sticking as I rolled it on there. I took me 2 tries to get it on there with minimal bubbles. Now I am no professional screen protector installer, but should I have to be to get this done with minimal difficulty and frustration? The next hour after I got it on the screen was spent trying to scrape the bubbles of water and air out from under the screen, which was difficult because this protector is soo dang sticky! It probably would have been easier if I could have found my rubber screen squeegie instead of the card scrapper they provide with the kit. After install pics below, you can see some of the bubbles left over even after scrapping the screen for an hour.
Lastly glare: I think this thing actually reduced the glare a bit. It not being dry yet may affect this, so I will have to keep an eye on it to see. With it being still wet the peaks and valleys of the bubbles still present maybe the affecting factor here.
Well that's it over all not a bad protector in my opinion, but not the best. I myself prefer the harder dry install protectors, so am a little biased. But at this price point it's hard to nitpick too bad on this one.
1-10 scale short stick
Cut: 8
Grip: 6
Clarity: 7 (initial)
Ease of install: 2
Glare: 9
Starting with cut, I gotta say the cut is not perfect, but it is pretty good. I did notice flaws near the corners and on the cut-out for the front facing camera. Not a big deal but this is a review right? The cut is definitely not a deal breaker. (pics below, before install)
Ok now when I talk about grip, I'm talkin about how grippy it is during touchscreen use, not just holding the device. There is nothing I hate more than when I am doing some swipe gestures on the screen and I feel like my finger catches goin along here. I have a real problem with the invisible shield line because of this and that is why I don't bother with them. I didn't know at the time what kind of a screen protector the xtreme gaurd one was when I purchased it, but it was (still is) a cheap screen protector for the size device that it is made for. This protector is similar to the invisible shield line, but much better in my opinion. Still grippy (hence the rating above), but not terribly so. I will probably keep this on the device for protection sake until I find a different option.
Clarity is not bad at all. I gave it an initial rating of 7 because I just installed it and it has yet to dry. And that gives me a good segue into install.
I gotta say install was a pain in the butt. This is a wet install screen per the directions. All other wet application screen protectors I have used on my devices, the glue seemed to de-activate when wet. Not this one, it was sticking the whole time I was trying to get it on there. I actually ended up puddling soap/water solution right onto the screen of the N7 to keep the screen from sticking as I rolled it on there. I took me 2 tries to get it on there with minimal bubbles. Now I am no professional screen protector installer, but should I have to be to get this done with minimal difficulty and frustration? The next hour after I got it on the screen was spent trying to scrape the bubbles of water and air out from under the screen, which was difficult because this protector is soo dang sticky! It probably would have been easier if I could have found my rubber screen squeegie instead of the card scrapper they provide with the kit. After install pics below, you can see some of the bubbles left over even after scrapping the screen for an hour.
Lastly glare: I think this thing actually reduced the glare a bit. It not being dry yet may affect this, so I will have to keep an eye on it to see. With it being still wet the peaks and valleys of the bubbles still present maybe the affecting factor here.
Well that's it over all not a bad protector in my opinion, but not the best. I myself prefer the harder dry install protectors, so am a little biased. But at this price point it's hard to nitpick too bad on this one.
