Screen protectors suck on the Lumia. Here's the solution.

vnvman · Mar 17, 2012

So I've been using my Lumias for a while with a Skinomi screen protector. These are probably the best options for a screen like the one on the Lumia: the curved design makes regular plastic screen protectors (the only ones with a decent look and feel) useless on this phone, you can't even set them up properly; on the other hand, wet application screen protectors suck really bad: they have that orange peel look and feel, they give you that horrible feeling when swiping and look terrible in sunlight, Skinomi is no exception.

This got me thinking. I decided to go without a screen protector on my 400+ € piece of hardware. Am I just a mad man? Not quite (IMHO), here's why: gorilla glass can be scratched, that is for sure, but you're most likely to get only really thin scratches in the coating (given that you're careful), which can be 100% hidden with a wet application screen protector. So why would you go for one in the first place when your screen is still pristine, when you can still actually enjoy it? When you'll have the feeling that it's getting too much scratched you'll still be able to get a protector and have a fresh start.

What do you guys think? Do you still use protectors on your Lumias? Do you enjoy "freedom" instead? Please let me know. Maybe I'm just too OCD and crazy, but this phone and its amazing curved glass is giving me a lot of headaches. How do you deal with it?

sHaHiN786 · Mar 17, 2012

vnvman said:
So I've been using my Lumias for a while with a Skinomi screen protector. These are probably the best options for a screen like the one on the Lumia: the curved design makes regular plastic screen protectors (the only ones with a decent look and feel) useless on this phone, you can't even set them up properly; on the other hand, wet application screen protectors suck really bad: they have that orange peel look and feel, they give you that horrible feeling when swiping and look terrible in sunlight, Skinomi is no exception.

This got me thinking. I decided to go without a screen protector on my 400+ € piece of hardware. Am I just a mad man? Not quite (IMHO), here's why: gorilla glass can be scratched, that is for sure, but you're most likely to get only really thin scratches in the coating (given that you're careful), which can be 100% hidden with a wet application screen protector. So why would you go for one in the first place when your screen is still pristine, when you can still actually enjoy it? When you'll have the feeling that it's getting too much scratched you'll still be able to get a protector and have a fresh start.

What do you guys think? Do you still use protectors on your Lumias? Do you enjoy "freedom" instead? Please let me know. Maybe I'm just too OCD and crazy, but this phone and its amazing curved glass is giving me a lot of headaches. How do you deal with it?

You're not mad, haha!

You're just like me, I have a crap one on mine, I really didn't want to put a screen protector on, usually I'm good with my phones, but strangely, on the first day that I bought the Lumia, I managed to put a faint scratch on it, and that cheesed me off. So I put a half-ass martins on. Which is ok.

I've got a skinomi, and I've yet to put it on, I haven't ever put a wet screen protector on any of my phones, now based on your review, I don't want to. So I'm stuck on whether I should bother with putting one on or just taking it off completely and allowing the thin scratches.

p.s. phone currently at Nokia care centre...

vnvman · Mar 17, 2012

Glad to see I'm not that weird

Btw what do you mean by martins, maybe Martin Fields? I saw one of those on Expansys but apparently it doesn't cover the whole screen, so it will probably peel off easily like all of the non wet ones...

Wiggy Fuzz · Mar 18, 2012

i didn't use a screen protector on my lumia - actually i've never used a screen protector before (i just know i'll put it on badly).

i also found the rubber-ish case provided is terrible for keeping your phone clean. somehow dust gets underneath it and just makes the phone look horrible.

vnvman · Mar 18, 2012

Wiggy Fuzz said:
i also found the rubber-ish case provided is terrible for keeping your phone clean. somehow dust gets underneath it and just makes the phone look horrible.

Actually I think that the original case gets way less greasy than the phone itself (assuming you have the black one), the white one is a fingerprint magnet, but it's glossy so it's very easy to wipe...I also tried a few tpu cases, but they even make things worse.

frenk_91 · Mar 19, 2012

The lumia it's a fantastic phone with a fantastic Gorilla Glass and a fantastic polycarbonate unibody, why you need to put something on this phone to protect it ???

look there

vnvman · Mar 19, 2012

frenk_91 said:
The lumia it's a fantastic phone with a fantastic Gorilla Glass and a fantastic polycarbonate unibody, why you need to put something on this phone to protect it ???

look there

Maybe because you want it to stay beautiful for longer than a couple months

oskariunit · Mar 19, 2012

I've never used screen protector with 3 gorilla glass phones during 2 year time period and not a single scratch.

Rusty! · Mar 20, 2012

I've not bothered with a screen protector on mine due to the curves, and the screen is still pristine, although I never keep anything in my pocket with it.

dannejanne · Mar 20, 2012

Screen protectors sucks on every phone! I rather take a few scratches than using a protector that takes away all the good feelings from the touch.

In fact I already got a small small scratch. Doesn't bother me as much as a screen protector would though.

jj14 · Mar 20, 2012

I'm using a Zagg screen protector (wet application) on mine. At least it adhered properly around the curved screen. Yes, it does feel different than the naked screen, but that is not necessarily a bad feeling. My $0.02

vnvman · Mar 21, 2012

Well, right now I don't have one on. I have tried every brand, Skinomi, Zagg, Martin Fields and even some cheap one from eBay, but no luck: they either don't stay on at all or look crap with their orange peel effect. Wet ones are even worse: if a grain of dust gets underneath when you install them it gets stuck and you can't take it away by any mean, even washing them doesn't help. I ordered a Gadgetshieldz protector because I heard they're the best ones, but if it doesn't satisfy me I'll keep going naked, I'm sick of this crap, I just wanna enjoy the phone

VoodooKing · Mar 23, 2012

Don't worry about the scratches guys. It's just the Oleophobic coating.

Anyway to hide those scratches, apply a small amount of clear car wax and wipe it off.

Rusty! · Mar 23, 2012

That coating does a great job by the way... my screen gets less finger-printy than previous phones.

vnvman · Mar 23, 2012

Rusty! said:
That coating does a great job by the way... my screen gets less finger-printy than previous phones.

Yeah it's actually doing great. When you swipe It feels like you're not even touching the phone, it seems like a gesture more than a touch input. The SGSII I had before had a pretty smooth screen when naked, but it didn't even come close. Maybe the curved glass is helping increasing that feeling too. Day after day the idea of putting on a screen protector on this baby sounds more and more like murder. I guess I'll still be using one of those zagg-like protectors when I go to the seaside tho, sand can still screw up everything. The Gadgetshieldz thing I'm getting will help me through that I guess...

Rare Earth · Mar 24, 2012

I'm not using a screen protector on my Lumia 800.

When I bought my phone, I wanted to; especially because I had 2 mini scratches on the screen within 24 hours of purchase.

Although it would be nice to have one, it's a bit of a hassle so I decided not to go out of my way to get one. I just try to be careful with my phone and the only cover I am using is the one provided for the body, but I'm even thinking about removing that.

vnvman · Mar 24, 2012

Rare Earth said:
I just try to be careful with my phone and the only cover I am using is the one provided for the body, but I'm even thinking about removing that.

I'd like to go completely naked too, but given the form factor of the back I'd probably screw up the camera. As far as I can tell the glass on the Lumia is behaving pretty well, however you're still gonna get a few scratches in the coating in no time, regardless how careful you are. Honestly it doesn't bother me at all tho: the very tiny marks on the coating are only visible under a strong light, looking very closely at the phone which has to be sitting at a very special angle. With a screen protector I would get much bigger and annoying scratches, plus the hideous orange peel effect, which makes the screen really look and feel like garbage. I repeat, I can't murder such a beautiful design that way. I only hope that I won't get BIG scratches, those ones able to create that horrible rainbow effect. This is probably the only thing that would suck even more than a screen protector, but I'm not just careful, I'm literally obsessed with my phone, so it's highly unlikely to happen. Only rubbing sand at full force on the screen should have such consequences...fingers crossed

dannejanne · Mar 24, 2012

vnvman said:
I only hope that I won't get BIG scratches, those ones able to create that horrible rainbow effect.

I got one of those but it's SMALL. Like 2mm long fairly deep as yo can easily feel it if I want to but its sitting at the edge of the screen on the right side so I never notice it in my daily use. As I said earlier. I rather take those scratches than using a protector as it would bother me more than the scratches I get. Gorilla glass is good but it's no miracle glas by any means.

theLofD · Mar 24, 2012

I managed to drop my brand new phone on the gravel (thank God it's my work phone) and got a really, really bad scratch that really annoyed me so I decided to get a screen protector so I wouldn't make everything worse.
I first ordered a Skinomi and while the fit was pretty decent I screwed up badly when putting it on and I wasn't about to order another one from the US. So I decided to try Copter (Swedish only brand I think?)
While it is originally for the N9 with a cut out in the bottom for the sensor it was in my opinion much, much better. It is a bit smaller then the actual screen but it is so thin, 0,178 mm, that I can barely notice it unless some dust get stuck to the edges.
There is a slight drag when using it compared to no protector but you just have to lighten up your touch and you won't notice. There is no orange peel affect at all and the best thing is that the bad scratch is gone, completely!

I would prefer not having a screen protector at all but since I know I'm clumpsy and will most likely scratch my screen even more I can highly recommend Copter. (If you can get it) In my oppinion it feels and looks ton better then Skinomi. My GF has a Zagg on here phone and in my oppinion that is crap in comparisson, thicker, more drag and an orange peel effect.

vnvman · Mar 24, 2012

Sounds good, thanks for the tip. Anyway I could only find it here http://www.teknikmagasinet.no/db.pl...&title=Copter Displayfilm Nokia N9/Lumia 800&
But actually I don't understand a word so I really don't know wether they ship to my country or not :/
@dannejeanne: ouch, sorry to hear that. How did you manage to put that scratch on it? Did you drop it? If it can scratch that way without a particular reason this kinda sucks...

Screen protectors suck on the Lumia. Here's the solution.

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