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SGP GLAS.t screen protector for iPad (3rd generation) review
Jason Tsay
The GLAS.t is our all time favorite screen protector for the iPhone and that’s no secret, Although it’s a bit costly, there’s no denying it offers the best screen clarity, feel, and durability. But when it comes to the iPad, it might not seem so practical to apply a massive pane of glass on a 10” tablet. Not to mention that the GLAS.t for iPad carries a hefty $70 price tag on the CreTouch store. But if you can look past the steep barrier of entry, you might be wondering, “is the iPad version of the GLAS.t just as good as the iPhone product?” You might be surprised. Read on to find out!
Features
- Whole Transparency
- Surface Hardness: 8-9 H
- Oleophobic Coating
- Delicate Touch
- Anti-shatter Film
Our Impressions
The GLAS.t for iPad comes in basically the same packaging as the iPhone, only this time it’s many times larger. Inside you get a cleaning cloth, wet alcohol swab, squeegee, registration card, an instruction sheet, and the screen protector wrapped in a foam sleeve. Disappointingly, there are no epoxy home button stickers this time. It’s a bit of a bummer but is understandable given the size of the iPad. The home button tactility is much more crucial when activated by your thumb on an iPhone; the interaction simply isn’t the same on an iPad.
Installation
Application was not as difficult as we had expected. Initially, we were daunted by the task of installing a 10” sheet of glass on a 10” screen. The task for a perfect application seemed impossible with the likelihood of misalignment and dust particles that might get sandwiched in. In reality, we just had to make sure we got the GLAS.t onto the iPad as soon as possible. The longer you spend with the protective plastic off of the adhesive side of the GLAS.t, the more likely you are to get some sort of dust inside. Thankfully, we were able to quickly align the screen protector and adhere it.
If you need to readjust it, the key is to not press down on any part of the glass. Hover the screen protector a fraction of a millimeter able the display - the second it makes contact, the silicone adhesive will begin bonding. When you’ve made sure your alignment is correct, push down lightly on the glass for it to begin adhering.
Screen Clarity
The GLAS.t’s screen quality is amazing. Screen clarity is maintained and significantly better than plastic screen protectors offer. You won’t notice any distortion in the Retina Display’s quality and unless you let any bits of dust in during application, the GLAS.t laminates perfectly to the iPad’s screen.
Feel
The feel is also much smoother in comparison to standard plastic screen protectors. Screen sensitivity is not compromised in any way. In fact, I might say that the special silicone adhesive makes it so that touch responsiveness is improved over plastic films. Fingerprints and oiliness are loads easier to wipe off and do not pick up as much on this screen protector. You’ll still get smudges here and there but the chemically treated coating makes it so that they’re a lot easier to clean off. In the case of oily skin, this is the perfect screen protector.
Cutouts
Since the screen protector is made of glass, there is no cutout for the front facing camera and only one for the home button.
The home button is still easy to access despite feeling recessed. The lack of a cutout for the front camera makes for a smoother usage experience in which no bits of lint or dust get in the hole. Since the iPad is much larger than the iPhone, potential buyers will also be glad to hear that most cases and accessories will work just fine.
Durability
The GLAS.t is 0.4 mm thick and that is more than enough to protect your iPad’s screens from any scratches. Not to mention the GLAS.t itself is also very difficult to scratch. SGP claims that the GLAS.t is shatter proof but we wouldn’t recommend dropping your iPad in any case. Your screen will break easily even if the film doesn’t.
Overall
The main thing that hurts the GLAS.t for iPad is its high price tag of $70. That is actually more than many cases available for the iPad. While $28 might have seemed like an expensive yet attainable price for the iPhone version, $70 for a screen protector (a very good one, at that) is a little hard to swallow. A $50 GLAS.t would still be expensive but much more feasible. To add insult to injury, there is a pretty high margin of error regarding the installation of the GLAS.t. A couple pieces of dust or a couple degrees off and that’s 80 bucks down the drain. Investing in the GLAS.t for iPad is simply a much larger gamble than the iPhone version. Users are going to have to seriously consider their purchase, even though this is without question the best screen protector out there for the iPad.
Pro’s
- Amazing clarity
- Great glass feel
- Oleophobic coating works well
Con’s
- High margin of error
- Very expensive
Where to buy
CreTouch — MSRP: $69.99
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