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Best Screen Protectors for iPhone and iPad!

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This is the iCarez matte screen protector on my iPad Pro. Like the paper-like screen protectors that are back-ordered, this film claims to significantly reduce glare and fingerprints and provide a better writing surface for the Apple Pencil. Does it live up to its promises?

Like phone cases, people love or hate screen protectors. I’d used ballistic glass protectors for years and got tired of cleaning the screen so often. I found iCarez, which promised less glare and fewer fingerprints, and bought it for my iPad Pro and iPhone 11 Pro.

What’s in the pouch

Depending on the device, two or three screen protectors, rubber bands, a microfiber cloth, a squeegee and a bunch of stickers. The stickers and the protective plastic on the film are numbered to follow the instructions, and are used for making a hinge and for removing bubbles and dust.

Installing

  1. Clean the screen and align the protector, using the rubber bands to hold it in place.
  2. Place the number three stickers on one side and fold them around the device to make the hinge, and the number four sticker on the other side as a pull tab.
  3. Remove the rubber bands and rotate the protector on the hinges. Wipe the screen one more time and remove any dust.
  4. Lift and remove the number one tab from the film and fold the protector back over onto the screen, applying from the hinge side out.
  5. Remove the number two tab and use the microfiber cloth and squeegee to push bubbles toward the edges. If there’s a bubble or speck of dust, use the other stickers to lift a quarter of the film and remove it.

How it looks and feels

There’s a slight reduction in clarity: not detrimental but noticeable at first, and after a few days it seemed to disappear, so I don’t think about it anymore. The texture feels almost like plastic to my fingers: not as nice as glass, but comfortable, and I stopped noticing in a couple of days.

What I notice and appreciate consistently:

  • Fewer finger smudges. With the factory display or a ballistic glass protector, my screen got gross and I was constantly wiping it. With the iCarez matte protector, smudges are down at least 90%, and the screen is easier to clean.
  • Less glare. I can finally use my iPad outside without “screen gymnastics” to find a viewable angle: on my patio, I don’t worry about the sun position or what’s lit behind me, and in a bright, naturally lit room, I don’t need to adjust the screen to stop seeing myself.

Some people complain that the screen doesn’t seem as bright or the clarity is reduced from the beautiful Retina display. For me, the slight reduction is outweighed by the additional placement and viewing angle options.

Apple Pencil

I’m not a huge Pencil user, but I definitely appreciate the texture and drag compared with the display itself: writing on glass feels slippery and unnatural, while the iCarez feels more like a ballpoint pen or pencil on paper. I may find new reasons to use the Pencil.

Verdict

I’m really impressed: reduced glare, a massive reduction in finger smudges and improved Pencil feel far outweigh a perceived reduction in screen quality. I can use my iPad in more places and more comfortable positions. If you hate screen protectors or know a better one, tell me in the comments.

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. See my ethics statement.

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