I just bought a new iPad and of course I had to install a screen protector. Why wouldn’t I? A brand new iPad needs to be protected, right?
The case for the Screen Protector
I bought the best screen protector money can buy, Paperlike. Paperlike is excellent for when using the Apple Pencil; it gives a bit of friction to the pencil to feel (and sound) a bit like paper when drawing or writing on the screen. In addition, the Paperlike screen protector also gives a matte surface to the screen, making it more resistant to sunlight.
The general idea of the screen protector is, by applying a thin layer of protectective material on top of the iPad’s touch screen, it will catch those scratches that otherwise would have ended up your screen instead.
The Frustration of Installation
The thing is, every time I try to install a screen protector, I magically manage to fuck it up. Although I made sure that my work surface and screen were ultra-clean before adding the screen protector, I always seem to capture a speck of dust under it, which is very noticeable. And even if it was not evident, the fact that I know the dust is there, is enough for my OCD to go haywire.
Does it Really Matter?
So does a screen protector on top of the iPads already scratch- and oil-resistant glass add any additional protection, which is not already built into the product itself? Unlike my phone, when the iPad is thrown into my bag, I always have a cover on it. I carry around my phone in my pocket all day, without a screen protector or cover on it, and I have not seen any scratches caused by dirt or sand accumulated in by pockets.
In addition, the matte surface of the Paperlike screen protector degrades the image quality of the screen, which is especially visible when viewing a white background. It is not a deal-breaker by any means but something I need to live with when using the iPad to edit my photos.
The dust particle trapped behind my screen protector made me think, is there really a need for a screen protector? Is adding the nano-coded friction of the Paperlike really worth the objectively downgrade in image quality from leaving the screen bare? Can I live with the forever trapped dust particle on the iPad screen?
So what to do?, Do I keep the screen protector or do I throw it out, wasting €34 in the process?