Touch screen experiment

Some many moons ago I posted on my facebook that I have removed the screen protector from my Nokia Lumia 830 Windows phone. I had said I will explain later why. Now is the time.

Some many moons more before that I posted an interesting question. With someone as picky as me about screens, how will I find touch screens for a desktop that accumulates greasy finger prints?

It was time to put it to the test and a smart phone undergoes the worst of it so it is a perfect candidate.

Result after over a year of use without the protector:

Scratches on main screen: yes.

Scratches on camera: yes

Finger grease permanent: no. wipes off easily.

This phone has gorilla glass 3 so the scratches were a disappointment. When ever I wanted a clean clear view of the screen I wiped it clean. However this is easier done with a portable devices. I would not want to do this every time with, say, a 32"+ VDU -thus question answered on touch screen VDU.

Would I recommend a screen protector for a mobile device? This answer is complicated and is by individual preference. If you replace your phone once a year or two years, don't bother with the protector. By the time the scratches become prominent enough, it will be time for a new phone. If you don't have the cash flow to get new phones at the above frequency, get the screen protector.

A screen protector also does more than scratch protect. A good quality one will absorb impacts preventing screen fracturing. So there are other reasons to use a screen protector as well.