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Tempered Glass vs. Matte – Which Is Better?

When getting a screen protector for your smartphone, tons of options will come into your mind. The most important thing we look out for is what glass will guard your screen against breakage without making our phones heavy, not minding if it’s tempered or matte glass.

The tempered glass vs. matte comparison comes into play when considering features like impact resistance and vision protection. Matte glasses do not transmit as much light as tempered glasses, so they protect the eyes. Tempered glasses have higher impact resistance.

No one plans for screen breakage; there’s no beauty in a broken screen. To keep your smartphone looking sleek for longer, you should invest in a quality screen protector. However, Robert K. Mac has done extensive research and made this guide to help you decide.

Tempered Glass vs. Matte | Features

Tempered GlassMatte Glass
High Impact resistanceMinimal resistance
Not anti-glare. Anti-glare
Not suitable for outdoors Good for outdoors
No color saturation.Slight color saturation
Maintains ClarityReduces clarity
Not smudge-resistant.Smudge resistant.

What Are The Advantages Of Matte Glass?

Matte glasses protect your eyes from the glare of your phone screen since they transmit less light. If you text a lot or use your smartphone frequently, a matte screen protector will be best for you. It won’t strain your eyes as some screen protectors do.

Matte glasses are frosted glasses that transmit low light. It’s not smooth like tempered glass.

Anti-Glare

The matte screen protector diffuses light and transmits less of it. It’s safe to say it deems the screen so anti-glare. In turn, the anti-glare effects protect your vision. If you’re the type that stares at the phone screen for long hours, consider installing a matte screen protector on your smartphone.

Outdoor Usage

Ever tried using your phone outside, and your screen appears black? A matte screen protector prevents that. Matte glasses diffuse light rather than reflect it. The light from the sun is quite intense, but matte glasses diffuse a large part of it, making it easier to use your phone while outside. Folks that use their phones on the go will prefer matte screen protectors.

Smudge Resistance

If fingerprint stains on your screen annoy you, matte glasses are what you need. Their surfaces are a bit frosted or rough; it doesn’t leave marks or smudges when your finger touches them. To avoid the unpleasant feeling of a blurred screen due to fingerprints, use matte glass.

Disadvantages Of Matte Glass Screen Protector

Minimal Impact Strength

Matte isn’t as hard as tempered glass. If you use a matte screen protector, your screen will break if it falls. It’s not shock, impact, or heat resistant. The surface can get rough due to scratches. We would advise you don’t use matte unless you’re a careful person. Also, you can’t use it more than once. It’ll be damaged within one use.

Color Saturation

Since matte diffuses light (natural and artificial), it affects how colors appear on the phone screen. Photo quality will drop, too, since it affects pixels and resolution. If you do photo editing or any tech-related work that is color sensitive, matte is not suitable. Consider getting a tempered glass protector.

Touch Sensitivity

Matte has a frosted surface that gets rough with use. As it gets older, the touch sensitivity will diminish slightly. You may have to tap on a link more than once before your screen responds. Tempered glasses blend with the original phone screen; it doesn’t affect touch sensitivity even when it cracks.

What Are the Advantages of Tempered Glass?

Tempered glass has high impact and shock resistance. Its screen protectors are better at protecting the screen from breakage. If you install tempered glass on your phone and it falls hard, the tempered glass will break into tiny harmless jards while preserving the inner glass.

The tempered glass looks like standard glass with a glossy finish, but it’s harder; it doesn’t diffuse light but instead reflects it. There are many desirable features of tempered glasses.

Durability

The hardness of the screen protector determines how long your phone screen will last. Tempered glass has 9H hardness; it’s shock, scratch, and impact resistant. If you’re the type that drops things frequently, tempered glass is your saving grace. Their durability is high, and you can use one glass more than once. It would be best if you didn’t compromise the strength of the screen protector for any reason.

Clarity

Tempered glasses do not diffuse light, so your screen appears crystal clear. It doesn’t tamper with screen resolution or color saturation. If you use your smartphone for photo editing and graphics design, you’d love tempered glass. It retains the quality of pictures (pixels) and their colors.

Heat Resistance

Have you ever seen a glass shatter under high temperatures? Tempered glasses have high thermal strength. They can withstand temperatures as high as 470°F. If your phone heats up due to a faulty charger or battery, you’re guaranteed the screen is safe.

Disadvantages Of Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Not Smudge Resistant

Since tempered glass is like standard glass. It cannot resist annoying smudges. Your fingerprints will be all over, and the screen will seem blurry. You’ll have to clean the surface often with microfiber to keep those annoying fingerprints away. This doesn’t apply to tempered glasses that have oleophobic coatings. These types are smudge resistant but expensive.

Not Anti-Glare

Tempered glass may not suit social media or tech-savvy that stare at screens all day. It will strain your eyes. Tempered glasses reflect light while matte diffuses it. The LCD backlighting in your phone screen hits your eyes in full glare, and that isn’t something you should endure for long. Matte screen protectors will be a better choice because it’s anti-glare.

Not Suitable For Outdoor Usage

Sunlight hits your phones when you’re outside. Instead of diffusing as matte does, tempered glass reflects the light like standard glass. You won’t see well outdoors because of the reflection on the screen. Imagine being at the beach and unable to take selfies because you don’t know what’s on the screen. Tempered screen protectors aren’t suitable for outdoors; matte glass is better in this scenario.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Matte Glass Good For Gaming?

Matte glass is good for gaming because it is anti-glare. It diffuses the phone’s LCD backlight, thereby protecting your vision. Gaming demands you focus on the screen for a long; matte ensures that you don’t strain your eyes while at it.

2. How Do You Clean The Matte Screen Protector?

To clean a matte screen protector:

● Wet microfiber in water.
● Use it to wipe the screen from top-down to prevent lines.
● Don’t touch the screen until it’s dry.

3. Is Tempered Glass Toughened?

Tempered glass is toughened and impact resistant. It’s made five times stronger than annealed glass with a hardness of 9H. Tempered glasses are used for phones because they offer maximum protection for screens. It breaks into tiny bits when hit.

4. Can I Put A Matte Screen Protector Over Tempered Glass?

You can put a matte screen protector over the tempered glass, which will reduce your phone’s touch sensitivity. Two screen protectors will be too thick, making your phone heavy. You’ll choose one based on durability or vision protection.

5. How Long Does A Matte Screen Protector Last?

A matte screen protector can last beyond a year, but that depends on handling it. If you drop your phone often, the matte glass will break. To safeguard your screen, replace the matte screen protector once it cracks.

Conclusion

You might be wondering which to pick between Tempered glass vs matte. Both tempered glass and matte screen protectors are good and are easy to install. The best for you may depend on factors like durability and convenience of use.

Based on protection, the winner is tempered glass because it is shock and impact resistant. Common phone falls will not break the glass easily. Plus, it has superb visual quality. However, matte glasses are anti-glare and smudge-resistant, giving users a better experience.