Picked up one of these screen protectors to replace my stock one, which had started to lose some of the sticky layer, after a few repositionings. I am not sold on the idea of softer plastic on the touch screen a la the various full-body skins out there, so I got a Clarivue brand screen protector from eBay. ( Example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Clarivue-Screen-...em260325368635 )
COMPARED TO STOCK PROTECTOR:
- Fit: Not quite as accurate. It's not bad though, maybe a half a milimeter off total. Nearly negligible, but the stock protector is SUPER accurate. The Clarivue has tiny radii on the lower corners. I would say fit is 1-2% worse than stock.
- Material: Better than stock. It's a touch thicker, but not to the detriment of touch sensitivity. IMO slightly clearer. Fingerprint/oil resistance is maybe 10-15% better than stock. Reflections are controlled a little better than stock, maybe 10-15% also. Surface smoothness is essentially the same as stock, which I considered very good.
- Adhesive: Better than stock. These use the non-sticky "static" type adhesive, which isn't as prone to getting damaged when you reposition or lift a corner.
- Price: Obviously it's not going to beat the free stock protector on price, but the vendor I bought from (
http://stores.ebay.com/Jhongs-Inc) sells TP protectors 2 to a pack for $7.99, very reasonable.
- Extras: The Clarivue protector comes with a section of protector for the d-pad/button pad area. This is totally useless on my phone. My center ring is slightly raised at the edges, so the applique does not sit flat and adhere properly. I don't really care about putting a cover on that part, so I didn't use this piece.
Overall: Recommended, but I can't say I would go out of my way to buy another of these. I might be tempted to try another brand the next time out, if there is a next time. I'm not planning to get rid of this protector and still have the 2nd one if this one ever gets damaged.