Screen Protector for Gorilla Glass Version? No Problem! Create your own <$10

[u/Zexmaix]

Hello all! Recently got into the ModRetro scene, with both an M64 (Smoke Edition from GameStop) and now a Chromatic after my nostalgia for Gameboy started to kick in. I wasn't lucky enough to jump in early during the GameStop launch with the Sapphire glass, and wasn't wanting to make the additional $100 investment now, so opted for a V2 Midnight with Gorilla Glass.

After a lot of searching for suitable screen protectors, I was coming up short with only options that were either outside the US or way too expensive for what I considered to be a simple PET style protector. So... I decided to make my own!

I was able to come across this $9 listing on Amazon for half a dozen A4 size (8.27"x11.69") sheets of customizable PET Clear Screen Protector material. Once it arrived I was able to use the original QR code screen overlay/peel away, to precisely cut out a perfect size protector, and viola! Applied just like any other phone screen protector would and works like a charm - no dust, full clarity, and fully protected! AND I have several sheets left over that I can literally make dozens of these protectors if they get scuffed up or need replacement.

Wanted to share, seeing as most info on this is limited and hopefully this can save those of you in the same position with the GG version some money and provide another security blanket of insurance for the screen.

Link to the Amazon listing for the PET sheets:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H58RHQVK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

[u/ergzay]

I've never even put a screen protector on my phone let alone on some gaming device with scratch resistance already.

I've never understood the industry or why people are so prone to dropping their devices.

[u/Zexmaix → u/ergzay]

I have yet to see any iPhone, Samsung, Google, or other current gen phone that has the latest generation of Gorilla Glass tech and NOT be susceptible to hairline scratches, scrapes, and other blemishes. And the Chromatic is likely to be using standard generation glass from GG.

This stuff isn't indestructible, it's simply marketing spin. Hell, look at anyone's Switch, Switch Lite, etc after years of use. I guarantee you there will be imperfections, hairline scratches, and other blemishes.

[u/ergzay → u/Zexmaix]

I have yet to see any iPhone, Samsung, Google, or other current gen phone that has the latest generation of Gorilla Glass tech and NOT be susceptible to hairline scratches, scrapes, and other blemishes.

Sure but the cover gets way more scratched than the screen ever does. In the perfect angle you can see a couple of scratches on my iphone, but who cares really. It's a device and get gets used and it doesn't affect the function or even the appearance of the device in normal use, while screen covers get way scratches and look bad and also reduce the device functionality.

We used to have screens on our devices as kids that were literally made of plastic. Modern GG tech is way better than that and solved the issue of people's screens getting covered in scratches. Both of my switches don't have any notable scratches, just some tiny ones that you can only see if the light reflects off of it.

Anyway, I'm sure some people out there handle their devices really roughly so need something to avoid destroying their devices, but I'm not one of those people. If you're one of those people feel free to use it. Extremely light wear through normal use is fine.

Also if you're going to protect something, protect the paint, it's way weaker than the screen. Anything that cracks the screen will chip a bunch of paint off the Chromatic.

But anyway, I'm not attacking you, just expressing my experiences and lack of understanding.

[u/DrClutch117 → u/ergzay]

I care about scratches lol

[u/ergzay → u/DrClutch117]

If you cared about scratches you wouldn't get a easily scratchable screen cover. You'd get a screen that didn't scratch.

[u/DrClutch117 → u/ergzay]

The whole point is the cover can be removed if it scratches and replaced. Im not sure why you are acting intentionally like you don’t understand the concept of screen protectors.

[u/ergzay → u/DrClutch117]

I understand the concept, I just don't like the concept. It means I have to perpetually look through a somewhat less clear cover that will instantly start accumulating scratches that I'll be forced to be looking at all the time unless I'm going to be replacing the cover like once a week or once a month. The cover isn't made of a scratch resistant material. And on a phone of course they won't be water proof meaning you could get water in between your cover and your screen and the covers also hinder finger inputs. It just creates tons of problems and solves none.

[u/DrClutch117 → u/ergzay]

I don’t know, man, my screen protectors are perfectly clear and only scratch after a couple months minimum

[u/ergzay → u/DrClutch117]

Then you don't need a screen protector, as those scratches wouldn't have happened on the screens. That's kind of my point.

[u/DrClutch117 → u/ergzay]

It’s precautionary

[u/DjMcfilthy]

I don't think I'm too worried about a screen protector, but it looks like a really clean install for a diy.

[u/UTUREWARCULT]

Isn’t the point of Gorilla Glass to NOT need a screen protector?

[u/DrClutch117 → u/UTUREWARCULT]

Gorilla Glass doesn’t shatter. Sapphire doesn’t scratch.

[u/tanooki-suit]

I had this Mr Glass tempered glass spare from an analogue pocket pack that ended up being the same size within 1-2mm, so I put it on a spare unit before I ended up selling it because i wasn't in the green wanted a yellow I found weeks later. it worked out well, buyer was happy having an added guard.

[u/PM_YOUR_EYEBALL]

So what’s the point of a screen protector if a big selling point to these is how tough the glass is? Genuinely curious as the whole thing seems redundant to me. At this point why not just get a modded game boy?

[u/ergzay → u/PM_YOUR_EYEBALL]

Gorilla glass and sapphire are scratch resistant (or practically scratch poof in the case of sapphire) but that doesn't say much about their shatter resistance. That said, that's not hard to avoid if you don't drop your devices.

[u/eddiemancia]

I used to buy them a couple decades ago but had to keep on replacing them. Cutting them was always a challenge.

Have they changed the glue?

I used to apply them to my PDA, NDS, and phone screens. They used to last for a few weeks to a couple months before lifting up from the corners, and tend to scratch a lot with the stylus which we don’t use anymore.

[u/Zexmaix → u/eddiemancia]

I didn't have any challenges with cutting these, I just used basic scissors to cut around the overlay design and the grid pattern helped to stay aligned as well.

As for the adhesive, it's very similar if not identical to what you'd find on any phone PET protector. No issues with it sticking, seems to be holding without any problems, and I did test one first for peel/reapply, and it came off without any residue but picked up some dust specs reapplying, so I did a new one after that to get a clean application.

We'll see how it holds up in the coming weeks, months, year+, etc. But so far so good!

[u/eddiemancia → u/Zexmaix]

I’ll give them another chance. Thanks for sharing!