Screen protectors. They aren’t the most exciting of smartphone accessories. They are, however, rather important if you want to keep your smartphone’s screen pristine. The Holy Grail of screen protectors? One that is easy to install, nearly invisible when in place and uber-protective. After all, replacing an iPhone 5’s screen can cost well over $200. That’s where Sir Lancelot’s Armor Holy Grail Screen Protector comes in. This screen protector, which started as a Kickstarter project, is made of bullet proof glass. Is this a screen protector worthy of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table? Read on to find out.
Sir Lancelot’s Armor Holy Grail Screen Protector comes in packaging worthy of a sacred relic. An embossed metal box, it immediately tells you this is something special. Inside the box are a screen wipe, a screen cloth, two button covers, and the actual screen protector.
As you can see in this picture, the screen protector itself is a bit unusual. Rather than the standard clear screen protector, this screen protector is black or white at the top, bottom and sides. This lines up perfectly with the color areas of the iPhone 5. This wasn’t just an aesthetic decision on the company’s part. As they explain,
The Holy Grail screen protector takes an innovative approach to the adhesive compound. Holy Grail utilizes a silicon-based reusable high strength adhesive and places it only under the colored portion of the glass. This keeps the protector from getting bubbles. It also allows for you to remove and reinstall the protector if you happened to get a speck of dust or a smudge on between the protector and the iPhone® surface.
In other words, the adhesive is only under the colored areas of the screen protector. The clear portion simply sits on top of the actual screen. The result is a screen protector that goes on easily and, for the first time in my experience, is 100% dust and bubble free. Seriously, I am “screen protector install” challenged and I was able to get this screen protector in place perfectly the very first time.
As you can see, Sir Lancelot’s Armor Holy Grail Screen Protector is all but invisible once it is in place. The black or white button helps compensate for the added depth of the screen and the resulting recessed-feel of the Home button. The two work together quite nicely and give the appearance that this was how the iPhone was meant to be. In other words, it doesn’t look like you stuck an extra layer on top of the retina display.
Best of all, the thick glass screen protector doesn’t impede the touch experience on the iPhone 5 in the least. No, once the Sir Lancelot’s Armor Holy Grail Screen Protector is in place you will likely forget it is there. So the only question remaining is, how does it hold up over time? We’ll keep you posted.
MSRP: $39.99 (Currently available for $32.99)
What I Like: Awesome packaging; Easy to install properly; Can be removed and reinstalled; Design allows for installation without bubbles or dust being trapped beneath
What Needs Improvement: Nothing so far!
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample