Back in the days of very easily-scratched device screens — like the old Palm devices — you pretty much had to use some sort of screen protector or your display would end up looking like it had been hit with a belt sander. When the iPhone arrived with its hard glass screen, the fear of scratches disappeared…but then we started seeing what happened when the screens were impacted by a drop. There’s no need to be worried about scratches or impacts with NewerTech’s NuGuard KXs Screen Armor, available for most iPhone and iPad models starting at just $14.99.
Design
One of the reasons I didn’t use a screen protector early on was that for the most part, they were difficult to install and ended up with annoying bubbles underneath. The NuGuard KXs Screen Armor uses a three-layer design that not only protects your screen, but does so without creating gaps or bubbles.
That three-layer design is only 0.28mm thick. The top layer is an ultra-clear coating that keeps dust and dirt away from your screen, and it’s designed to do so without distorting your screen images or getting yellow or hazy as time passes. The second layer is a kinetic-energy-absorbing hard layer with a 4H (or 3H — the packaging and website contradict each other) hardness scale rating. This is what really protects your iPhone or iPad screen, and it’s even self-healing for minor dents.
Finally, the third layer is used for adhesion to the screen. Unlike some other screen protectors that require a liquid or that can leave a residue when removed, the self-adhesive layer sticks to your device screen easily but facilitates easy removal if necessary.
Function
NewerTech provides great instructions on preparing your device for installing the NuGuard KXs Screen Armor, and the process is very simple. There’s even an installation video showing just how it’s all done:
It really is that simple. I used the iPhone 6/6s Plus version on the iPhone 7 Plus and although I had to remove my cats from the area to ensure a clean screen, once I got everything cleaned off and used the little dust removal sticker to get rid of the final dust specks, the protector went right on and adhered beautifully. Note: the iPhone 6s Plus version doesn’t align perfectly with the iPhone 7 Plus cutouts, and NewerTech is considering a new version specifically for the 7 Plus.
There were a few “bubbles” underneath the NuGuard KXs initially, but they were easily worked out by using the side of a credit card to push them around to the screen edges. Once those were gone, I pulled off the top protective sheet and the NuGuard KXs was on.
Now I’m not going to test the strength and resilience of this protector using a hammer or throwing rocks at my iPhone, but judging from some of the YouTube videos I’ve found, others have done these unofficial tests and found that the NuGuard KXs does provide a high level of protection to your screen.
I didn’t notice any degradation of my screen image or sensitivity to touch. Being .28mm (0.011 inches) thick or approximately three times the width of a human hair, you will notice that the NuGuard KXs does stick up a tiny amount. However, using most protective cases on the iPhone (like the NuGuard KX Protective Case), you’ll find that you don’t even notice the slight extra thickness.
Conclusion
It’s easy to install, reasonably-priced ($19.95 for the iPhone 6/6s/7, $24.95 for the “Plus” models), and adds just enough protection to ensure that your iPhone screen will probably survive a drop or an impact from hail or a baseball. Keep your iPhone looking new and get NewerTech NuGuard KXs Screen Armor installed on your device as soon as you take it out of the box!
