installation ..... wah lau...
I'll make a very detailed review for the whitestone dome tgsp, but as the tldr/summarised version:
Pros- this in my opiniom is the best Tempered Glass screen protector u can get. Full sensitivity, clear, smooth and feels almost as good as the phone's actual glass (without screen protector)!! If it's just for the feeling and usability of the sp, I'll give a 4.5 star rating (5 star is reserved for a sp which can replicate the feeling of using the phone without any sp). However, as an overall score considering the price, installation and issues, I'll rate it 3.5 stars. Read on for the full review~~
Cons- installation is not difficult, but messy. Price is expensive, and I'm not sure if it's worth the RM199 price (I jz noticed it's RM159.20 when I'm writing this, which is much reasonable price after using some voucher/discount code). I was expecting full coverage, up till the edge, but it's mostly covering the viewable area only, especially on the sides (about 2mm top bottom, and 3~4mm considering the curved circumference on the sides.
A few items to highlight:
1) make sure during installatiom your work surface is flat.
2) do not move the phone after the glue is poured and before curing using uv light.
3) be careful when using the alcohol wipe. I think it will cause light leak (or maybe it's called light refraction) issue between the aluminium frame and the glass. It may have dissolved the black paint of the original glass.. read on for details.
4) if you use this, consider getting a good protective casing.
So now lets start with my whole experience and review. The above is a summary so imagine what I'm going to say for the detailed review.. it will be my experience of doing the installation and some tips that I learned and wished i knew before I did the install..
Anyway some history, bought 1 unit with the uv light (RM199-12%) and 1 unit without (RM169-12%) during the 11.11 and 12.12 event. Wanted to have a spare in hand just in case if I cracked the screen protector, and sure enough, my 1st screen protector cracked within 2 hours after installation. It's my own fault as I accidentally dropped it from my sofa (about 1.5~2 ft height).
Delivery was swift, both came faster than the estimated arrival date. Properly packed in a box, and I'm confident that it's very unlikely to break during transport. From the looks of the box when my goods arrived, it seems to have taken quite a beating.
So, on the installation, please look for a few YouTube videos before you do it yourself, try to put the jig and glass together and do a few dry trial fit before you actually install, and look for a dust free and flat surface to work on.
When you pour the glue on, remember to do a quick check and make sure no dust is on before you place the glass. Also, the plastic protector on the glass should only be removed when you are about to put the glass on the jig.
To avoid bubbles:
1) let the glue sit for a day prior to installation. There might be small/micro bubbles in the glue tube, due to shaking/any shock during delivery, which will show after u install the glass.
2) make sure the glue spot is centered before releasing the pin.
3) do not rush the pin release. Let the glue drop to the middle, and it's a proper circle. If you release the pin too early, and the glue splash and creates a bubble in the centre, Godspeed..
For my 1st glass, after the pin release, all hell broke loose.. it started flowing everywhere, on the sides, the top, frame, jig. This was when I removed the top jig to clean the jig and try to absorb the overflowing glue. During then, I moved and tilted the phone, and the glass moved accordingly. Very important to take note: REMEMBER TO USE THE MASKING TAPE FOR THE EARPIECE!! Luckily I had the masking tape on. Due to the glass movement and overflow, without the masking tape, the glue would have covered the earpiece grill, which will be hell to clean, if it was even possible..
Anyway, basically due to this movement, glue spread all over the place and when I put the top jig on to realign, the glue spread between top and bottom jig. Anyway everything was a mess, I finally decided to remove and clean the glue from the glass and phone, and use my second bottle. Basically wiped the whole phone like crazy using the alcohol swab and even ran it thru water..
So, 2nd time, again, after the pin is released, all hell broke loose... same issue the glue overflow like crazy. This time i jz let it be, let it sit for a while, and cured it using the UV light without removing the top jig. After curing, due to the glue overflowing to the jig, I had trouble removing the top jig as it sticked together..
Anyway after some prying, it came off. Whack it with the uv again, then did a thorough cleaning with the alcohol swab and cloth. It isn't easy to remove, after the uv curing. It becomes sticky globs when wiping, and I was worried it might even peel off the glue at the edges..
After about 2 hrs, was about to go to sleep when I accidentally shoved the phone off my sofa, and the screen cracked at the top right and bottom left edge.. I know it's my fault, but I didn't expect it to break at a 2ft drop.. so guys pls remember: THIS SP MIGHT BREAK EASILY. PLS CONSIDER USING A PROPER PROTECTIVE CASING. For me, it was only with a dbrand skin, and I've dropped my phone before from table level without any mark/dent/scratch or issues, even on the metal frame. So I guess durability wise it's weaker than the phone's glass..
Anyway, as I had a 2nd unit, did the installation again the next day. 3rd time is the same on the overflowing glue, this time, after the glue spread, there was an air bubble/gap on the edge, which scared me, but after about 1 mins, and some slight tap with my finger, it disappeared. I then removed the top jig (be careful not to move the phone), and used the cloth to absorb some of the overflow from the edge (DO NOT WIPE! Jz touch the tip of the microfiber cloth on the edge of the glass/overflowing glue). Then blast with the uv light, and only did it for 30 secs top and 30 secs bottom. (Previously I let it off itself, which is 60 secs, and blasted top, middle and bottom).
After that, removed the phone from the jig, and started cleaning the body of the phone. This is when I realised that my phone has some light leaking/light refraction issue which was highlighted before by some users here. I know for sure my phone didn't have this issue previously as I've been an active reader and checked on this when I got the phone, but now it appeared. I think it was due to the alcohol wipes that I used to clean up the access glue, and I really wiped over the whole phone including the frame.. This is a real let down, although not an issue, but once you see it, it cannot be unseen.. note that I only used the supplied alcohol wipes..
Anyway, due to this, I just did a quick wipe, and a quick cleaning using the microfiber cloth. This time, it's much easier, which I think is because i only cured for 30 secs, and only for top and bottom. After clean up, uv cured for 60 secs, top, bottom and middle.
Now it's day 2, the whitestone dome glass seems is the best I've ever used. No sensitivity issue, clear and bright, smooth, basically feels like using the phone without any sp.
Fyi, I've tried 3 types of glass protector, and 2 types (5 pcs) of plastic sp, and the issues that I noticed is:
For glass SP:
i) rainbow effect due to no full adhesive
ii) easily peel off
iii) sensitivity issue, which all 3 types I used, from RM20 to RM60 has it, but different severity, which I think is very dependant on installation. The worse
iv) blocked some of the viewing area due to the black painting to cover the adhesive
v) dot matrix makes the screen less clear.
For plastic sp:
i) it scratches. Basically after 1 week you will see plenty of scratches.. i changes 1 unit every week..
ii) bubble. Even after a perfect install, it will eventually pop up
iii) spen will leave a mark.
iv) not smooth, or feel like dragging your finger.
Note that for this whitestone dome glass, it doesn't cause any of this issue.
So overall, for rm199, I don't think it's worth it. For rm129 which someone has recommended on qoo10 Singapore, I think it's worth the price. Even at Lazada at 140 now (with voucher), it's worth it. If u think you won't spend so much on a sp, or if you found a pasar malam RM15 sp which u think is ok, or if u think u want to rock your note 8 naked, or if u want to use your phone for 11 months 29 days, and break your screen so you can claim your screen protection plus package, then please don't buy this.
But if you think you need a good sp, the best money can buy, you don't have screen protection plus, you want to experience your phone as close as a naked as possible without risking scratching your screen, then this is the best option you can try.
For me, whatever phone I have, I'll always put on a sp, as sp will help mitigate cracking your phone screen, and prevent scratches which not only is unpleasant, but also make your phone glass weaker can prone to crack.
2 things which may be a deal breaker, for me, is:
1) how easy it cracked, which I guess I'll eventually find out on my 2nd screen; and
2) the light refraction issue that I noticed when I was installing my 2nd glass..
If possible, can anybody that has installed the whitestone dome have a check if you have the light refraction issue? Please remember tho, what's been seen cannot be unseen..
Edit: FYI I bought another unit of whitestone dome at RM140.. This is as spare, as I'm worried I might crack this again..