Matte screen protector

[JacobFavreault]

I think it’s been said before, but I think the best bet for a “screen protector” will be one that doesn’t use adhesive and instead uses something else. Not sure what, but it’ll exist eventually

[GhostLegion]

@macropaige

I’m really interested in the privacy one. Never had any experience with those in any setting, but it seems like a nice concept.

Well I uses privacy screen protectors exclusively on my phone, specifically this one and I intend to buy one for my laptop…eventually

Can’t recommend them enough, biggest downside is the need to boost brightness to see through the filter and the other notable downside is that obviously sharing things with people around you is noticeably more difficult

Doesn’t otherwise affect clarity or color to my eye on my phone

[fishghost]

I’m quite happy with my glossy finish so I have no vested here, but since this still seems to be somewhat of a topic. I was wondering (@nrp) whether the team has at all looked into screen protectors that come attached to bezels. So it would allow for interchangeable screen finishes; giving people the best of both worlds; a matte finish when they’re out in sunlight and a glossy finish when they’re home at night. The framework is uniquely positioned to offer it with the work that’s already gone into the removable bezels.

There’s a whole lot of issues (dust, storage, cleaning, …) you’d have to overcome but it might be worth a diy test.

[Azure]

@fishghost

screen protectors that come attached to bezels

This was actually talked about earlier in this thread. I haven’t seen an official response from the Framework team, but I would assume that the problems brought up by others are enough of an issue that it wouldn’t really be a consideration right now.

Matte screen protector

@Zax Good point. I guess I was thinking that since the bezel is (presumably—I’m still waiting for delivery of my machine so I don’t know) already in contact with the screen, a matte film or privacy protector built into the bezel would naturally be in sufficient contact with it. I suppose if it had a cling-like property, that might work, but there may still be bubble issues. I recall using a 3M privacy filter years ago, and that didn’t need to adhere to the screen. Maybe this would work for a p…

[fishghost]

Oh, missed that when I was perusing through the thread. Thanks for the pointing that out @Azure

[Jason_Hottelet]

@macropaige

Anyone know of an easier way to install these?

I’d really like to know this as well. Mine finally came today and I just couldn’t get them to come out not crooked and bubble-free and I don’t consider myself a novice at such things either.

The fact that you have to solely rely on stickers on one side of the screen for alignment (which leaves some wiggle room), then pull the protector horizontally across the screen (which is a longer way than vertically and therefore more likely not to come out straight) and essentially can’t lift the protector back up to realign because unless you do it in a perfect vacuum, everything afloat in the air will stick to the adhesive (I did it in the bathroom, still had to try and get stuff off with their dust remover), really make this a nearly impossible task in my view.

The protector itself looked great, but I don’t know if I’ll order another pair…

[Jason_Hottelet]

UPDATE:
I ended up ordering another pair and the 4th screen protector finally came out acceptable. My advice:

1. Don’t do it alone, have someone pull down the adhesive layer for you while you scrub it down and do it in the most dust-free environment possible (We chose the bathroom right after a shower AND a quick vacuum session)
2. Align from the top with the bezels off (you can put them back on to check your alignment) and use as many stickers as possible to secure the protector to the top of your screen.
3. “Fold” the stickers along your protector so that the alignment sticks.
4. Do a final thorough wipe with the cloth before you start to pull the adhesive side layer off.
5. Pull the layer off quickly, moving diagonally downwards while scrubbing down the protector onto the screen as much as possible. Don’t worry about air bubbles unless you can see some kind of debris (dust, hair or similar) underneath. You can get them out afterwards. Do not try to remove air bubbles with debris under them by scrubbing at them, I got some scratches on my screen that way.

[Marcel]

Do I understand correctly that Photodon does not deliver to EU?
I would prefer a stronger glare reduction than the viascreens.

[OJFord]

I just installed Viascreens’ matte (not ‘matte light’) protector. Honestly much easier than I feared after reading some of the discussion above! With the supplied ‘post-application’ tabs it’s pretty easy to remove dust/bubbles even once it’s down, just by lifting a little area.

I would say their dimension isn’t great for a Framework-labelled product though, pretty obvious they haven’t actually got one or tried it. I assume custom sizes cost extra - but if it’s not much I’d suggest taking a measurement (& checking against nrp’s above) and ordering a bigger, better-fitting one than they offer.

It could be so easy to align, and any misalignment hidden by the bezel anyway (plus the edges which are hardest to keep dust/bubble/crinkle free) - and most importantly you wouldn’t see that it:

• is slightly out of square;
• leaves a slight gap, where glare from the light behind you really catches the eye if positioned just (not) right

I would suggest larger than the bezel’s opening area, simply size it to the panel. I checked alignment by overlaying the bezel and it doesn’t seem like it would interfere, it only didn’t click fully into place because of the sticky tabs on the protector.

[Marcel]

Is there any screen protector with about 85% like 5HS or MXG available in Europe?
I am down for cutting a larger one myself.

[theraser]

I received my Viascreens “Privacy Lite” protector, which also adds a matte surface. Matte is really nice, but of course it isn’t as good as a factory made matte surface. Mounting was quite easy, but sadly there is no second protection plastic sheet on the outside. Got some small scratches on the protector itself now from removing air bubbles, but this is no big deal.

I can confirm what @OJFord wrote: my protector is a little too small, I did not have to remove the brezel. Installing it was quite easy.

It is a little expensive for a 2-way privacy protector, but there was no alternative here. Overall I’m quite happy with it.

[OJFord]

@theraser

sadly there is no second protection plastic sheet on the outside. Got some small scratches on the protector itself now from removing air bubbles, but this is no big deal.

Are you sure there isn’t? I don’t have the privacy one (balked at the price, as you mention!) but mine did have a protective sheet both sides.

[theraser]

Matte screen protector

Are you sure there isn’t? I don’t have the privacy one (balked at the price, as you mention!) but mine did have a protective sheet both sides.

There was a second peel-off strip at the outside, but I wasn’t able to find a additional layer at first (removed the hole protector using the strip). You motivated me to try it again using another edge than the one with the strip - now I found the protection layer easily and removed it, thanks a lot! The matte is now really matte The protector could be a little larger, now there is a noticable gap (matte/glare) at the bottom/top.

[biber]

For anyone living in the EU, the German seller schutzfolien24 now also offers screen protectors including matte ones starting at 14,99€. - Sadly I couldn’t test them out yet, since my laptop is not here yet.

[OJFord]

@OJFord

I would say their dimension isn’t great for a Framework-labelled product though, pretty obvious they haven’t actually got one or tried it. I assume custom sizes cost extra - but if it’s not much I’d suggest taking a measurement (& checking against nrp’s above) and ordering a bigger, better-fitting one than they offer.

It could be so easy to align, and any misalignment hidden by the bezel anyway (plus the edges which are hardest to keep dust/bubble/crinkle free) - and most importantly you wouldn’t see that it:

• is slightly out of square;
• leaves a slight gap, where glare from the light behind you really catches the eye if positioned just (not) right

I would suggest larger than the bezel’s opening area, simply size it to the panel. I checked alignment by overlaying the bezel and it doesn’t seem like it would interfere, it only didn’t click fully into place because of the sticky tabs on the protector.

I mentioned this to ViaScreen’s support, their reply:

[…]
For your kind information, our Framework screen protectors were created in collaboration with Framework and were subsequently tested and approved by them. Looking at our internal logs we don’t have any issues reported in regards to the dimensions. [err, apart from the one from me that this is in reply to?] The only flagged issue ever was that of our pre-application dust removers that a customer used to break their modular screen.

Unfortunately we have no intentions to alter the dimensions unless requested by Framework.
[…]

I’m not sure if that’s true @nrp? Fair enough if so, but it really doesn’t seem a great fit to me, though maybe the spec was fine and it’s just poorly cut (it isn’t even square after all, which I did also mention, no reply to that).

[DIWalter]

@biber

For anyone living in the EU, the German seller schutzfolien24 now also offers screen protectors including matte ones starting at 14,99€. - Sadly I couldn’t test them out yet, since my laptop is not here yet.

Thanks for the tip. I bought the 14,99 one, just applied it and its waaaay better now. Honestly i do not see any upsides of having a reflective display. Right now with the cheap matte protector the display looks as sharp as before, but without the incredibly annoying reflections.

The company is called “Brotect” btw, great name.

EDIT: For 14,99 you get two, not one protector

[iamef]

I got the photodon one sized for framework and I didn’t do mine on center. But it seems like if I center it there will still be some edges with glare (but less pronounced). I would love to have someone verify this before I think about returning my laptop again lol.

Update: it seems like the photodon sized one only covers the part of the screen that lights up, but there is probably a few mm of parts that are glossy but don’t light up that the photodon one doesn’t cover.

[iamef]

I’m getting a slightly bigger photodon one. I’m going to try 287x193 exact and get back to you on this.

I’m getting 2 in case the first installation fails.

The framework ones are a bit small. I don’t like the glare right at the edge of the bezel.

[Green]

@biber

For anyone living in the EU, the German seller schutzfolien24 now also offers screen protectors including matte ones starting at 14,99€. - Sadly I couldn’t test them out yet, since my laptop is not here yet.

Okay, i ordered the Brotect Matte Protector. I made photos in the following order:
Off, lowest, 50%, 100% Brightness

The setting is a north side room with a very large window, on a day with very bright evening sun. The photos were made with an LG G6 in automatic mode.

Without protector:
The screen shows a clear, sharp reflection of the window at the presented angle.
With screen protector:
The screen shows a diffused, bright reflection without details.

Subjective interpretation:
Without the protector the reflection is so clear and detailed that i could skip the morning tour to the mirror. Working at lowest brightness wouldn’t be possible in the given light situation.
With the protector it’s way better. It’s not quite the most comfortable working at lowest settings, but it’s doable without beeing too distracted by the reflections. One step above is already very comfortable (and actually the setting at which i’m writing this). When i sit in front of the laptop there is no reflection at all, with the window to my side.

The foliage itself is cut to fit the framework display. There is a margin of ~2mm top/bottom combined, and ~1mm left/right combined. You can see it when the display is off, when the display is on it’s basically unnoticeable. Though i would recommend to make it flush at the top, and have more margin at the bottom, as in my subject experience it’s less distracting at the bottom.

They also offer a glas variant, I would be really interested in how that would look, if the finish is very different or not.

[biber]

@Green

The foliage itself is cut to fit the framework display. There is a margin of ~2mm top/bottom combined, and ~1mm left/right combined. You can see it when the display is off, when the display is on it’s basically unnoticeable. Though i would recommend to make it flush at the top, and have more margin at the bottom, as in my subject experience it’s less distracting at the bottom.

Depending on how annoying it is, you can also provide them with pictures. They are normally very flexible when it’s about margins etc. and may send you a slightly bigger one.