The Most Expensive Screen Protector Is Sapphire… But Is It Actually Better?

This is the most expensive screen protector you can buy, so naturally it has to be the best.

And honestly, in almost every way, it kind of is. Except for one important detail.

Why It’s So Scratch Resistant

After applying it, your screen isn’t going to scratch. And realistically, neither is the screen protector itself. That’s because this isn’t traditional tempered glass. It’s made from sapphire.

Sapphire ranks 9 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, which measures scratch resistance. Only diamond ranks higher. For comparison, standard tempered glass usually sits around 6 to 7 on that same scale.

That means everyday objects like keys, coins, and even most sand particles won’t leave marks. Sapphire is commonly used in high-end watch crystals for this exact reason. It stays clear and resists surface wear far better than regular glass.

From a scratch perspective, this is about as premium as it gets.

Hardness vs Drop Resistance

The thing about sapphire, though, is that extreme hardness does not automatically mean extreme durability.

Hardness measures resistance to scratching. Toughness measures resistance to breaking under impact. Sapphire scores very high in hardness but much lower in fracture toughness compared to tempered glass.

On the other hand, tempered glass is engineered to flex slightly and absorb impact energy. Sapphire is much more rigid. When force is applied during a drop, that energy doesn’t disperse the same way. Once the stress exceeds its limit, it cracks. So while it’s incredibly scratch resistant, it’s not designed to handle repeated drops.

What Happens After a Few Drops

After one drop, it might survive. After a few, especially when the impact force is concentrated into a small area, the odds of failure increase.

Sapphire is extremely hard, but it doesn’t flex much under stress. Once the force exceeds its limit, it fractures. And because it’s more brittle, when it cracks, it tends to break decisively rather than gradually. So even though it resists scratches incredibly well, repeated impacts can still cause it to fail.

That’s the tradeoff.

Final Thoughts

If your biggest concern is keeping your screen completely scratch-free, this is easily one of the best protectors you can buy. Sapphire is incredibly hard, rated 9 on the Mohs scale, and it will resist everyday wear far better than traditional glass. It stays clear, it stays clean-looking, and it doesn’t pick up micro-scratches the same way cheaper protectors do.

But hardness alone doesn’t make something invincible. While sapphire excels against scratches, it doesn’t absorb impact the same way other materials can. Repeated drops can still cause it to fracture once its stress limit is reached.

So yes, it’s premium. It’s impressive. And in terms of scratch resistance, it earns its price.

It’s just not unbeatable in every situation.

See you in the next article!