Best iPhone XS Max screen protectors

Apple raised the prices for replacing a broken screen on your iPhone, and the new XS and XS Max will set you back $279 and $329, respectively. That's way more than what Apple used to charge for the screen swaps on its previous iPhones, even the X, so if you know you can't be bothered caring for your phone, better put a case on it... and a screen protector.

Granted, Apple says it is using its most durable glass ever both for the screen cover layer, and for the chassis, but until drop tests definitely prove the iPhone XS and XS Max as hard nuts to crack, we'd put at least a film protector on their displays, and would advise going with tempered glass for extra safety and clarity.

That's why we are rounding up a few of the better screen protectors you can find out there for your XS Max, so it can be protected from day one, as the iPhone XS can use the iPhone X protectors, too. As you can see, those little investments can save you at least $279 in the longer run, unless you splurge for AppleCare insurance... which is also more expensive now.

Best film and glass screen protectors for the iPhone XS and XS Max

Belkin Anti-Glare ($19.99)

Belkin ScreenForce InvisiGlass ($39.99)

Moshi IonGlass ($44.95)

TechMatte amFilm ($7.99)

If you are the rare cheapskate breed who buys a $1099 iPhone XS Max, the TechMatte amFilm series is not with one of the highest ratings on Amazon for no reason. It glues to  the whole of the active iPhone screen canvas and is as good in scratch-resistance and oleophobic coating as anything else out there. 

It is currently just eight bucks for a pack of two tempered glass protectors and comes with cleaning and application tools for easier installation. Needless to say, at this price, it is thicker than our previous offerings and is "mere" tempered glass, no ion-exchanged shenanigans here.

Have you heard of "ultraviolet baking" when applying screen protectors? Well, that's Whitestone's Dome Glass we were referring to, with 9H hardness for utmost protection, 0.3mm thickness, and 100% touch sensitivity retention, and that is a big deal for the curved glass phones of late. 

The Dome Glass' liquid adhesive spills underneath the layer all the way to the rimless, colorless edges, as you can see in the video below, thus avoiding both touch issues on the sides and the nasty reflections that most other tempered glass protectors exhibit. Granted, the Whitestone Dome does have to be baked with a lamp afterward, but, hey, you will be doing something with your own hands in this day and age of digital complacency! 

The sad part is that it will be available later on in the XS Max life cycle, and is pretty expensive, but if you are willing to wait on your bake sesh for a protector that "cuts blue light by 25% to protect your eyes," the Dome Glass is a pretty stellar alternative.

If you aren't a fan of ultraviolet baking (or wait times), you can't do much better than InvisibleShield's Glass+ Visionguard series, as these combine extreme clarity with a blue light filter to protect your eyes.

When we add the Glass+ part, which means ion-exchanged material for strengthening on the molecular level, to the Visionguard option, it's no wonder that InvisibleShield's relatively affordable screen protector offering for your XS Max is currently sold out on its website, but fret not, you can still order from the link below.