Having invested in one of the most head-turning vehicles on the road today, you’re probably keen to keep your Tesla in tip-top condition. As its driver, one of the features of your car that you’ll have the most contact with, day in and day out, is the dashboard touchscreen. With that in mind, it makes sense that you’ll want to safeguard it against scratches, cracks, and even smudgy fingerprints.
The question is, do you need a Tesla screen protector, or is it an unnecessary expense?
Today, we’re going to delve into that question, explaining what to expect if you grab yourself a screen protector and what considerations you might want to make ahead of purchasing one.
Do I need a Tesla Screen Protector?
The question of whether or not you really need a screen protector is an entirely personal one. Tesla makes great-quality touchscreens that aren’t all that vulnerable to daily wear and tear. That said, there are a few different reasons why you may decide a screen protector is advantageous rather than overkill, so let’s explore them one by one.
Perhaps the most obvious reason to get a screen protector for your Tesla’s touchscreen is if your car’s passengers are likely to damage your screen! If you regularly have pets or kids in the car who might crash or bash around, a screen protector could be your best friend—doing the vital work of ensuring that the screen you depend upon so much doesn’t get cracked or otherwise damaged.
Of course, for many Tesla owners, the idea of letting hair-shedding pets or greasy-fingered children in the car may seem like sacrilege. If you are someone who likes to keep your EV’s interior immaculate, then you may like the idea of a screen protector to minimize the chance of scratches and reduce the appearance of fingerprints.
That touchscreen of yours can be polished up beautifully with a clean microfibre cloth, but if grit gets embedded in said cloth, that could potentially lead to a scratch. In terms of fingerprints, a matte-finish screen protector can minimize the appearance of fingerprints—a distinction that we’ll come back to later, so read on if that’s an issue for you.
The last reason that a Tesla driver might want to pick up a screen protector is to reduce screen glare from sunlight. Once again, a matte-finish screen protector is the go-to if this is your touchscreen bugbear. So, let’s jump ahead and look at different types of screen protectors.
Types of Screen Protectors For Your Telsa
When you first bought your Tesla, it would have come with a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film tasked with protecting it during transport. Most drivers remove this film after receiving their electric vehicle, although some do keep hold of it. It’s worth noting that while the PET film will minimize the possibility of light scratches, it isn’t nearly as protective as tempered glass and won’t last forever. This definitely isn’t a decent option for those concerned about major scratches and knocks.
As you might imagine, the companies making screen protectors specifically for Tesla console touchscreens tend to go higher-spec because that reflects the tastes of their target audience. These are generally a special kind of purpose-made tempered glass, which actually consists of layers of shock-absorbent silicon, PET film, tempered glass, and potentially an oleophobic coating. Such high-quality screen protectors are generally 9H rated, which means they can impressively protect against abrasion from any sharp material with the exclusion of super-hard topaz or corundum.
If you’ve decided to splash out on a great screen protector of this quality, you’ve still got one last decision to make. This is whether to go for a glossy screen protector that will protect against damage but may still show fingerprints, or a matte screen protector that will not only protect your screen but will also reduce sun glare and minimize fingerprint visibility.
Some Tesla drivers prefer the smooth-touch texture of matte-finish screen protectors, but others find the look off-putting. Where a gloss-finish screen protector maintains the shiny aesthetic of the screen underneath, a matte one looks a little duller and this can take some getting used to. However, if glare reduction is your goal, you’ll likely find this change in appearance to be well worth adjusting to.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you—and having chosen a Tesla, you’ll probably know exactly what you want. That might mean that a screen protector is top of your purchase list, or you might conclude that isn’t necessary for your trusty EV at all. The choice is yours!