When something’s called “Premium Glass,” you’d expect it to be great. But as we found in our testing, marketing doesn’t always match reality. The Otterbox Premium Glass screen protector ranks #14 out of 20, with a decent performance score dragged down by poor protection and a truly outdated design. At $49.95, this screen protector asks a lot—but doesn’t give enough in return. Let’s dig into what works and what really doesn’t.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good optical clarity (0.92) | Smallest coverage tested (91.66%) |
| Above-average oleophobic coating | Very weak edges (52.28N) |
| Decent impact resistance (273.64N) | High glare increase (+13.58%) |
| Scratch resistant (7H) | Flimsy install frame and outdated method |
| Recognizable brand | Not worth the premium $49.95 price |
Design
Design is the biggest flaw of the Otterbox Premium Glass. It ranks 18th in this category and has the smallest front-face coverage of any protector we’ve tested—just 91.66%, compared to the 93.07% average. It’s made of double-tempered glass, but that doesn’t help when the edges are completely flat and left exposed. Coverage is already lacking, and that flat edge design only increases vulnerability.
The install experience is another letdown. Otterbox still uses a rubber-band-style install method that may have been passable years ago but is now severely outdated. Competitors offer dust-free frames and seamless installs. Otterbox’s approach works, technically, but it’s flimsy and frustrating compared to modern standards.
Performance
Despite the design, performance is where this protector redeems itself a bit. It ranks 6th overall, with an optical clarity score of 0.92 (above the 0.9 average). That’s solid. However, the glare increase is noticeable—13.58% compared to an average bump of 5.64%. If you’re in bright lighting a lot, that’s going to affect visibility.
The oleophobic coating is also slightly above average. Oil droplets took 35.43 seconds to travel 6cm at a 30° incline—faster than the 44-second average—and there was minimal residue. It’s not the best coating we’ve seen, but it’s far from the worst. Overall, we’d call it “almost premium” in this category.
Protection
Protection is below average, ranking #12 in our tests. The glass held up to scratching at 7H, which is expected from quality tempered glass. The impact resistance was decent at 273.64N (average is 271.44N). But again, the flat edges bring the product down—edge strength was only 52.28N, far below the 86.18N average. With flat edges and minimal coverage, cracks from edge impacts are likely.
Value
At $49.95 for a single screen protector, this product sits firmly in the premium pricing tier. But is it worth it? Not really. The install process is frustrating, the protection is compromised, and while performance is okay, it’s not miles ahead of screen protectors that cost half as much. For example, some $21 options perform just as well or better without the design compromises.
Verdict
The Otterbox Premium Glass screen protector doesn’t live up to its name. It has good clarity and a decent oleophobic coating, but it falls flat—literally and figuratively—on design and protection. For $50, you should expect much better performance and a more refined install experience. Unless you’re loyal to the Otterbox brand or find this on a deep discount, we can’t recommend it over the competition.