[Galaxy Note II Accessories] Alexei Volkoff:
Vikuiti ADQC27 10 months review

Vikuiti ADQC27 10 months review

I started to write this review back in February 2013 when I first installed the Vikuiti ADQC27 on my brand new Galaxy Note 2. I just got the Note 3 and I thought it might be interesting to tell the tale of my 10 month use of this protector. But let’s start from the beginning. I’ll classify each aspect on a 1 to 5 scale:

1- It sucks!

2- Poor

3- Average

4- Good

5 - Excellent

What you get

Depending on promotions etc. you may get 2 or 3 screen protectors. The package is rather Spartan. You get the protectors and a 3 step installation instructions. No cleaning tissue, no squeegee to remove the air bubbles, just the protectors.

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2/5

Coverage

I always check the fit of my protectors before I install them. I immediately noticed that it barely covered the screen. I always use the adhesive tape technique to align and apply my protectors but it this one it was a must. The protector is just about 2 mm wider on each side than the actual display (see pictures). If you are looking for full screen coverage, look elsewhere. This protector will leave a substantial amount of the screen unprotected, around the edges.

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2/5

Installation

As I said before, you have to precisely align the protector with the screen or you risk leaving the actual display unprotected. If you are not familiar with the adhesive tape technique I advise you to Google for it of search the forums and try it.

Apart from that, the installation is pretty simple and stress free, provided you took the care to discharge yourself and the protector from any static electricity before installation. Air bubbles are rare and ease to remove. If it wasn’t for the short width of the protector, it you be quite easy to install

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4/5

Clarity

The protector is indeed crystal clear and you’ll have a hard time noticing there is actually a protector in front of the screen. However, reflections are just as bad as without a screen protector.

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5/5

Initial use

The Vikuiti ADQC27 has a nice feel to it. It is almost as smooth as glass and the fingers slide easily. There is no rubbery fell or drag. The S-Pen is also easy to use.

The ADQC27 is a dirt and finger magnet and it is not as easy to clean as glass. Sure, you can clean it (more on that latter) but after half hour of use you’re back to square one. It misses a 5/5 because of this.

4/5

Continued use and duration

This is the whole point of a 10 month review. How long does it last? How are its properties affected with the passing of time?

First, let me tell you my daily habits: I use my phone a couple of hour per day, on average. My S-Pen use is no more than 10 min a day. I find the S-Pen useful for taking notes but for everything else I use my fingers.

The first couple of months went by without any major changes. I didn’t worry much about the fingerprints and dirt because I could not notice them with the screen on. So, in those first 2 months I guess I cleaned it about 3 times. I always clean the screen with a soft cloth made to clean photographic lenses and a couple of drops of lens cleaning fluid. This is the same combination I have been using on my photographic lenses for years with good results.

On the third month I started to notice something that I really hate in protectors: the rainbow effect. I started noticing those rainbow-like smudges that diffract the screen light into its components and make the screen look like there are mini rainbows on it. I hate that. Coincidence of not, I also noticed that after cleaning, the protector would feel rubbery and I had to use it for about 15 minutes until fingerprints and dirt started to show up again in order to return to the smooth glide feel. I guess dirt must have and upside :). As far as scratches, there were no noticeable scratches. I use my phone in my pockets (both trousers and jacket) but on a different pocket than the one I keep my keys and change.

After about six months of use the rainbow effect became a real PITA. I had to clean the screen much more often and truth be told, I should have replaced the screen by then. But since I already had my eye on the about to be released Note 3 I decided to keep it. I no longer had the 2nd protector that came with the original because I (unwisely) had sold it to a friend. Scratches were still hair thin and only noticeable in incident light which means they were not visible in normal use. I could not see any depressions or other signs of use of the S-Pen.

The rainbow effect got a bit worsts between the 6th and 10th month but not much worse than it already was. The scratches are still invisible with the screen on and still no traces of use of the S-Pen. It is worth mentioning that the protector always adhered very well to the screen, even around its edges. There is just one thing I only noticed now: the yellowing of the protector. When I compared my Note 2 side by side with my Note 3, with both displays showing a white background, I could clearly notice a yellowish tint on the Note 2’s display. Once I removed the protector the tint was gone.

3/5

Protection

The Vikuiti ADQC27 effectively protected the screen from major damage for 10 months. When I finally removed all I had to was wipe the screen with a soft cloth and it was as good as new.

5/5

Conclusion

I guess I stretched the life of this protector beyond its reasonable limits. Its performance clearly starts to degrade after 2 months and becomes unacceptable (to me) after 6 months or so, considering my daily use of the phone.

So in a nutshell:

PROS

- Easy installation

- Air bubble are easy to remove

- Glass-like clarity

- Performance when new

- Scratch resistance

CONS

- Fingerprint and dirt magnet

- Rainbow effect after fairly short use

- No accessories provided for installation

Would I buy one again? Actually, I’m looking for a different protector for my Note 3. I hate the rainbow effect and this protector does get dirty very easily. For me the rainbow effect is the dealbreaker.

Overall score

3.5/5

I hope you found this review useful. Comments are appreciated.