Gorilla Glass might be associated with a powerful gorilla. However, it's a protective glass for smartphone screens and even their bodies. Gorilla Glass's purpose is to protect the device from scratches and even screen cracks – it must be admitted that the latter option sounds particularly powerful. So, let's find out what Gorilla Glass is and if it truly protects our phones from damage even in extreme situations?
What is Gorilla Glass? Where did its phenomenon come from?
Let's start with a quick theory. Gorilla Glass is a glass produced by the American company Corning Glass. It is ultra-thin and tempered. It is made from aluminosilicate hardened in liquid potassium nitrate (heated to a temperature of several hundred degrees Celsius). This brief production process can definitely be impressive.
The first generation of Gorilla Glass was used to protect the iPhone screen in 2007. Steve Jobs' interest translated into the enormous success of this solution. Currently, Gorilla Glass covers the screens of hundreds of millions of devices worldwide. The manufacturer regularly introduces various improvements and modifications. As a result, seven generations of Gorilla Glass have been created, along with a special solution for new Apple iPhones, namely Ceramic Shield glass.
Phones with Gorilla Glass – does the screen really not crack?
We might wonder about the price of Gorilla Glass. Currently, manufacturers use this solution in both budget and flagship smartphones. Of course, in cheaper models, you'll find, for example, Gorilla Glass 3 or Gorilla Glass 5. Their market debut dates back to 2013 and 2015, respectively. The latest seventh generation of this glass (debuted in 2020) primarily covers the screens of higher-priced smartphones. However, that's how the market works; you often pay more for better solutions.
Phones with Gorilla Glass Victus (which is the exact name of the seventh generation of this glass) are an option for special tasks. Thanks to this solution, our smartphone is supposed to become a real tough guy. But does the screen with Gorilla Glass Victus really not crack? In laboratory tests, a smartphone with this glass was dropped from a height of 2 meters onto a hard surface and… emerged unscathed. Of course, it's worth taking into account that these are just tests. In everyday life, there's a risk that the smartphone might fall in such an unfortunate way that even Gorilla Glass Victus won't help. However, it is an effective weapon against unwanted scratches. We often carry our smartphones with keys, coins, or cards. Gorilla Glass Victus should easily handle these items – as a result, our screen will remain scratch-free.
Let's take a closer look at the glass from previous generations. How does display protection look with, for example, Gorilla Glass 5? This is an option used in, among others, budget and mid-range Xiaomi or Realme smartphones. According to tests, the device's screen can survive a fall from a height of one meter without damage, but only in 80% of cases. Here, the issue of a non-cracking screen doesn't look as good as with Gorilla Glass Victus. In such a case, I wouldn't trust that a smartphone dropped from your hands onto a hard floor would survive such an impact without a scratch.
Tempered Glass vs. Gorilla Glass
Gorilla Glass offers good protection – often, in the worst-case scenario, only the outer glass is cracked. Display damage incurs significantly higher repair costs than just replacing the aforementioned outer glass. Gorilla Glass in smartphones primarily serves as basic, first-line protection during falls. Therefore, it's worth investing in additional tempered glass. This usually involves an expense of no more than a few dozen zlotys.
Especially if we own phones with a generation of Gorilla Glass older than Victus, it's worth ensuring additional protection in the form of tempered glass. In practice, this will not harm us in any way – after an eventual fall, the most likely to suffer will be the applied tempered glass costing 20, 30, or 50 zlotys.
How to remove scratches from Gorilla Glass? Is it even possible?
We often hear that nothing is impossible. I don't deny it – it's a great motivational slogan and works in many situations! However, not when it comes to removing scratches from the surface of Gorilla Glass. Yes, we can do it by mechanically polishing the screen surface. We use a grinder and polishing paste for this – but is it worth it? We then abrade the Gorilla Glass coating. An unskilled procedure can permanently damage the display. It's a rather delicate component that reacts to touch. In new smartphones, the screen often has, among other things, a fingerprint reader built-in.
Removing scratches from a smartphone screen is done at your own risk. It is definitely a better option to invest in a screen protector or tempered glass right after purchasing the phone. We can also trust the Gorilla Glass solutions and ignore micro-scratches. After all, a smartphone is a tool for everyday use.
