5 Reasons You Need a Nintendo Switch Screen Protector

One common question among new Nintendo Switch owners is whether or not they need a screen protector for their new gaming console. Everyone’s become quite accustomed to slapping a screen protector on their phones to keep those screens safe from keys, coins and other scratch risks. But what about a hybrid, semi-mobile console?

Using a screen protector on your new Nintendo Switch is a very good idea if you want to keep the screen functioning well and scratch-free. Here are 5 reasons you should consider adding a screen protector to your Switch.

First up, the plastic screens used in the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite are just plain easy to scratch. They aren’t made of Gorilla Glass like your phone, and they just don’t stand up to much abuse.

There have been plenty of reports of the Switch dock itself scratching users’ screens, which isn’t exactly ideal. And anything harder than your fingernail runs the risk of creating scratches.

The best solution here is a thin tempered glass screen protector — similar to the kinds most people put on their phones.

If you’re worried about scratches from the dock (or you’ve already sustained some small ones), a screen protector will solve this issue. Now, if anything gets scratched, it’ll be your screen protector. But again, with a tempered glass screen protector, that just isn’t going to happen. There’s nothing on the inside of the dock that’s strong enough to scratch glass.

No matter how careful you (or your kids) are with your Switch, the very nature of a handheld gaming console means that there’s risk involved. Handheld things get dropped, bumped, and even accidentally launched across a room.

When it comes to accidents like drops or bumps, you’re likely more worried about fall damage than screen damage. But the latter is still a big concern. Falling onto or even rubbing against the wrong surface is all it takes for your plastic Switch screen to go from pristine to barely usable. Again, applying a screen protector nearly eliminates this danger.

One of the great things about the Switch (and the Switch Lite) is the ability to game on the go. Since all the internals live in the handheld unit (not the dock), the handheld Switch is all you need to have a complete gaming experience.

But that flimsy plastic screen isn’t really built to be tossed in a bag or shoved in an oversized pocket. Travel is one of the easiest ways to damage the screen on your Switch.

If you’re regularly taking your Nintendo Switch with you when you travel (even across town to a friend’s house), you’ll want to invest in a travel case. Nintendo even sells its own cases for the Switch. But don’t stop with just a travel case. The wrong case might even lead to scratches or rub marks on that screen!

Get a screen protector, too, for even more protection.

If you’re gaming on a new Nintendo Switch OLED Model, things are a little more complicated. First, your device is physically bigger, so the original Switch carrying cases and screen protectors aren’t going to fit. Make sure when you go to buy your accessories that you’re getting versions that fit the OLED model.

Second, there’s something a bit confusing about this new model. When you first pull it out of the box, you’ll notice a plastic film already installed. You might think that this is just one of those temporary films that you’re supposed to remove, but it’s not.

Nintendo calls this an “anti-scatter” layer, and they don’t want you to remove it. The screen on the OLED model is actually made of glass, which (in theory) means it’s not as easily scratched. However, the anti-scatter layer is made of soft plastic. It’s there to catch the glass shards if the screen were to shatter. But it’s going to end up getting scratched just like the original model’s plastic screen did.

So, what should you do with the OLED model if you want the most protection? Leave the anti-scatter sheet intact. But go ahead and slap a tempered glass screen protector over the top of it.

In fact, Nintendo even sells their own glass screen protector along with an official carrying case. So you can be assured that using a screen protector (over the top of the anti-scatter layer) is a safe thing to do.

Installing a screen protector on your Nintendo Switch is a great first step toward protection. But there are plenty of aspects of the device that a screen protector can’t protect. That’s where a Nintendo Switch extended warranty comes in.

Upsie protects your Switch against all sorts of manufacturer issues and component failures, along with accidental drops, spills, and other accidental damage. Upsie’s plans are very reasonably priced and easy to use if you need to make a claim.

Ready to get even more protection? Get your Upsie plan today.