Best iPhone 13 Pro Max Privacy (Anti-Spy) Tempered Glass Screen Protector

If you’ve already bought an iPhone 13 Pro Max, congratulations! Most people are still rocking their old iPhone 12. But now that you’ve got your sweet new phone, you probably want to protect your investment. Yes, Apple’s warranty service borders on the legendary. But do you really want to be without your phone for several days because you cracked your screen? Instead, it makes more sense to spend a few extra bucks on a good quality glass screen protector.

We’ve reviewed various screen protectors in the past. A good example of this is our look at the best Nintendo Switch OLED screen protectors. In those reviews, we had to look for excellent touchscreen accuracy, which will certainly be a factor today. After all, when you touch your onscreen keyboard, you want to make sure the keystroke registers correctly. But in addition to accuracy, we’re also looking for screen protectors that provide a measure of privacy. A good tempered glass iPhone screen protector will keep strangers from peeking in on your texts.

We’re about to review four of the best privacy (anti-spy) tempered glass screen protectors for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. To start, we’ll look at the TOCOL 2-Pack. This is a set of no-nonsense screen and camera protectors, which come in a two-pack. Next, we’ll be examining the JETech 2-Pack.

This is similar in many ways to the TOCOL kit, but includes screen protectors only. Third on our list is the QHOHQ 2-Pack. These are dual screen and camera protectors, with beveled edges that are optimal for ultra-thin cases. Finally, we’ll check out the UniqueMe 2-Pack. These are screen protectors only, but they’re available in either black or gold, depending on your tastes. But which set is the best? We’re about to look at all of their features, and find out. Let’s get started!

Choosing the Best iPhone 13 Pro Max Privacy Screen Protector

So, what is it that makes one screen protector better than another? To begin with, there’s one essential feature: it must be made specifically for your phone. If it’s made for a different model, even for the base iPhone 13, it’s not going to fit exactly right. In that case, you could end up with exposed parts, or with holes that are covered up by glass. Other than that, there are a few other factors to consider. These are the quality of the glass, how easy it is to install, and how well it protects your privacy. Here’s a quick overview of each.

Glass Hardness and Thickness

Tempered glass is measured on a hardness scale, or H-scale. When you’re looking for a screen protector, accept nothing less than 9H glass. Basically, it means it won’t scratch when written on with a #9 pencil, the hardest type. This translates to a screen that’s virtually scratch-proof, and also difficult to shatter. Thickness is also important. 0.33mm is the norm, since it provides a good balance of protection and sensitivity. That said, some protectors for thin phone cases are as slim as 0.25mm.

Ease of Installation

Installing a screen protector requires a steady hand. You have to get it placed exactly right, and carefully press it into place. To make things more complicated, you need to work from the center out to keep bubbles from forming. And if you mess up, you’ve got to peel it off without damaging it and reapply. No big deal! If this is a concern for you, look for a screen protector with an installation kit. These normally include a frame to snap your protector into the right place. Depending on the kit, you might also get a cleaning cloth, or even an alcohol cleaning wipe.

Privacy Performance

Of course, physical protection is only one kind of protection. Just as importantly, a good screen protector should also keep your phone safe from prying eyes. Most protectors will limit the viewing angle to anywhere between 22.5 and 45 degrees away from center. That said, keep in mind that these are ballpark numbers. The brighter your screen, the more it will bleed through. Conversely, if you dim your screen to save batteries, the viewing angle will be narrower.

TOCOL 2-Pack

The TOCOL 2-Pack is exactly what it claims to be. It’s a two-pack privacy screen and lens protector, so you can outfit two separate phones. The glass itself is easy to apply, although there are no installation tools included in the package. The lens protector is even easier to stick into place, since there are so many holes to use as guides. That said, it’s highly effective. At any sort of wide angle, all you’ll see is a black surface. Not only that, but the glass has been engineered using anti-reflective technology. This does a great job at preventing glare, even under very bright conditions.

This is a high-quality, 9H glass that’s used by the military. This is why TOCOL advertises it as “explosion-proof,” since it’s used in explosion-resistant manufacturing. But this little piece of tempered glass is not going to survive a bomb glass; it’s just not thick enough.

Thankfully, you don’t really need that level of performance from your screen protector. You need drop and crack protection, which the TOCOL protector provides in spades. It can withstand a drop from seven feet onto a hard surface, which is a good amount of force. Unless you hit your phone with a hammer, you shouldn’t have to worry about cracking.

JETech 2-Pack

JETech is a respected manufacturer of electronic cases. We’ve reviewed a few of their offerings, including their high-quality Nintendo Switch Lite hard case. So when we saw that they’re already making an iPhone 13 Pro Max screen protector, we had to look closer.

The JETech 2-Pack is a pair of screen protectors, without any accompanying camera protectors. This is great if you want to save money, or if a camera protector would interfere with your case. As with the TOCOL protectors, these are ionized. When you look at the screen from an oblique angle, you’ll just see a wall of black.

The design of the glass is ultra thin, only a third of a millimeter in thickness. Despite this, it’s still 9H glass, and it can still withstand a fall from seven feet. This makes it very effective at protecting your phone from cracks and scratches. Moreover, the JETech kit comes with a cleaning kit. It’s nothing too fancy, but it’s enough to wipe off the odd thumbprint without using the end of your shirt.

QHOHQ 2-Pack

The QHOHQ 2-Pack is similar to the TOCOL kit in that it includes both screen and lens protectors. This allows you to protect your whole phone, both the front and the back. It also provides good privacy protection, with a screen that turns black when not viewed head-on.

The difference between this 2-pack and the others is that the glass is beveled at the edges. This helps it to remain flush if you have an ultra thin case, or no case at all. In these situations, a standard screen protector can stick up, and even create a sharp edge. The beveled edge is a lot cleaner, and a lot more versatile. That said, it also creates a weak point. The glass is the same 9H glass as the others. But if it’s struck right near one of the edges, it’s not going to be quite as strong. Then again if you have no case, or a very thin one, you’re probably more concerned about privacy than damage.

Along with the screen and camera protectors, you also get a pair of dust cloths. We liked the fact that you get two, since you can take full advantage of the two-pack.

UniqueMe 2-Pack

The UniqueMe 2-Pack is a pair of screen protectors only, similar in construction to the JETech pack. You get similar drop performance, with high-quality tempered glass. You’ll get excellent scratch protection, albeit for the front of your phone only. However, where the two kits differ is in their appearance. All the other protectors on our list turn black when viewed from an angle, which is standard. By comparison, the UniqueMe protector is available in both black and gold. If you want a unique look for your smartphone, the gold version looks really sharp.

Another thing we liked about the UniqueMe protector is that it comes with an installation frame. This is really just a rectangular piece of plastic molded to fit over your phone with the protector inside. But despite its simplicity, it makes installation much easier. You don’t have to worry about messing around with the protector to keep it centered. Just push the frame into place, smooth out any bubbles, and you’re all set. If you’ve had trouble with screen protectors in the past, you’re going to appreciate this feature.

Final Verdict

So, which one of these screen protectors is the best? It largely depends on what you need. The TOCOL 2-Pack is the most comprehensive for most purposes. It has heavy-duty glass, and it covers both your screen and your camera. It’s also very good at privacy protection, so there’s nothing to complain about. The only real downside is that it doesn’t come with any accessories.

If a camera guard is less of a concern for you, you might prefer the JETech 2-Pack. Since it’s otherwise nearly identical to the TOCOL protector, you won’t be missing much. Not only that, but the included cleaning kit makes it easy to keep your screen free of smudges.

The QHOHQ 2-Pack isn’t quite as protective as the others, since the beveled edges present a vulnerability. That said, it’s the best choice for ultra-slim cases, since your screen protector won’t protrude. The inclusion of camera covers and cleaning cloths also provide a lot of value to this kit.

The UniqueMe 2-Pack is notable for a couple of reasons. To begin with, it’s available in gold as well as black, which is a nice aesthetic touch. But even if you’re fine with an all-black screen, you might appreciate the installation frame. This makes an already-easy installation process even easier.