Customer Reviews

DSi Screen Protective Filter & Stylus Kit

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Both of the protectors look fantastic and are crystal clear.

I've had bad experiences with screen protectors before, where the screen protector had too many bubbles and appeared "cloudy" after application.

Had a bit of an issue actually applying the top screen protector. Flecks of debris kept getting on the screen and caused "bubbles". I ended up using a piece of clear tape to remove the debris from the protecter, just as the instructions suggested, and was able to eventually apply it smoothly on the third attempt.

Also, the stylus with the rubber grip is extremely comfortable and is now the stylus I use exclusively. Feels like you are holding a normal sized pen and doesn't cause my hand to cramp up after long play sessions.

With all the success of the new Nintendo DSi, the latest incarnation of Nintendo's DS series of handhelds, there are so many great ways you can protect your system from damage, and this is a good starter. This DSi screen filter, is easy to setup and protects any flashy glare that may affect you from playing your favorite Nintendo DS games, to taking unique snapshots with the DSi's digital camera. It is a really good buy for anyone who wants to be sure that they can play their favorites, without anything going wrong. The stylus here also is a good buy. While it is a bit bigger than the sizes from Nintendo's earlier DS stylus pens from the original DS and DS Lite, it still works just as well, and doesn't have any problems. I really recommend you get this as a additon to your new Nintendo DSi.

Price: B

Convience: B 1/2+

Overall: B

Ever since I had an original DS, I've heard HORI was the best brand to get for screen protectors; however, back then I went for generic brand ones because they were cheaper, which was a terrible decision. The filter itself got more scratches than the bare screen would have, was rough to the touch, and gave a terrible rainbow-hazy look to the screen. Not only that, but removing it ruined the touch screen calibration and made the filter unusable.

When I got a DSi, I finally sprung for these; HORI protectors have NONE of the aforementioned problems. They are practically invisible; I had to look closely to make sure they even applied. After applying, the touch screen was even smoother than the bare screen, and the stylus would just glide without problem. Now of course bubbles and dust got under the filters while applying. That is completely unavoidable with any protector. What takes the cake with these filters is that they come off with only simple scotch tape (make sure you pull at an angle), so it's easy to lift and re-apply as much as necessary to get them bubble free, and like the other reviews say, it's also a simple matter of using tape to get the dust out.

As for the stylus, not much can be said other than it's a bigger stylus, which helps reduce hand cramps. Of course it won't fit in the DSi itself, but it has a loop at the top so you can tie a string, strap, or whatever between it and the DS. Or you can just use the clip like a regular pen and just keep it in your pocket, whatever works for you.

I highly recommend these screen proctectors for the DSi. I'm glad I went with Hori. They were easy to install and look/work great... and the stylus is a big improvement over the standard stylus. However, don't try installing these without the proper preparation/tools:

1. Use a good quality lens cloth for cleaning the screen first. I wouldn't recommend any cleaning products. To remove smudges and fingerprints, just use your breath (like you're cleaning eye glasses) and gently buff clean with your lens cloth.

2. You must use compressed air (can of air) to get good results. Otherwise you'll end up with dust particles trapped under the protector. After cleaning with the lens cloth, spray the screen with the can of air. Use the straw and give extra attention to the edges and corners.

3. Now don't waste time or dust will settle on the screen again. Carefully apply the screen protector starting from the top left corner and then the bottom left corner for perfect alignment... then it should fall in place easily.

4. I didn't have any bubbles, but you should be able to remove bubbles by gently pushing them to the edge with a credit card (whatever you use, make sure the edges are smooth/rounded).

Another suggestion: try to find a place with as little dust as possible for the installation... turn off any fans, don't stir up any dust, stay away from pet areas, etc. You'd be surprised how much dust is floating around the room... and you don't want it to land on your screen right before you install the protector!

This isn't meant to be a definitive instruction on how to install the screen protectors, but to provide tips that worked well for me (especially the can of air). I recommend you read-up on the process (Google it) before your first install.

With a good installation, you can't tell the screen protectors are there... except if you look for the edges of the protectors, which are just inside the edges of the DSi screen.

I bought this primarily for the stylus. And the stylus is great, it fits my hand well and feels more natural and comfortable than the one that is included with the DSi. The screen protector is exactly every other screen protector I have ever seen. It was impossible to put on without getting dust between it and the screen. I properly cleaned the screen ahead of time and was in a relatively dust free environment, however the static charge on this was very high and it attracted 3 large pieces of debris. I think anyone who says they don't have these problems either applies them in a clean lab or just can't see the bubbles (every product I have ever seen in real life like this has always had bubbles from dust, no matter what the owner said).

So in short, buy it for the stylus but don't expect anything from the screen protector.

Good quality, but the protectors are a little big for the DS lite. I cut them down a bit and they are fine.

This product is poorly designed, it does not allow an easy to install. Because of this bad design I had to throw away the protective foil.

At the time of installation to remove the tabs were broken off protective film.

Do not waste your money on this product.

I have just purchased this and applied it, so I cannot yet speak about the longevity of the product.

Applying the screen protectors was easy and straight-forward. I managed to get a couple of bubbles in the top screen, but I worked them out with little difficulty. I had enough sense to slowly apply the bottom one bit by bit, smoothing with a credit card as I went, and it was bubble-free.

The protectors are not quite a perfect fit. It's most noticeable for me on the bottom screen; I can easily see just a bit of space all around the edges. This isn't a big deal, but I would have liked it to fit just a little better. I have screen protectors on other electronics that fit so well, you can't even tell they are there. I'm afraid bits of dirt and dust will gravitate to the tiny groove now around the edge of the screen, but time will tell. Other than this, the protectors look very nice when applied and seem like a quality product.

The stylus is very comfortable to hold, and it will probably be the one I reach for the most. My boys prefer the regular stylus, but I think the larger pen-like stylus fits adult hands better.

All-in-all, I give it 4 and a half stars. I'll edit this review in a few months and update on wear and tear.

It was very hard to put on and the dust get sticked on the screen because of the protector but overall it is awesome, and the stylus is very confortable bettar than the normal one. You should get this.

I'm here to buy a second set of this screen shield/stylus combo pack because I love the stylus. No, it's not compact and it doesn't fit into the stylus slot on the game unit but that's a good thing. The stylus is shorter than the average pen but it's about as wide as one and the rubber finger grip makes it very secure and comfortable to hold. Even after using it for hours, it doesn't cause my fingers to cramp or my wrist to ache. Maybe younger players who haven't had nearly half a century of wear and tear on their hands won't have a problem with the skinny little stylus that comes with the DSs but for those of us who have the mileage, this larger, thicker, squishy-gripped stylus is a godsend for the hand. As luck would have it, I can squeeze this 'oversized' stylus into my DSi's wallet case between the unit and the cover so when the flap is snapped down, the stylus is held quite nicely and snugly in place so storage isn't an issue for me. It also has a hole at the top which you could presumably use to attach it to a lanyard around the neck or to the back of the DSi unit using some kind of lightweight tether. There's also a pen-style clip which you can use to attach it to your shirt pocket (or shirt neck, as I do.)

The protective filters do the job and, with a bit of care and effort -- and patience -- are really not difficult to install. A bit tedious, perhaps, but not difficult. Between the directions provided with the kit and the suggestions made by others here, application is not a big issue unless you're working in a dusty environment, are all thumbs, or need a little less caffeine in your diet. Yes, the filters do scratch with use but the manufacturer never claimed they wouldn't. They are scratch resistant, NOT scratch-proof. Mine has a couple of harsh scratches and though they do bug me a little, they do not interfere with the viewing or use except to catch my eye when the light hits it just so. I would recommend wiping the filter AND the tip of your stylus clear of dust and dirt before you use your DSi (a microfiber cloth comes in handy for this.) I suspect that's what happened with my filter. Probably a tiny speck of dirt was on either the tip of the stylus or the filter so I ended up inadvertently scraping the dirt speck across the filter -- but better the filter than my DSi's screen! Considering that I've beaten on the filter with countless hours of sometimes aggressive gameplay, I can't and won't complain. Even if I replace the filter a few times a year, I consider that cheap insurance.

By the way, I have used plastic cleaner/polish on the touch-screen filter by applying a small amount to a soft cloth and then using it on the touch-screen filter. It seems to help give my somewhat worn filter a little extra life. Because I think the offending dirt particle may have also put a tiny scratch into the tip of the stylus, I've also used the trick of rubbing the tip on wax paper. The effect wears of somewhat quickly but it does help the stylus move more smoothly across the filtered screen. By repeatedly rubbing the stylus tip firmly over a smooth surface, I seem to have finally worn the burr off but I still keep a bit of wax paper handy to give the stylus tip a bit of a polish. Again, I suggest wiping the stylus tip and the filter clean before use so you don't end up with tiny but harsh scratches caused by dirt particles. Dust? No problem. Dirt? Those miniscule, hard, sharp-edged specks can be an issue. Hey, but wouldn't you prefer to scratch an inexpensive, replaceable filter and stylus over gouging the touch screen of your expensive DSi?

So, why only four stars instead of five? Because I think filters are over-priced. I suspect the packaging probably cost as much to make as the filters themselves. Nevertheless, they're still WAY cheaper than replacing my DSi.