This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan. Benks provided this screen protector for the review (PR).
Quick take
The Benks GlassWarrior is a premium tempered-glass screen protector for the iPhone 17 series with an anti-reflective (AR) coating and a finish designed to work with polarized sunglasses. Next to an ordinary glass protector, the difference in reflections was obvious — and with polarized sunglasses on, the screen barely dimmed at all. It is expensive for a screen protector, but if you use your iPhone as a car navigation screen, it may be close to essential.
What I tested
- Benks GlassWarrior for the iPhone 17 series (AR anti-reflective, polarized-sunglasses friendly)
- Listed price for the Pro version: ¥5,799 at the time of recording
- Compared against an older Benks glass protector without AR coating, and the NIMASO roller-applied protector I had been using before
- Indoor reflections (studio lights and a ceiling-mounted camera) and viewing through polarized sunglasses, with both phones at maximum brightness
What I found
- Easy to apply. The kit has a roller-type alignment frame. Clean the screen, set the phone in the frame, pull the tab and roll — it went on in one go with no bubbles or misalignment.
- One tiny fibre got in, mostly because my room was very dry. A thin roll of masking tape slid under the edge lifted it out.
- Fit: the black border may be very slightly wider than on the NIMASO protector, but you only notice side by side.
- Reflections: on its own it looked only slightly less reflective. Side by side with a non-AR protector, the ceiling camera was clearly visible on the plain glass and barely visible on the GlassWarrior.
- Polarized sunglasses: the non-AR phone went noticeably darker and showed rainbow-like smearing; the GlassWarrior stayed bright and clear.
| Benks GlassWarrior | Glass protector without AR | |
|---|---|---|
| AR coating | Yes | No |
| Reflections of indoor lights / ceiling camera | Barely visible | Clearly visible |
| Through polarized sunglasses | Hardly dims | Visibly darker, with smearing |
Who it’s for
Drivers who mount their iPhone for navigation and wear polarized sunglasses, and anyone who spends a lot of time looking at their phone outdoors — golf, running and so on. If you mostly use your iPhone indoors, an ordinary glass protector will protect it just as well, and you may not feel the difference as much.
Watch the review
The video is in Japanese. Unboxing and application start at 01:21, the reflection test at 08:21, and the polarized-sunglasses comparison at 09:34.
Limitations
This was tested on day one, so I can’t speak to long-term scratch resistance or how the coating holds up. At the time of recording I couldn’t find the standard iPhone 17 version on Amazon Japan, only the Pro and Pro Max versions; check the listing for the exact model you need.
Products
Benks GlassWarrior (iPhone 17 Pro): on Amazon Japan
NIMASO Bari-raku Roller glass protector: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
