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.
Quick take
After two years of using my 14-inch MacBook Pro with a bare trackpad, faint marks and shine started to bother me, so I tried two trackpad protectors: a Rasta Banana film first, then a ClearView carbon-pattern film two months later. My conclusion: if you care most about how the trackpad feels, leave it bare. If you want protection anyway, the thin Rasta Banana film is the one I kept. The ClearView carbon film was very hard to reapply and made gestures feel sticky for me.
What I tested
- Rasta Banana trackpad film for MacBook Pro 14-inch (smooth, anti-glare, 0.15 mm, two films in the pack)
- ClearView touchpad protector, carbon-pattern clear type (one film, with wet and dry cleaning wipes)
- My 14-inch MacBook Pro in a dark finish, used almost all day for work
- Two-finger scrolling and three/four-finger gestures, with dry and slightly damp fingers
What I found
Rasta Banana: easy to apply, and with dry fingers it is almost frictionless. With slightly damp fingers, though, grip increases more than on the bare glass, and scrolling felt a touch less responsive. Two months later, the patchy look from application had not faded and still looked a little whitish on my dark Mac.
ClearView carbon: the pattern hides unevenness well, but the adhesion is so strong that I had to pry up the edge with a fingernail to lift it, and the corner bent permanently. You really need to get it right on the first try. Worse for me, finger glide was poor and multi-finger gestures felt sticky. Wiping the surface did not change that.
| Rasta Banana | ClearView (carbon) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price mentioned in the video | About ¥2,000 for two (14-inch size) | About ¥980 for one |
| Thickness | 0.15 mm, thin and flexible | A bit thicker |
| Glide | Very smooth (grippier when fingers are damp) | Poor; gestures feel sticky |
| Reapplying | Bubbles come out easily; easy to lift | Very strong adhesion; nearly impossible |
| Looks | Application marks can stay visible | Pattern hides unevenness |
Who it's for
A trackpad film makes sense if shine and stains bother you and you are happy to swap the film when it gets dirty. Skip it if you want the best possible feel, or if tiny bubbles and dust specks under a film will annoy you. For resale, I doubt a year or two of use without a film makes much difference.
The video is in Japanese. The ClearView application starts at around 4:30, and the side-by-side glide check is at around 8:40. My first impressions of the Rasta Banana film are in an earlier video:
Limitations
I only tested the carbon-pattern ClearView film; ClearView also makes matte and anti-fingerprint versions that may feel different. I did not wait to see whether the large bubble would work its way out before lifting the film. Glide is my personal impression, not a measurement.
Products
Rasta Banana trackpad film for MacBook Pro 14-inch: on Amazon Japan
ClearView carbon-pattern touchpad protector for MacBook Pro 14-inch: on Amazon Japan
Both films are Japanese products and may be hard to find outside 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
All Screen & Lens Protectors (27) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.