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I know most of us (if not all) keep looking for that perfect tempered glass screen protector for our phones (not to mention that it has to be curved of course).
Today I received my Skinomi Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge tempered glass screen protector, and I'd be more than happy in sharing my review of the product.
Packaging:
Packaging is retail. I pre-ordered from their website directly (rather not deal with Amazon), and I got a cool coupon that saved me 25% .
What comes included is your screen protector, fiber cloth, alcohol cleaning cloth and dust lifter screen.
Installation:
I'm going to be completely honest here; This is my first time installing a tempered glass screen protector. Much less a dry installation. I've always used invisible shield for my previous devices so I was expecting a hassle. This was by far the easiest installation I've ever done. Super easy!
Fit:
The fit is not as great as I'd expect it to be. It doesn't cover the phone fully on the edges, you can still see some small space that's left uncovered (I've attached pictures for your leisure). I'm sure that I've installed it as best as humanely possible (actually quite proud of that haha).
The capacitive buttons on the bottom or probably my main issue; The cover completely warps them. The cutouts on the glass protector don't match the cutouts on the phone itself. This causes the buttons to look weird and warped when they light up. I personally don't care (now if this is a mistake and someone from Skinomi is reading this, then please reach out!), the case does what it's supposed to do, but I feel that it makes the fact you have a glass protector on your phone obvious.
Feel:
The protector feels great, you really can't tell there's something on top of your screen. Touch sensibility is weird around the middle towards the left edge on my particular protector (I do have to press slightly harder in order to get a response), but I'm having that after 24 hours that problem clears out.
Final thoughts:
I actually like the protector overall. It's not bad for the price I payed (although I was expecting a better fit for the buttons and a better fit around the screen itself). I'm guessing that as long as the screen protector doesn't come off like the Spigen one I would consider myself happy.
I know the pictures are not the greatest, but If you guys want better ones or different angles or something just let me know!
Hope this helps!
Are those glittery specks permanent?
Graffiti Exploit said:
Are those glittery specks permanent?
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Yes they are.
I own this as well. My personal take on this is 7/10. Only thing that bothers me is the edges.... How they aren't as sensitive
Sent from my SM-G925A using Tapatalk
Mikeonic said:
I own this as well. My personal take on this is 7/10. Only thing that bothers me is the edges.... How they aren't as sensitive
Sent from my SM-G925A using Tapatalk
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Exactly my thoughts. If the edges were more sensitive, I wouldn't care about the rest.
I'm very impressed with this tempered glass. SGP use to be my favorite for all my devices but I'll start considering Skinomi tempered glass going forward.
There are some sensitivity issues on the left side but hopefully that will go away once the glass settles in and will report back if it does or doesn't go away later in the week. What I mean is that I would have to press harder than normal.
Here is a pic with the glass before installation. I just realized I still had the clear plastic covering my lens after I took this picture and will add a few more pictures with it being installed once I borrow a colleagues camera phone.
It looks so beautiful once installed and no bubbles like the SGP curved one. TBH, hyped went away once I started to get sensitivity issues on the left hand side and hopefully it will go away after a few days.
EDIT: after re-aligning the glass, I don't have any sensitivity issues anymore. You might have to re-aligning it a few times if you're off. Don't worry, you won't lose any stickyness. This tempered glass is worth buying IMHO.
I've tried plastic, wet install, and glass..... Glass was the best in terms of clarity but much more of a finger print magnet than the original glass underneath. And more reflective... The wet install one showed the spent marks.. At this rate I'll spend more on screen protectors than a replacement screen.... Please send your recommendations. Thanks
Lol. There are like 10 screen protector threads here already !
Sent from my Galaxy Note8 using XDA Labs
Dejan Sathanas said:
Lol. There are like 10 screen protector threads here already !
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But a lot of people are just looking for protection.... I am looking for more...
magichoward said:
I've tried plastic, wet install, and glass..... Glass was the best in terms of clarity but much more of a finger print magnet than the original glass underneath. And more reflective... The wet install one showed the spent marks.. At this rate I'll spend more on screen protectors than a replacement screen.... Please send your recommendations. Thanks
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Feel your pain. I've done all what you have except for trying the glass ones.
Here is my experience. Get wet applied plastic one that is harder than the usual wet applied ones. A person on another thread recommend a Walmart Onn brand , I used it and it didn't leave S Pen marks at all. However, it was a ***** to fit correctly, so I being OCD I removed it and went back to the usual wet applied one again that does leave S Pen marks.
I believe Tech21 makes a screen protector similar in characteristics as the Walmart ONN one . Ain't tried that yet. But I can tell you that if the the Walmart ONN screen protector was applied correctly then I'd still be a fan.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
magichoward said:
But a lot of people are just looking for protection.... I am looking for more...
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So your criteria would be: best protection available without fingerprints, reflections, or s-pen marks? Might be tough without compromising a bit on one of those aspects. I've tried 2 cheap glass ones that I took off immediately, the Spigen film protectors that leave s-pen marks, and the Whitestone Dome which which was best for me of the bunch (no s-pen marks of course, and no fingerprint issues so far. Haven't paid attention to reflection issues as of yet). The new Zagg glass looks promising too...ymmv
I like Skinomi. You get some s pen marks but they go away overnight. I use the spen alot too, it's my preferred way to interact with the screen.
Go naked and live with it. I have been there, where you say to be and feel your pain. I just gave up and live with it. In case I really manage to break or badly scratch it, I will have to get a new one or live with it. All is better than the smudgy protectors giving a bad feeling to the touch and a bad view.
corwin_amber said:
Go naked and live with it. I have been there, where you say to be and feel your pain. I just gave up and live with it. In case I really manage to break or badly scratch it, I will have to get a new one or live with it. All is better than the smudgy protectors giving a bad feeling to the touch and a bad view.
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I'm so close to doing that but I live by the beach worried about scratches more than dropping it..
magichoward said:
I'm so close to doing that but I live by the beach worried about scratches more than dropping it..
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Beach and sand indeed is an issue. I do not live on the beach but was there last summer (S8+, no pen, easier situation) and was so glad to have a film protector on it.
Bite the bullet and get a Whitestone dome?
If I may offer an alternative suggestion? I did not even want to risk the screen protector lottery on this phone, so I took a different approach.
I have used a case with a built-in screen protector. I feel it gives me the best of both worlds; ultimate protection from drops and screen damage when out and about, and in a couple of seconds (when at home and the soft safety of my sofa), it can be out of its case and back to a slippery naked unblemished masterpiece.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/i-Blason-Galaxy-Note-Protection-Reduction/dp/B074W3WBVC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516792422&sr=8-1&keywords=i-blason+note+8
Cons:
Minor reduction in finger sensitivity at the edges.
Adds significant bulk, especially in width making one-handed use impractical
Screen protector picks up scratches after a few months
Wearing polarised sunglasses makes screen hard to see (rainbow effect)
Be certain inside of screen cover is clear of grit before fitting
Pros:
Zero reduction in S Pen sensitivity.
Phone is tank-like. Has survived drops onto solid concrete no problem.
Screen protector can be popped out and used just as case if desired.
Dust caps for charging and headphone sockets
Easy to take off and have naked phone
It all balances out IMO. It might not be a perfect solution, but it is mine and I am happy with it.
I would advise against it, especially in a sandy environment. It WILL find a way in and then have a party with your screen. Also, in my personal opinion, this is way too bulky.
Personally, I am using a pitaka case. I am also having a thin, blank film on the back because ofscrarch protecting the back.
i'm using the official one for S8+ and it's very good, the s-pen does not leave any mark
I have used all types and found my favorite to be the tech21. No sensitivity issues, screen is clear, no spen marks, and decent with dealing with fingerprints. I couldn't use another after using this one.
Wouldn't it be just nice if Samsung offered a factory glass screen protector as an option when buying these devices. I'm sure they are aware of customers concerns - surely they have the technology to be able to do this, albeit probably not financially viable hence no go.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
I am using the screen protector that came with the phone but I am worried that it might not be that good to rely on.
I am not taking about dropping the phone or something. All am I caring about is scratches from the pen or stuff in my pocket. Can this screen protector help against these or it is useless?
The reason I kept it, because it fit so well and it does not affect the screen quality.
Obviously experience may vary quite a bit due to different conditions. For me so far the stock protector works quite well and protects the screen from scratches.
But as I like the "Glass feeling" a bit more I'll fit a tempered glass protector sometime in the future....
Agree. I will do the same. It is just not easy to find a glass protector that actually fits
Khalid Madkour said:
Agree. I will do the same. It is just not easy to find a glass protector that actually fits
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Well, both Amfilm and Whitestone have UV-based tempered glass protectors that fit really good, but do you want to spend the money for those?
They're not like $10 for 3 pieces or something
MasterThiefGarrett said:
Well, both Amfilm and Whitestone have UV-based tempered glass protectors that fit really good, but do you want to spend the money for those?
They're not like $10 for 3 pieces or something
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Spending 70~100 USD to protect 1200$ is worth it but the problem these kind of screen protectors can not be found in Egypt I think so until I find a way to get them without paying much taxes and fees I will stick with the default S.protector
I remember Samsung saying that a glass screen cover would interfere with the fingerprint scanner. I'm curious as to whether or not that's actually the case...
I had problems with the finger reader. He caught the fourth, fifth time. (I added the same one a couple of times and it didn't help.) Today I took off the factory foil and magic. The reader catches off the shot every time!
NippleSauce said:
I remember Samsung saying that a glass screen cover would interfere with the fingerprint scanner. I'm curious as to whether or not that's actually the case...
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I tried a cheap UV-based tempered glass (10 euros) and on my Note 10 it works flawless every time.
And since the S21 series has a much bigger sensor I expect it to work fine as well, I know Whitestone Dome works fine, AND the AmFilm one too.
I used Note 8 for 3 years without screen protector and had maybe 1 micro scratch that was only visible when screen off. Now still using S21U with pre installed screen protector but the feeling of it is not so good, very rubbery especially if fingers are wet. Debetaing to take it of because I have some problems with fingerprint reader too, it's not bad but sometimes it's not detecting the finger.
Make sure your case has a lip guard. That has always worked for me.
I really liked the factory fitted screen protector.
It is more than adequate to protect the screen from scratches from everyday use. Unfortunately the corner peeled off after getting caught on some fabric on the couch so I had to replace it.
I decided against a tempered glass protector for the following reasons:
1. Regular tempered glass SP interfere with the ultrasonic fingerprint reader. Go to amazon and search for s21U TP screen protectors and you'll see what i mean.
2. There are some TG screen protectors that use UV light hardened resins to stick to screen. These are supposed to be fingerprint reader friendly but the good ones like Whitestone Dome are very expensive (for a disposable item) and you have to get a perfect installation, with the resin being a potential hazard if it seeps into the phone.
The cheap ones on the other hand are usually not very good and have a thinned out layer of glass overlying the fingerprint reader that is really irritating to look at.
3. I'm not sure what that UV hardening adhesive does to the oleophobic coating on the screen over a long time.
4. TG screen protectors do not have an anti-reflective coating like the phone screen. So once you apply it, the surface becomes shiny and reflective like glossy screens. This doesnt happen with the softer TPU protectors. Maybe someone who has recently applied a TG SP can post his experience here?
3. TG also adds thickness to the screen as compared to TPU screen protectors, and this is a pretty chunky phone already.
I moved away from tempered glass protectors about 3 years ago after trying a bunch of them and have been using TPU (liquid skin type) SP since then. They are cheap, easy to install, usually come in multi-packs so you can swap them out when it gets dirty or peels off or scratches etc, without breaking the bank or feeling sorry that you have to throw away a $30 - $50 tempered glass protector that you applied with utmost care. The newer materials are also very nice to touch, virtually indistinguishable from the underlying glass.
Having said all this, I have friends that swear by tempered glass protectors and are willing to pay anything to have the feel of glass under their fingers. There's no right or wrong answer here, just what works for you.
enigmaamit said:
I really liked the factory fitted screen protector.
It is more than adequate to protect the screen from scratches from everyday use. Unfortunately the corner peeled off after getting caught on some fabric on the couch so I had to replace it.
I decided against a tempered glass protector for the following reasons:
1. Regular tempered glass SP interfere with the ultrasonic fingerprint reader. Go to amazon and search for s21U TP screen protectors and you'll see what i mean.
2. There are some TG screen protectors that use UV light hardened resins to stick to screen. These are supposed to be fingerprint reader friendly but the good ones like Whitestone Dome are very expensive (for a disposable item) and you have to get a perfect installation, with the resin being a potential hazard if it seeps into the phone.
The cheap ones on the other hand are usually not very good and have a thinned out layer of glass overlying the fingerprint reader that is really irritating to look at.
3. I'm not sure what that UV hardening adhesive does to the oleophobic coating on the screen over a long time.
4. TG screen protectors do not have an anti-reflective coating like the phone screen. So once you apply it, the surface becomes shiny and reflective like glossy screens. This doesnt happen with the softer TPU protectors. Maybe someone who has recently applied a TG SP can post his experience here?
3. TG also adds thickness to the screen as compared to TPU screen protectors, and this is a pretty chunky phone already.
I moved away from tempered glass protectors about 3 years ago after trying a bunch of them and have been using TPU (liquid skin type) SP since then. They are cheap, easy to install, usually come in multi-packs so you can swap them out when it gets dirty or peels off or scratches etc, without breaking the bank or feeling sorry that you have to throw away a $30 - $50 tempered glass protector that you applied with utmost care. The newer materials are also very nice to touch, virtually indistinguishable from the underlying glass.
Having said all this, I have friends that swear by tempered glass protectors and are willing to pay anything to have the feel of glass under their fingers. There's no right or wrong answer here, just what works for you.
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A case with enough lip protection is good enough.
Thank you for sharing you experience. I decided to stay with the factory screen protector. It really love it as it fits the screen so well and is clear as if there was no screen protector.
enigmaamit said:
I really liked the factory fitted screen protector.
It is more than adequate to protect the screen from scratches from everyday use. Unfortunately the corner peeled off after getting caught on some fabric on the couch so I had to replace it.
I decided against a tempered glass protector for the following reasons:
1. Regular tempered glass SP interfere with the ultrasonic fingerprint reader. Go to amazon and search for s21U TP screen protectors and you'll see what i mean.
2. There are some TG screen protectors that use UV light hardened resins to stick to screen. These are supposed to be fingerprint reader friendly but the good ones like Whitestone Dome are very expensive (for a disposable item) and you have to get a perfect installation, with the resin being a potential hazard if it seeps into the phone.
The cheap ones on the other hand are usually not very good and have a thinned out layer of glass overlying the fingerprint reader that is really irritating to look at.
3. I'm not sure what that UV hardening adhesive does to the oleophobic coating on the screen over a long time.
4. TG screen protectors do not have an anti-reflective coating like the phone screen. So once you apply it, the surface becomes shiny and reflective like glossy screens. This doesnt happen with the softer TPU protectors. Maybe someone who has recently applied a TG SP can post his experience here?
3. TG also adds thickness to the screen as compared to TPU screen protectors, and this is a pretty chunky phone already.
I moved away from tempered glass protectors about 3 years ago after trying a bunch of them and have been using TPU (liquid skin type) SP since then. They are cheap, easy to install, usually come in multi-packs so you can swap them out when it gets dirty or peels off or scratches etc, without breaking the bank or feeling sorry that you have to throw away a $30 - $50 tempered glass protector that you applied with utmost care. The newer materials are also very nice to touch, virtually indistinguishable from the underlying glass.
Having said all this, I have friends that swear by tempered glass protectors and are willing to pay anything to have the feel of glass under their fingers. There's no right or wrong answer here, just what works for you.
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nixnixnixnix4 said:
A case with enough lip protection is good enough.
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Yes. For most purposes, I agree with you that it's enough. I used to think so too... Never used a screen protector on any of my phones. Tried the tempered glass one on my last phone but felt it was too thick and reflective, so there is away and went with a naked screen. The experience was amazing, interfacing with the screen without any barriers. At least until I got two mysterious scratches on my OnePlus 6 screen, about 2 months apart, one after the other. Never dropped the phone, didn't put it face down, just used it normally. Must've been a grain of sand in my pocket... I'm still not sure to this day what caused the scratches...
I was using a spigen case without a screen protector then. Had to live with those scratches for 2 years. It was heartbreaking to see them everytime... See attached pics.
Since that experience, I vowed never to go with the screen naked again. Maybe I was just unlucky. But the fact that it happened twice is something I cannot ignore, and cannot risk on this new phone. It's too beautiful and too expensive to gamble with, at least based on my personal experience.
Second day I had my Note 10+ it faceplanted on a rough piece of 1/8" thick aluminum angle from pocket height. The metal hit the curve portion of the screen. Oh Yeah... isn't that special?
The case soaked up some of the impact but the factory screen protect was hit and savaged.
It protected the screen, zero damage. gulp.
Been using wet apply Gorilla IQ Sheild after trying a bunch of products including Whitestone.
After 9 months it's still on and while it's due to be replaced it's held up amazing well for $5 a pop.
Unlike the other junk, it's easy to apply and line up properly
I use the Zizo Bolt case to provide to majority of the protection. Raised screen guards on all sides are needed as I learned earlier
After 1.5 years, zero damage.
enigmaamit said:
Must've been a grain of sand in my pocket... I'm still not sure to this day what caused the scratches...
I was using a spigen case without a screen protector then. Had to live with those scratches for 2 years. It was heartbreaking to see them everytime... See attached pics.
Since that experience, I vowed never to go with the screen naked again. Maybe I was just unlucky. But the fact that it happened twice is something I cannot ignore, and cannot risk on this new phone. It's too beautiful and too expensive to gamble with, at least based on my personal experience.
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Sand will do it every time. I tried the same experiment over 2 years ago with the same results. I always use a good case and screen protector because permanent scratches pi$$ me off.
Clarification: Case with a lip everywhere and a regular TPU screen protector is great for the majority of use-cases out there. And, it is the cheapest option.
nixnixnixnix4 said:
Clarification: Case with a lip everywhere and a regular TPU screen protector is great for the majority of use-cases out there. And, it is the cheapest option.
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And very effective when using a good case.
BDU upper pant leg cargo pockets are great for smartphones...just make sure to keep the rear facing button, buttoned or your will lose it
Really curious. It's next to impossible to get a replacement here in the states. Does it bother you, or have you left it on? Please respond with your logic as well as answering the poll.
Mi 11 series all have similar screen. Considering early release of mi 11, it shouldn't be a big issue. I received a glass protector in 10 days from China.
And why would you remove it? Is bad?
It depends how you use your phone.
If you "baby" it you should be more than fine.
On my mi9 i have removed for the past year or more. I only have one or two very fine scratches and those are from some drops
So yeah, on general use and being a bit careful ( using a case that would prevent the screen to make contact to the surface) you should be perfectly fine.
I personally have the one that came with the phone still on and will remove it when it gets worn out.
lord219 said:
Mi 11 series all have similar screen. Considering early release of mi 11, it shouldn't be a big issue. I received a glass protector in 10 days from China.
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Thanks for this tip. I did a quick look up on GSM arena. Screens seem to be identical size and shape. I went ahead and ordered two packs of protectors from Amazon. They'll be here Sunday.
My original protector got caught on the edge of a dog cage in the most unfortunate scenario ever. My phone was okay but the screen protector had a huge gash in it.
I've gone with no protector for about a week. I've collected one tiny scratch that can only be seen with the screen off and the light hitting it just the right way. I've babied this thing so I'm not sure how it happened. Either way Gorilla glass victus hasn't impressed me all that much.
oleophobic coating on this screen protector is iiiiinsane ! I surprised that no one said that yet. But I hate sharp edges on it.... Gestures and that no good together
jmikepr said:
Thanks for this tip. I did a quick look up on GSM arena. Screens seem to be identical size and shape. I went ahead and ordered two packs of protectors from Amazon. They'll be here Sunday.
My original protector got caught on the edge of a dog cage in the most unfortunate scenario ever. My phone was okay but the screen protector had a huge gash in it.
I've gone with no protector for about a week. I've collected one tiny scratch that can only be seen with the screen off and the light hitting it just the right way. I've babied this thing so I'm not sure how it happened. Either way Gorilla glass victus hasn't impressed me all that much.
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Curved screens are a flawed design imo
This is what I would classify as a highly breakable device
Between the weight of it and the slab of glass on the back and the wrap around screen your nearly guaranteed a breakage no matter what side it lands on.....
Gorilla glass Victus is junk compared to whatever is on the iPhone 12 pro
In every drop test I've watched the android phone with Victus smashed and the iPhone survived.... although the iPhone has the benefit of being flat
Yeah ditched the screen protector as soon as I got it.
It looks like a peel off screen protector which you get on new devices.
Colors and sharpness improves a bit and the touch is not plastic feel.
I like the screen protector. It feels almost the same like OnePlus7 Pro without a screen protector.
I keep it as long as possible
Hello do you need to remove originally pre installed plastic film protection before putting a newly bought tempered glass ?? Thanks for answering
Hi - I would not use 2 screen protectors at the same time. So if you want to put tempered glass on you should remove the preinstalled one. Otherwise you can get difficulties with the touch screen. I myself removed the preinstalled immediately and installed another (better) on.
Remove it or not eventually it will come off, better get hands on some tempered glass to protect those expensive curvy screen.
i dropped my phone about a week after buying it, was sick to stomach until i realized that the preinstalled screen protector was cracked but not the actual phone. im pretty sure it saved the phone
Many people think that pre-aplied screen protector is a feature therefore, they expect to see a better quality option. In reality, due to strict laws of EU and return policy of retailers such as Amazon, they want phone to be as much refurbishable as possible with given protection . That is why, we get a cheap quality phone case and screen protector that can barely live 4 weeks of legal limit and are really ugly non-characteristic additions. They have to make it looking boring because other case producers have to earn money too. So, my suggestion is change the original screen protector with a liquid self-repair one and buy a sturdy case for your own sake.
I don't see why you would wanna do that unless it breaks or you wanna install a better sturdier screen protector, keep the old one if it doesn't bother you.
hello, I m looking for a screen protector to replace the one what delivered with the smartphone. means soft protection + well adujst on the edge.
The ones on Amazon look weak ... any idea ??
Oooofff.. screen protectors for curved display is a hit and miss.. wasted so much money experimenting on my old phone (Huawei Mate 20 Pro)
If you want tempered glass screen protector, I find the best one for curved screen phones are the ones with UV glue system. A little trickier to install (not hard once you get the hang of it), but it gives the best feel while using the screen (glides so smoothly)
One example of this kind of protector on Amazon: UV glue tempered glass
The downside is your case has to be somewhat compatible with the protector, otherwise the glue will lift at the edges and it is not pretty.
Otherwise go for TPU/Hydrogel type, those are similar to the ones installed in the smartphone, but there are many variant out there in the market, I find some of them are uncomfortable to use (feels sticky, not smooth when you glide your finger on the screen). I find the factory installed one is quite nice to use, and I am still using it.
Yep, I'd like to know where to get a replacement for the one that came shipped.
My favourite option for soft, solid and well calibrated screen protector (I use this brand for my OnePlus 9 Pro too).
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001392798942.html