LappyMats: laptop screen protector review

Everyone with a laptop knows how difficult it is to keep the LCD screen dust-, smudge-, and scratch-free. Once the layer of dust becomes too thick or that first oily fingerprint appears, it seems as if it’s downhill from there. Many seemingly soft materials have abrasive qualities when applied to the fragile LCD screen. Aside from that, if excess pressure is applied to the laptop while it’s in a storage bag, this can lead to keyboard marks and scratches on the screen.

Enter the LappyMat. Icrontic’s own Mat Everett has created a product to help prevent and alleviate these issues. His product page says it best:

…with our patented ultra-microfiber cloth and sleek design you will be able to easily and stylishly protect your laptop LCD screen. LappyMats do this by allowing a soft cushion to be laid in-between your laptop lid and keyboard to provide full protection from scratches that are caused by your keyboard or trackpad while traveling. Not only does the LappyMat protect your laptop from scratches, but it also acts as a cloth to clean dust, dirt, & everyday oils off any part of your laptop.

Experience

I received the LappyMat, along with some mini-wipes, about a week ago. When I first removed the mat from its packaging, I was pleasantly surprised to find the quality of the material was much higher than expected. It has a soft, but sturdy feel, and it doesn’t crease or wrinkle.

Since then I have had the mat in place whenever my laptop screen is closed. It fits perfectly between the base and the lid of my Lenovo T60p notebook without creating any unnecessary stress on the hinges or locking mechanism.

Upon receipt, I immediately went about wiping the dust from my screen. Instead of pushing the dust around like a paper towel or normal cloth does, it holds on to the unwanted dirt and removes it from the screen. It removed all the dust and a good majority of smudges. Mat later suggested dampening a corner of the LappyMat and using that to remove the remaining smudges. I found this to spread the oily fingerprints about, rather than remove them. I quickly wet a soft paper towel and wiped most of the smudges, finishing up with a dry LappyMat. That did the trick.

Aside from keeping your laptop clean, the mini wipe works exceptionally well for all those little gadgets you may have lying around. I’ve found uses for it with my cell phone screen, Nintendo DS, LCD monitors, and especially my digital camera. It did a great job of removing the smudges and dust from the lens.

Material and Availability

LappyMats are made from a polymer ultra-microfiber. This translates to an exceptionally soft and extremely resilient material that works well as a cleaning material. Each mat is approximately 0.803mm thick and comes in a multitude of sizes for your PC or Mac based laptop. They have been verified to work with many companies’ notebooks: from the well-known like HP and Lenovo (IBM) to the lesser-known, such as Averatec and Clevo. See the website for full details on availability. If your notebook is not listed, LappyMats.com is willing to custom make a LappyMat for your dimensions. Currently, all orders ship with a free mini wipe.

Prices range from $10.95 (plus shipping) for the 11.1” screen protector to $21.95 (plus shipping) for the 20” protector. They are available in black or silver.

Conclusion

LappyMats are a great product for the price. They do a wonderful job preventing smudges and scratches from forming on the screen when the laptop is shut, and they are good at removing dust and most fingerprints. Overall, I would recommend this product to any laptop user.