Does 9H Hardness Mean Better Drop Protection for Tempered Glass Screen Protectors? The Brief Response: No. Many people believe that a screen protector with a 9H hardness rating is more resistant to drops. The 9H hardness rating merely measures scratch resistance. The capacity of tempered glass screen protectors to endure crashes, drops, and edge pressure is not immediately apparent. This misperception is common in the screen protector business. Drop protection and scratch resistance are two separate performance criteria that are assessed differently and influenced by different material properties. What Is the True Definition of 9H Hardness? The ASTM D3363 pencil [...]