Protect Your MacBook Screen
MacBooks are prone to the keyboard transferring oils from your fingers to the screen when the lid is closed. To protect against this, I’ve always used a thin microfiber cloth to cover the keyboard before closing the computer. ShaggyMax is a manufacturer of such cloths.
This always worked well on my MacBook Pro. However, the new M2 MacBook Air is so thin that putting the same cloth I’ve always used between the keyboard and screen will prevent closing the lid completely. I didn’t want to take the chance of putting any pressure on and potentially breaking the hinge. As such, I looked for other solutions.
ShaggyMax Swiper
Based on a recommendation from a Reddit user, I decided to try the ShaggyMax Swiper. Its purpose is to cover the keyboard and still allow closing the lid. It does that, but also introduces a serious problem.
When covering the lid with the cloth, the lid of the computer will close. However, depending on how you pick the computer up, the added pressure from the cloth can cause the lid to open slightly – which can allow dirt and dust to get in and potentially scratch your screen.
Closing the lid with the cloth in place also can cause keys to be pressed. This includes the fingerprint sensor. Pressing this key causes the computer to shut down and have to do a full restart when opened back up. That defeats one of the major advantages of Apple silicon, which is the instant on with all of your apps open as soon as you open the lid. This happened to me at least three times in the first few hours I had the screen protector covering the keyboard when closing the lid.
You can also see from the picture that after a few weeks using the cloth to clean the screen, it has shrunk to the point where it no longer covers the keyboard anyway.
Shady Business Practices
I decided to contact ShaggyMax about this. I filled out the contact form on their website to let them know about the issue (which I’m sure they’re already aware of). Seven weeks later, I still have not received a reply.
I also tried to post a review on the product page, to let other potential purchasers know about the issue. The review has not shown up on the page. They appear to filter and only allow five star reviews to be shown. The fact that they only have seven reviews in more than a decade of being in business should have been a clue to begin with.
ShaggyMax Swiper and OptiMist Prime Cleaning Solution
The best part of the actual kit is the cleaning solution, which does a good job of cleaning my screen. The “Swiper” also acts as a somewhat decent cleaning cloth when used with the OptiMist Prime Cleaning Solution. It does leave some streaks on the screen though, which seem to be easily removed using a different microfiber cloth when cleaning with the mist. Thumbs up on the mist, thumbs down completely on the “swiper.”
Final Verdict: PASS
Sadly, even though the cleaning solution is decent and the cloth is acceptable for cleaning the screen (and exterior of the MacBook), I cannot recommend this product. I also cannot recommend doing business with ShaggyMax at all, given their shady business practices.
I hope this review will help other potential purchasers avoid making the same mistake I made in giving their products a chance. Steer clear.
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