A dissipation or rigid support layer for a display device (such as a touch screen display device) is provided herein. The display device may include a display unit (e.g., a LCD unit and backlight unit), an internal electronics component, and a dissipation layer disposed between the display unit and the internal electronics component. The dissipation layer may be affixed to a surface of the display unit, and the dissipation layer may be configured to at least partially disperse a mechanical force applied by the internal electronics component on the display unit when an input force moves the dissipation layer into contact with the internal electronics component. In some examples, the dissipation layer is affixed to the surface of the display unit via an adhesive layer (e.g., an optically clear adhesive layer).