Sapphire vs Gorilla Glass - contrast/brightness/reflections

Hi guys,

anyone has seen Fenix 6 with Sapphire and Gorilla Glass next to each other? It is clear that sapphire is more scratch resistant but some people claim that sapphire is darker. I compared my old Fenix 3 sapphire with FR 645 and Fenix 5 with normal glass and I have to say that while there is slight difference under certain angles and lower light ... I would not call this significant at all. Most angles the two screens are near identical. Reflections seems kind of same as well. Anyone has pictures? Is Gorilla glass better from this point of view than the normal mineral glass on previous Garmin watches?

Thanks!

  • Not a direct comparison - but sapphire is confirned darker - at least in some conditions.
    I switched yesterday from FR935 to 6x Sapphire and can notice the difference (which I learned on the forums before)

    Sometimes bigger and sometimes lesser difference - depending on the light conditions. 
    But nothing that should put you against it.

  • Can't say much about visibility, but sapphire is the second hardest material (after diamond) and the fact that it’s very hard to scratch means that it’s much less likely to break than Gorilla Glass. Most screens are not broken by applied force, they get weakened by scratches and fractures and then break or shatter when dropped. So I'd rather protect my investment and get the Sapphire Slight smile

    The 935 has a regular 'chemically strengthened' mineral glass, not Gorilla BTW.

  • Can't say much about visibility, but sapphire is the second hardest material (after diamond) and the fact that it’s very hard to scratch means that it’s much less likely to break than Gorilla Glass.

    This is not correct.  Sapphire is, indeed, much harder to scratch than Gorilla Glass, but it will break more easily and when it breaks it shatters.  This is why some dive watch makers and watches approved for use on the ISS do not have sapphire crystals.

    HTH

  • I have an F6 Pro Sapphire and a 945 gorilla glass.

    The sapphire is definitely slightly darker and a bit more reflective, neither of which I notice in the slightest while wearing or working out with the F6. It is really only something that registers for me when they are side by side.

    On the plus side, the sapphire has a very high-end look and feel to it, if that matters to you. 

    Overall I would buy sapphire again in a heartbeat, but the gorilla glass is also fine.

    I think if you are someone who tends to beat their watches up a little bit, get the sapphire and don't look back. 

  • I was very unhappy with the 6S sapphire display quality so I ordered a Non sapphire 6S pro from amazon. The reflection is like night and day. You see so much more, esp in daylight. The Sapphire reflects not a bit but VERY much. Thing is the display of the non sapphire besides reflection is really almost as bad, very blueish, not good quality. Contrast and brightness are not much of a difference between those two. Only reflections are the real problem here. I expected more here from the non sapphire to be honest.

    I can't decide: keep the sapphire with better scratch resistance or the really, VERY much, better to read display of the non sapphire when display backlight is off. Reflections are there, there is no denying. And people saying there is not much of a difference with backlight off in daylight are blind already, sorry. In the dark it is also recognizable but not as much as in daylight. Daylight reflections are really bad here. It is really like a mirror. But you get more protection. I really can't decide which to keep. 

    PS: Someone posted a very good photo of his 2 or 3 Fenix' with non sapphire and sapphire displays and it really shows it here in another thread.  Bad reflections here. 

  • The displays of the Fr945 and the Fenix 6xPro models have Gorilla Glass DX which enhances display readability through a 75% improvement in front surface reflection. 

    www.corning.com/.../forerunner-945.html

    But as far as I have understood: Gorilla Glass DX has the same scratch resisdence as Gorilla Glass 3 (much better is Gorilla Glass DX+), it just has a 75% improvement in front surface reflection compared to the Gorilla Glass 3.

  • I had the F6 Pro Sapphire Titanium which I have now returned due to a screen defect. However it was my first experience with Sapphire and I was surprised at the difference compared to the normal Gorilla Glass versions. I found the reflections and darker screen distracting - I am sure I would get used to it - but if buying again I would probably go for Gorilla Glass and try a screen protector.

  • I am currently in possession of both the 6S "Pro" (front) and 6S "Sapphire". The DLC carbon grey bezel is beautiful in real life - it shines like silver. The black "Pro" looks a bit dull next to it but is still nice in an understated way. The Gorilla Glass on the 6S Pro has slightly better contrast but it's not a huge difference. The colour of the fiber reinforced polymer is the same on both (black).

    I think the Sapphire model looks more expensive so for the sake of £100 and all-round scratch resistance I'll probably keep that one and return the Pro.

  • Decide for yourself. Fenix 6S Pro (left), Fenix 6S Sapphire (right). Both at 80% brightness.

  • The displays of the Fr945 and the Fenix 6xPro models have Gorilla Glass DX which enhances display readability through a 75% improvement in front surface reflection. 

    www.corning.com/.../forerunner-945.html

    But... your link shows the fenix6 with Gorilla Glass 3 - NOT Gorilla Glass DX.