Sapphire vs Gorilla Glass - contrast/brightness/reflections

Question

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!

scotthunter2 · Answer

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

ImDisaster · Answer

Glass definitely has better contrast and less reflections than sapphire. Black looks blacker. White looks whiter. I had a 5X Plus with sapphire and replaced it with a 6X Pro without. I much prefer the visibility of the glass screen.

Former Member · Answer

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.

Former Member · Answer

I'm not sure where all that hate to sapphire comes from in this thread. I have been using F3 sapphire since it came out and never had issue with reading the screen. If you can't read the screen, maybe you need to check the watch face you are using. I use a custom watch face that's basically white on black and it never failed me. I noticed something when I switched to F5 sapphire, the F5 had a flat lens while F3 had a domed lens. Still, I don't think they do anything to reduce reflection. I have used phones with gorilla glass and had them scratched over long time of use. Based on the fact that fenix 6x power glass is using gorilla DX, not the more scratch resistant DX+, I do not believe it is sensible to wear something as expensive as a new iphone on my wrist and knowing it can be scratched easily. 
 And I can't be the only one who often uses the reflective screen as a mirror. I'm in the military, there are many times I used my watch to make sure my head gear is on correctly, my face has been fully shaved in the field, or my face camo has good coverage. Not saying that gorilla glass won't help in those situations but I'm just saying, reflective screen is not all bad. 
 Bottom line, if you want a rugged, outdoor worthy fenix watch with proven reliability, go with sapphire. Personally, I may consider solar if Garmin uses DX+ for the screen and the prices isn't too much different from sapphire version.

Former Member · Answer

You'd be singing a different tune if this was a smartphone or practically any other device. If Apple released half the iPhone Pros 11 with a blue temperature LED display people would be in a uproar. Why? Because their fancy marketing materials sets different expectations. 
 Take one look at Garmin's marketing materials (specifically the video on the Fenix page) and tell me what kind of expectations they are setting of the screen. How many sexy shots of blue tinted devices do you see?

Jabimus · Answer

I have a glass screen protector on my pro solar and it looks great and the solar charging functions equally well. Even if it caused a small decrease in solar charging efficiency, which I don't think that it does, it is insignificant. If you are driving in your car, the sunlight is passing through a window and that is blocking some of the potential solar energy, but it doesn't matter. I would rather lose a fraction of solar charging ability and maintain a perfectly unscratched screen by using a screen protector.

Former Member · Answer

F6X sapphire, it is not blue background, it is suppose to be black! 
 Its a slap on the face of Garmin fans! 
 i think, Garmin quality has been degraded, what else to say. 
 lets see what Garmin has to say on this regards

bluefish · Answer

6 xPro: Corning &reg; Gorilla &reg; Glass 3 . Garmin website

Former Member · Answer

What about 6s Pro?

gaijin · Answer

5724083 said: That's very interesting. This is the first time I am reading this angle on the "Sapphire vs GG" choice. 
 First I am wondering how much this is true, as I haven't heard anyone mention this yet. 
 Second, so, say you are more likely to smash your watch against things than you are worried about scratching it (say: rock or indoor climbing), then actually GG might be the better choice than Sapphire because if you smash the Sapphire against a rock it's more likely to break & shatter? 
 If you want to find out more, you can search for things like: 
 - Why wristwatches with Sapphire crystals are not allowed by NASA and ESA for use in space (Hint: because Sapphire shatters) 
 - Why manufacturers of Dive computers use crystals made from Hardlex, Saphlex, acrylic and similar; but not Sapphire (Hint: because Sapphire shatters). 
 HTH

Sapphire vs Gorilla Glass - contrast/brightness/reflections

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