Interesting take on SageGlass, but I'm curious—does anyone else find the auto-mode a bit too subtle? A friend of mine installed View windows last summer, and whenever I visit, I honestly can't even tell if they're doing anything. I mean, subtlety is nice and all, but if you're dropping serious cash on smart windows, don't you kinda want to see them working at least sometimes?
Also, about the UV protection... totally get the furniture fading point, but I wonder how much of that could've been solved with regular UV film instead. We put some high-quality film on our south-facing windows years ago, and our couch still looks brand new. Makes me wonder if the extra cost and complexity of smart glass is really worth it just for UV protection alone.
Don't get me wrong, the tech seems cool, and the sci-fi nerd in me is tempted. But I'm still on the fence about whether smart windows truly justify the premium over simpler solutions. Thoughts?
"I honestly can't even tell if they're doing anything."
Had the same experience at my brother's place—he installed View windows last year. Honestly, I expected something more noticeable too. UV film worked fine for me, cheaper and simpler... smart glass feels like overkill unless you're really into the tech.
Yeah, I get what you're saying—smart windows aren't always a dramatic change visually. But honestly, the real benefit is in comfort and energy savings over time. I've seen View windows installed in a few commercial projects, and clients usually notice less glare and more consistent indoor temps rather than anything flashy. UV film is definitely cheaper upfront, but smart glass can adapt throughout the day, which film can't really do... depends on your priorities, I guess.
I've been looking into smart windows myself lately. A friend of mine installed SageGlass in his home office last year, and at first glance, I honestly didn't notice anything special visually. But after sitting there for a couple hours, I realized I wasn't squinting or shifting around to avoid the sun like I usually do at my place. Like you said:
"clients usually notice less glare and more consistent indoor temps rather than anything flashy."
Exactly my experience. It's subtle, but the comfort factor is definitely real. Now I'm seriously considering it for our living room... just gotta justify the upfront cost somehow, haha.
I installed View windows in our kitchen about two years back. Honestly, the biggest plus is exactly what you're describing—comfort without even noticing it's there. I used to dread cooking in summer afternoons because of that harsh glare hitting the countertops; now it's a non-issue. Pricey, yeah, but if you spend a lot of time in that space, it kinda pays for itself in comfort alone... at least that's how I justified it, lol.
We went with SageGlass about a year ago, mainly because we liked their tinting options and customization. Didn't get a chance to see View in person, so can't compare directly, but our experience with Sage has been solid so far.
"Pricey, yeah, but if you spend a lot of time in that space, it kinda pays for itself in comfort alone..."
Totally agree with this. We put ours in the living room where the afternoon sun used to blast through—made watching TV miserable. Now it's way more comfortable without feeling like we're sitting in a cave. The app control is pretty intuitive too, though honestly, after the initial setup we rarely touch it. It just does its thing quietly in the background.
Only gripe is we had a minor issue with one pane not syncing properly at first, but customer service sorted it out pretty fast. Overall, no regrets here...
We looked into both SageGlass and View when renovating our sunroom last year. Ended up going with View because we got a chance to see it installed at a friend's place. Honestly, the difference between brands seemed pretty minimal in terms of functionality—both do the job well. But I gotta say, View's glass clarity impressed me.
"Now it's way more comfortable without feeling like we're sitting in a cave."
Exactly this. Our room feels bright but not glaring, and we haven't had any syncing issues yet...knock on wood. Still pricey though, no denying that.
"Our room feels bright but not glaring, and we haven't had any syncing issues yet...knock on wood."
Glad to hear it's working out smoothly for you. Did you end up integrating your View windows with a home automation system, or are you just using their standalone app? I've seen both setups, and people seem pretty happy either way, but some have mentioned the app can be a bit clunky at times.
From my experience installing both SageGlass and View, I'd agree that functionality-wise they're pretty neck-and-neck. The clarity you mentioned with View is definitely noticeable, especially if you're someone sensitive to color shifts or slight tinting differences. SageGlass tends to lean slightly more toward a cooler hue when tinted, whereas View keeps things a bit more neutral. It's subtle, but if you're picky about aesthetics (and who isn't when investing this much?), it can make a difference.
Have you noticed any significant impact on your energy bills since the install? A few clients have told me they've seen a decent drop in cooling costs during summer months after switching to smart glass. Of course, it depends a lot on your location, sun exposure, and how aggressively you use the tinting features.
And yeah, the price point is definitely still steep. But considering the comfort upgrade and potential energy savings over time, most folks I've worked with feel it's worth the investment in the long run. Curious if you've felt similarly now that you've lived with them for a while...
I've installed both View and SageGlass a few times, and honestly, I'm still a bit skeptical about the energy savings claims. Sure, clients say they notice some difference, but I've yet to see anyone's bills drop dramatically enough to justify the upfront cost purely on savings alone. Comfort-wise, they're great, no argument there...but if you're mainly looking at ROI from energy efficiency, I'd crunch the numbers carefully before diving in.
- Good points, I've wondered about that too.
- Installed SageGlass last year—comfort is definitely noticeable, but bills barely budged.
- Still, no regrets here...the glare reduction alone made it worth it for me.
- Agree though, if energy savings is your main goal, probably best to run the numbers first.