Gunnar Optiks EDGE Gaming Glasses Review
/
If you're reading this article, then you probably play video games and/or spend a significant amount of time in front of a computer screen. Growing up, our parents would always tell us not to sit too close to the TV. I'm sure none of you listened. Neither did I. And even though most of us have LCD or LED monitors, staring into bright digital screens during most of the day can't be good. That's where Gunnar Eyewear come in.
I understand how one could be skeptical about the entire concept of Gunnar glasses because I, too, was immensely skeptical about them, yet at the same time very curious. I've looked up reviews of these brand of glasses repeatedly but I knew that could only satisfy my curiosity if I tried them myself. The pair I bought is called the EDGE. Sporting a rimless design and soft-touch thermoplastic temples, they have a good grip and are pretty lightweight.
The glasses do exactly what they say on the box. The pair magnifies your vision so you get a better view of your screen/s. I wouldn't really agree with the whole "increased contrast" part because turning everything yellow doesn't mean a sharper image, but the amber tint works by reducing the whites on your screen, which put the most strain on your eyes. I tend to not notice the yellow tint the longer I wear the optics, but I do not recommend wearing them when working on programs such as Photoshop, since working with different colors is important and the yellow tint will prove to be distracting. Aside from reduced eyestrain, I find myself being able to focus on my screen or HDTV easier when I have the glasses on. However, I will say that it took me a while to get used to them. That may be different depending on the person, but do give the glasses at least a week before you make a final decision.
For me, the two main points of my skepticism were "do the glasses work?" and what probably is the main deterrent: price. Yes, I honestly think that these glasses are overpriced. According to Gunnar, the only difference between the advanced gaming eyewear and the advanced computer eyewear are the frames, which I believe are also what dictate the difference in price.
Bottom line, Gunnar glasses do what they claim to do but are a bit on the steep side pricewise. I'd recommend getting a pair only if you have the money to burn as I feel that they are not a necessity. I got the Gunnar EDGE for 3995php at DataBlitz.
Score: 85/100
Pros: - Magnified vision - Reduces screen brightness without sacrificing detail - Reduces eyestrain
Cons: - May take a while to get used to - Amber tint is distracting when working with colors - Plastic temples tend to hurt after a while - Price
