In modern times, the screen of smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices is one of the most critical aspects. The screen-building material has gone through a few evolutions over the years, with Gorilla Glass being one of the most popular ones. But what exactly is different in Gorilla Glass from regular glass? Let's find out the key differences between the two.
1. Material Composition
The main difference between Gorilla Glass and regular glass is in the composition. Gorilla Glass is a specially made glass by Corning, a company that has mastered the art of making tougher, stronger glass. It is manufactured through a chemical toughening of the glass, involving an ion-exchange process. This process replaces smaller ions in the glass with larger ions, making the glass tougher and more resistant to scratches and cracks.
On the other hand, regular glass, or more accurately speaking, soda-lime glass, is the regular glass used in common products such as windows, drinkware, and some older phone screens. Soda-lime glass is made from a mixture of silica, soda, and lime. It does not undergo strengthening by ion exchange and is more prone to damage when impacts or pressure are applied.
2. Strength and Durability
Gorilla Glass is specifically designed to be more resistant to scratches, cracks, and shattering than regular glass. The chemical strengthening process that Gorilla Glass undergoes increases its resistance to mechanical stress. This makes it capable of surviving accidental drops and impacts better than regular glass. Actually, it is up to 2-3 times stronger compared to regular glass and thus very suitable for mobile gadgets, smartwatches, and even some laptop screens.
Regular glass, on the other hand, is very fragile. It might break or shatter upon falling from a height or even from slight pressure. Although it's great for applications that do not need any strength, it is by no means as sturdy as Gorilla Glass in taking the stresses that come with modern mobile technology.
3. Scratch Resistance
The major concern for users with regular glass is the fact that it scratches easily, from items like keys and coins to even sand. Although normal glass can resist minor abrasions, it will most often show noticeable scratches after some time with normal use.
However, Gorilla Glass is manufactured to be much more resistant to scratches. The composition itself and the chemical strengthening process make it harder to scratch. Though it is not completely immune to scratches, it is far less likely to show visible damage under normal conditions, helping to preserve the clarity and aesthetics of the screen.
4. Weight
Other than just being stronger, Gorilla Glass also keeps the product light in weight. It does become critical these days in every such mobile phone or computer tablets that need good weight due to which its movability would never affect customer experiences. Strength versus weight for such products could provide much-needed strength and should not necessarily overload with weights.
Regular glass can also be heavier and bulkier, especially if it is thicker or has added layers for impact resistance. For consumer electronics, that makes regular glass less than ideal, where lightweight materials are important.
5. Cost
Because Gorilla Glass is a specialized, high-performance material, it always tends to be more expensive than regular glass. The chemical strengthening process, added to the advanced technology and research going into the creation of the glass, makes it more costly. This added expense is often justified by improved durability and protection for electronic devices.
Regular glass, being the more basic material and widely available, is much cheaper to produce. This is why it is commonly used in low-cost devices and applications where durability is not as crucial.
6. Applications
The main areas of application for Gorilla Glass are consumer electronics, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and even some televisions. Its resistance to scratches, drops, and impacts makes it an ideal choice for devices that are handled frequently and are at risk of damage.
The usual kind of glass serves in the form of windows, mirrors, household things, and previous generations of phones. While working fairly well in these areas, it does not possess specific properties required for withstanding those stresses that new electronics face.
Conclusion
The fundamental variance between Gorilla Glass and normal glass lies in aspects of strength, durability, scratch resistance, and overall performance. Gorilla Glass is a chemically tempered material intended to resist drops, scratches, and pressures that modern technology would have; it is fit for application in mobile gadgets and wearables. As for regular glass, it is fragile, prone to scratches, and generally applied in everyday uses when strength is not a crucial factor.
In cases when the user needs a much stronger, more resilient screen for his devices, then Gorilla Glass is definitely one of the top choices. Nevertheless, common glass finds its niche in a variety of industries where great toughness and impact resistance are not so crucial.
