Elevate all day in that comparison. The Infinity while a nice window is not that much nicer.

Main concern with the Elevate is the loss of glass I’ll have vs essential. I’m looking for insert replacements

There isn't that much difference and depending on what window you are removing, the reality is that the opening may appear larger. But to echo what millworkman said, there is ZERO reason not to go with the Elevate here. The infinity has some leaky air numbers too.

I've come across a few posts saying Infinity are leaky - but I know people with Infinity windows and they don't experience any drafts. My home is already borderline tight enough to warrant mechanical ventilation, so perhaps I'm dependent on existing leaky windows right now for air exchange :)

That said, I did ask for air leakage numbers and Infinity sales person never got back to me about that issue. When I contacted Marvin directly, it took them a while and all they could do was send me an Engineering Report ~20 pages long when they last submitted the double hung unit for testing in August 2019. The numbers didn't look bad, but I noticed they tested the most giant double hung windows they could possibly make 48x96 - I wondered if that was some attempt at being sneaky. Would the larger area reduce the air leakage numbers since its measured in cfm/ft2 ?? They tested 5 windows in that giant size and the air infiltration at 1.57 psf was 0.07, 0.14 (2x), 0.15 (2x) cm/ft2 across the samples.

I find the Infinity so far the most good looking replacement window insert I've come across.

Let's not engineer air exchange via the windows. The energy auditors will lose their collective minds.

I think the lack of commentary on that has more to do with brand allegiance and buying motivations, i.e. decision tree. Folks that are buying the Infinity are often more concerned with the visual and less about the air tightness of the assembly. For the longest time, the largest installer of Infinity windows around here, didn't use insulating foam and when I asked him about it, he looked at me like I had 2 heads.

We have installed more than a few and have had customer complaints, so they do exist. We have also seen condensation issues in these cases and seem to find that the air data that indicated a 0.27 air leakage rate, to be accurate.

Nobody will ever say its not a pretty window. That is certainly true.

hi, looking to install marvin infinity, are you saying there is no need for insulting foam?

That is not what I am saying. Properly installed foam and/or a seal between the window and the buck/opening is a MUST.

thanks for clarification!

so the bottom line infinity is only about looks comparing to essential? i am trying to uderstand why not many dealers sell infinity...what is the reason behind that?

Infinity is a window that Marvin built specifically for the replacement market sector. The Essentials and Elevate series were for their new home build market, but that same window can be used as a replacement as well. It's more about carving up the market share than application.

right, as i understood that was back in early 2000s, but now essential now is sold as replacement as well. so i am curious wjy marvin is pushing infinity now as an exclusive window

Market share. Dividing up the same pool of customers for more shots at the prize is all. The Elevate and Essentials are used almost exclusively as new construction products.

How are these different from the Ultrex Integrity, which I have?

Same window. They just rebranded it to create two names vs. Integrity wood ultrex and Integrity ultrex.

Significant difference: Infinity is sold and installed by only factory-selected exclusive dealers while both essential and Elevate are sold by lumber yards and other non-installing dealers (not always the case as some dealers have their own installation people or others they recommend but have chosen other products to include in their portfolio).

They are different products with the common thread being: they are both fiberglass or what Marvin calls Ultrex.

Also to earlier post about testing a large size DH (48 x 96): this keeps the cost of testing down to any window smaller than the tested size and usually the largest manufactured size with a warranty.

but winow quality is same its just a market move to have it as exclusive. and each winow is custom made and marvin wont just to any contractor etc.

Marvin in a massive company. I doubt the rationale for them submitting a window for testing at 32 sq/ft was to save money. For one, it would likely yeild a lower PG number given the size as compared to a window size that covers 99% of the windows out there at something smaller than 36 by 66.

This gargantuan size test sample would have one more likely logic behind it and that was the air infiltration mentioned above.