The Okna is the better looking window. Its also more air tight with a better air leakage number and lower Ufactor.

The looks are subjective, the air infiltration numbers are a virtual deadheat at 0.02 vs 0.03 vs 0.01, the DP ratings are very close DP50 vs DP60, the U-values are also very close if comparing dual panes and the triple would give the 900 the advantage. These are all very good choices and hard to say what way to lean without knowing prices, the installer and other things. If you are in the Milwaukee area I would contact Homesealed, they are well versed in both brands and a well respected company.

How does the Softlite Elements triple pane, low-e with argon compare to the above options?

It would be top rated along with 800. I have not yet figured out why the Richlin is rated AAMA silver and not gold . Decisions would come down to options, aesthetics, the installation/company and pricing. All will serve you well if installed properly.

A friend of mine went with the Okna 800 double pane replacement window and continues to be disappointed every winter. I'm referring to noticeable drafts and frost that has to be chiseled off, not condensation due to humidity levels in the house. In my opinion, a less than satisfactory response was received from both the installer and OKNA. I took my money elsewhere and went with the Polaris Ultraweld Triple Pane, installed by Four Lite Window & Door, and couldn't be more pleased. Excellent customer service before, during and after the project and excellent performance by our new windows. No drafts, no condensation and no frost.

it is unusual to hear Okna complaints, and you comment seems unusual as well.

Sounds like one may have a vested interest in Four Lite window and door Which is probably a company that sells Polaris And competes with Okna.

I have no vested interest in any company. From a consumer standpoint, I decided to share the experiences of two individuals who completed a whole home window replacement project within a year of one another. If You would like, I can post pictures of the concerns that to this day have never been addressed in a satisfactory manner.

You experience may be true but the timing and wording of your response puts up some flags IMO. I would liove to see pictures.

Don't mistake my questions for being a blanket Okna apologist, but most, if not all, of what you mention are not window issues as much as they sound like home or installation issues.

Higher than tolerable indoor humidity levels will make ANY window suffer from condensation and even frost depending on the exterior temps. Drafts are most often a function of less than perfect installations and many times, a home that has glaring issues in other places. A hope that leaks a tremendous amount of air out of the home will have tremendous drafts in other areas. It is what we refer to as the "Stack" effect.

Feel free to ping me and I would be happy to see if a warranty inspection is in order in your case that I can refer to the manufacturer.

This seems awfully suspicious, why randomly come back 3 years later just to trash a different product? I agree with the other that you sound like a shill for this four lite company. I'd avoid any company that would make a post like that. Probably couldn't get Okna or richlin or softlite to sell to you. Google search shows the business location as a little ranch home and only 6 reviews, so I guess that explains why.

All of the windows discussed in this thread are pretty good though. Richlin has the silver label thing as a downside, and Polaris UW is kinda bulky and an older design. Both are good though. Okna and Elements have slightly better ratings than the Polaris so like the other guys have said, if there is a difference between your home and your friend's, that is most likely because of environmental issues, not the window. Its also worth pointing out that you purchased triple pane and your "friend" is double pane per your description. Frost/ice is still condensation btw. Edge of glass (coldest spot) on a good double pane window may only be about 30 degrees warmer than the exterior temp, so condensation on 30 degree glass (when its zero outside) likely means that ice or frost will be present. How much depends on how cold it is and how much moisture in the house. Then there are a bunch of other factors like keeping window treatments open or closed, etc. We could provide tons of information to your friend to help them get to the bottom of their issue, but perhaps his/her window installer and manufacturer already have (or not I suppose). Probably a moot point anyway given what appears to be your motivation to sully the reputation of a top window maker who has almost universal respect among industry professionals. If I'm wrong about that, we can definitely work through what's going on there with some RH readings, exterior temps during the occurrence of the issues, etc. Pictures are great but utterly useless without all of the other relevant information.