ES Windows series compared. Multimax vs Elite vs Prestige, and every line.

The ES lines work like steps.

Think of the four ES aluminum lines as steps. Multimax is the value line: slim frames, laminated glass, white or bronze only. Elite is the main single-family impact line, adding insulating-glass builds, more colors, woodgrains and grids. Prestige is the luxury impact line, with mostly thermally broken frames, larger glass, narrower sightlines and Kynar paint as standard; a few Prestige models also come in non-impact versions for use outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) only. Legacy has the slimmest look and the lowest U-values of the four, but it is not impact-rated, so it is not a hurricane-zone product. Elite uPVC uses aluminum-reinforced vinyl frames and sits between Elite and Prestige on cost. In South Florida most homeowners choose between Elite and Prestige: budget against energy performance, sightlines and finish.

Single-hung windows: ES-MX1000 vs ES-EL100 vs ES-V100 vs ES-H340.

All four are single-hung windows: the bottom sash slides up and the top stays fixed. The MX1000 and EL100 are standard aluminum frames under 3 in. deep, and they are the budget-friendly choices; the EL100 adds Elite colors and an insulating-glass option. The vinyl ES-V100 insulates much better on paper and reaches 92 in. tall, but its Florida approval (FL42159) is rated +60/-60 psf. The Prestige ES-H340 has a deeper 3 3/8-in. thermally broken frame, separate LMI and SMI NOAs and heights up to 96 in. with shims. It is premium, mainly because of that frame and its insulating-laminated glass. For condos, Series 1000/1050 is the basic numbered single-hung, and the SMI-only Series 1100 suits upper floors. See our Impact Single-Hung Window page.

Sliding windows: ES-MX2000 vs ES-EL200 vs ES-V200 vs ES-SW340.

Horizontal sliders suit wide, short openings. The MX2000, also known as the ES-2000/2100, is the budget-friendly option. Choose the large-missile Series 2000/2050 approval for houses; the SMI-only Series 2100 needs impact shutters up to 30 ft above grade. The Elite EL200 adds Elite colors and insulating-glass options in 2- or 3-panel units up to 111 in. wide. The vinyl V200 reaches 120 in. wide in 3 panels, with lower published U-values. The Prestige SW340 has a 3 3/8-in. thermally broken frame, units up to 126 in. wide (XOX) and both LMI and SMI NOAs; it is the premium choice. For large sliding-window openings, the ES-EL400 window has its own NOA, 26-0729.12. See our Impact Sliding Window page.

Picture windows: ES-MX1500 vs ES-EL150 vs ES-5100 vs ES-V150.

Fixed windows cost the least per square foot because they have no moving parts. The Multimax MX1500 is the ES-1500/1600 and the lowest-cost ES fixed window type; its large-missile rating comes from the Series 1500 NOA, and the Series 1600 NOA is small-missile only. The Elite EL150 reaches 54 x 120 in., comes in architectural shapes down to a 14-in. radius and stays close in cost to the MX1500. The ES-5100 is a fixed window designed to match the ES-5000 casement, so sightlines line up across a wall. The vinyl ES-V150 reaches 63 x 96 in. (max 42 sq ft) with a U-value of 0.27, and it costs more when built with insulating-laminated glass. See our Impact Picture Window page.

Casement and awning windows: ES-5000 to ES-P300.

Casements crank outward and seal tightly against the frame. Awning (project-out) windows suit bathrooms, spots over sinks and units stacked above fixed glass. The Elite ES-5000 is the most budget-friendly ES casement, with single (X) and double (XX) units up to 74 x 74 1/4 in. and a multi-point lock. The ES-5500 is the large-missile awning; the ES-5600 is approved for small missile only and belongs on upper floors. The vinyl ES-V500 and ES-V550 insulate better but are rated +60/-60 psf. The Prestige ES-P252 is thermally broken and carries the highest rated casement pressures. The ES-P300 adds a beveled, historic-looking frame and comes in impact and non-impact versions. Both cost well above the ES-5000. See our Impact Casement Window page and our Impact Awning Window page.

Sliding glass and multitrack doors.

The Multimax MX4000 and Elite EL400 are the value and mainstream sliders, both in standard aluminum. The MX4000 is the lowest-cost ES sliding door, a 2-track slider of up to 4 panels; ask us which approval applies to it. The EL400 runs one to four tracks, from XO through XOXXOX, with pocket options and panels up to 48 x 120 or 60 x 96 in. For multitrack openings, the EL400 and the Prestige SGD1010T are the two choices. The heavier ES-6000/6100 costs more than both because of its frame and pressure capacity, and it suits high-pressure condo sliders and coastal exposures. The vinyl ES-V400 reaches 192 x 96 in. in OXXO and sits between the EL400 and the SGD2020T on cost. See our Impact Sliding Glass Door page and our Impact Multitrack Sliding Door page.

Prestige sliders: SGD2020, SGD2040, SGD2020T and SGD1010T.

The four Prestige sliders are built for bigger openings and more glass. The SGD2020 reaches frames up to 281 1/2 x 120 in. with a low, accessible sill of 1 5/16-1 7/8 in. and wrap-around hardware; its Florida approval carries a headline rating of +150/-150 psf. The SGD2040 is its NOA sister, in OX, XO, OXO, XOX and OXXO. Both cost noticeably more than the EL400. The SGD2020T adds a full thermal break and a U-value of 0.35, with impact panels up to 60 x 132 in. and 90/135-degree corners. The SGD1010T is a thermal minimal-sightline slider with 1 1/8-in. interlocks, approved in 2-, 3- and 4-track versions. The two thermal sliders are premium.

French, entry and pivot doors: ES-MX3000 vs ES-EL300 vs ES-46T vs PSD5030.

For patio French doors, the Multimax ES-MX3000 (the ES-3000) and the Elite ES-EL300 are standard aluminum outswing doors with current Miami-Dade NOAs, and the MX3000 is the budget-friendly one. The EL300 adds sidelites up to 152 5/16 in. wide, 108-in. heights, insulating-glass options and Elite colors; its decorative Design Door patterns do not widen the door's approval. The Prestige ES-46T is a thermally broken balcony door up to 120 in. tall, with transoms, sidelites and an optional 1/2-in. ADA threshold. The PSD5030 is a thermally broken pivot or French entry system for a statement front door. Both are premium. The Legacy ES-LG525 and ES-LG550 doors are not impact-rated. See our Impact Entry Door page and our Impact Pivot Door page.

Thermally broken doors: ES-46T vs PSD5030 vs ES-SGD2020T vs ES-BF5010T.

A thermal break is a non-metal barrier that separates the inside and outside of an aluminum frame. ES offers it on four impact door types, all in Prestige and all with Florida Product Approvals rather than NOAs. The ES-46T is a terrace swing door with an optional 1/2-in. ADA threshold. The PSD5030 is the pivot or French entry door; the pivot version has an automatic drop-down seal, and the door has damper control, hold-open positions and a modular multi-point lock. The ES-SGD2020T is the thermal slider. The ES-BF5010T is a folding glass wall of up to 16 panels that opens a living room fully to a pool deck, with stainless steel hinges. All four are premium. See our Thermally Broken Impact Door page.

Window walls, mullions and the mostly non-impact lines.

For a wall of glass, ES offers numbered window walls and Prestige glass walls. The ES-7000/7100 holds Miami-Dade NOAs, the ES-8860 curtain wall and window wall holds Florida approval FL44620-R1, and the ES-8000T is a thermally broken window wall with NOA 26-0724.08. The Prestige ES-FX2020 matches the SGD2020 door, and the ES-FX4017 is a minimal-sightline glass wall in impact and non-impact versions. A clipped tube mullion (NOA 25-0825.02) joins approved windows and doors. Three more lines need care: Series 76 and Series 88 are vinyl systems designed for northern climates, and Legacy is not impact-rated. All three are premium. See our Impact Window Wall page and our Window & Door Mullions page.

• Series 76 (ES-V76 Plus): steel-reinforced vinyl, 3 in. deep, U-value 0.20 on clear SB70 argon glass. Only the insulating-laminated build is impact-rated: tilt-and-turn FL47550 (+/-65 psf), fixed FL46920-R1 product .1 (+/-75 psf) and balcony swing door FL44618-R2 (+/-65 psf), approved in and outside the HVHZ.
• Series 88 (ES-V88): triple-pane argon glass. The lift-and-slide door is LMI under FL44619 at +/-55 psf (XO and OXXO). The fixed window is non-impact at +/-40 psf, outside the HVHZ only, and the tilt-and-turn and swing configurations have no Florida approval.
• Legacy: fully thermally broken aluminum, with U-values as low as 0.26-0.29 double-glazed and 0.16 on the LG225 triple-glazed. No Legacy model has a Miami-Dade NOA or a current Florida approval, so it is not a choice for openings that need impact protection.