Updated August 2026. Homeowners keep asking which is better in Florida, ES or CGI. CGI is not a separate rival anymore. It is part of PGT. ES is still its own Florida impact line. A 2026 bid that says ES vs CGI is really ES versus a current PGT impact window. Compare the units, the Florida approval on those sizes, and the install. The old logo is not the test.

Quick answer

  • CGI now lives under PGT. You are not picking a CGI factory against an ES factory. The PGT-family side of this is on PGT vs CGI.
  • ES is a current Florida impact line Statewide quotes.
  • If the quote still says CGI, ask which current PGT impact line that maps to, and get a live approval number for your openings.
  • CGI already in the house stays. Use that order’s paperwork for warranty.

Statewide Windows & Doors quotes ES (listed on our manufacturers page) and quotes PGT impact lines. That is not an exclusive dealership for either name.

What actually changed

CGI’s own site now says CGI Impact Resistant Windows & Doors is part of the PGT portfolio. That is why “two factories, pick a winner” copy is stale. If you already have CGI windows, they are still the product that was installed. A new job is a current ES system or a current PGT impact system, not a trip back to an old CGI catalog.

When series names show up on a quote, here is what they usually mean. WinGuard is PGT’s vinyl and aluminum impact collection. Sparta by PGT is the old CGI Sparta aluminum impact line, now sold as a PGT series. Sentinel is listed as a legacy CGI line, so do not plan a new job around new Sentinel production. Scout by PGT is aluminum, but it is not hurricane glass.

ES vs CGI at a glance


ES Windows
CGI
Who they are now
A current Florida impact line. Aluminum first, vinyl when it fits.
Part of the PGT portfolio. New production is a PGT impact line, not a competing CGI factory.
A new 2026 bid
A current ES unit on your openings and wind zone.
Map the CGI name to a current PGT impact unit. Compare that unit to ES on the same schedule.
Already installed
Existing ES stays ES.
Existing CGI stays CGI. Use that order’s paperwork.
Florida approval
A Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval (FL#) for your sizes, especially in Miami-Dade and Broward.
Installed CGI keeps the approval it was permitted under. A new opening needs a current number.

What to check on the quote

  • Approval. The number has to match the actual sizes and wind load, not just the brand name. That matters most in Miami-Dade and Broward.
  • Frame. Big sliders are often aluminum. Vinyl can be the better insulation story on smaller units.
  • Glass. Laminated glass is the impact baseline. Low-E helps the AC. Neither one saves a sloppy install.
  • Who is installing it. The tested window fails if the buck and anchors are wrong. Same line, two contractors, two outcomes.

Bring the series on the label, or the old CGI quote. We will put ES and the current PGT impact line on the same replacement openings.

If you are comparing ES to PGT with no CGI name on the bid, that is a different pair: ES vs PGT. This page is only ES vs CGI.

When ES is the better fit

  • You want a current Florida impact line Statewide already quotes
  • You want ES styles or colors, or a match to ES already on the house

When a CGI quote is really a PGT bid

  • The paperwork still says CGI, and you need to know which current PGT impact line that is
  • You want that aluminum impact line under the PGT name, or PGT’s broader impact menu instead

If CGI is already on the house

Those windows are still the product that was installed. CGI points warranty information to purchases made before December 15, 2025, and still hosts approvals and care guides for legacy CGI products. Use the manufacturer paperwork for that order. For a slider or entry on the same elevation, match a current ES or PGT system rather than mixing frame depths and colors.

FAQ

Is CGI still a separate factory?

Not as a competing catalog. CGI’s site says it is part of the PGT portfolio. A new bid is ES versus current PGT impact, not a CGI factory bake-off.

Is CGI stronger than ES?

Brand talk is not a rating. Hurricane performance is the tested system plus the install. Impact glass can crack. The laminate is supposed to keep the hole closed. It is not hurricane-proof.

Can I still buy Sentinel? What about Scout?

CGI lists Sentinel as a legacy line. Re-quote on a current approved ES or PGT impact system. Scout is aluminum, but it is not hurricane glass.

Can I mix ES with a PGT line?

Possible, but matching color, frame depth, and sightlines is harder. Most homes look and service better on one system.

Get ES and the current PGT line quoted on your house

Statewide Windows & Doors will put ES and current PGT impact lines on the same openings and wind zone, and will tell you if an old CGI quote maps to a current PGT unit. Call (561) 816-4010 or request a free estimate.