Given Gunnar’s background in the eSports community, an Overwatch collaboration was inevitable. Instead of going for an obvious design, such as a Tracer’s visor, they opted to embraced D.Va’s unique style. With strong appeal in a couple notable categories, do these unique glasses hit the mark, or are they another odd choice for the beloved franchise?
Gunnar Overwatch D.Va Tokki Glasses Overview
Prescription Experience
Prior to talking about the glasses themselves, I want to cover on the prescription aspect since it won’t apply to everyone. Before I was able to get either pair of glasses I had to submit a current prescription. It was nice to see them verify it was current since the last time I bought glasses they didn’t even verify I had a prescription. They also requested I download a mobile app to measure my head/pupil distance. It took about 20 seconds, gave them the numbers, and they did the rest.
Since my last eye exam my prescription changed, so I can’t compare these glasses to another pair I obtained elsewhere. However, I can say with absolute certainty they’re a lot clearer than my old pair. For this reason I would personally trust them to make lens with the right prescription.
I will also note the glasses featured in this review are based off the regular version.
Unboxing
For those unfamiliar, Gunnar recently changed their packaging to reflect the companies new direction. Instead of having a simple white box with the company name, they feature a grayish blue and white box that matches the recently revamped website.
Inside the box are the glasses, along with the unique included accessories.
Accessories
Contrary to every other style of Gunnar glasses I’ve seen, the D.Va Tokki edition includes a soft lens cover case. I am not sure if there is a more technical name for the style, but once I knew what I was looking at I could find plenty of similar designs via Amazon.
Spiffy Protection
The version included feels like PU leather with a slick coating on top. The Gunnar/Overwatch logo is included on the back, with D.Va’s logo proudly placed on the front. Inside is a silky fabric with D.Va’s logo repeating throughout. There is also a small amount of cushion where the lens will be to help mitigate damage.
To help transport there is a small metal loop on the back designed to pair with an included strap. The included strap can be rather annoying to set up. It has a small cut on one end that allows owners to attach it to a favorite bag, or lanyard.
Barely Hangs
Unfortunately, the strap is fairly short. At roughly 6.5″ there isn’t much room for larger parts, or distance from the affixed point. It’s also rather annoying to put on/remove. Thankfully, it’s a universal design that can easily be replaced if a non-matching part isn’t a big deal.
Also included is the standard pouch, and cleaning cloth. The bag features D.Va’s logo on one side, with the Gunnar/Overwatch logos on the reverse. I am also thrilled to say the cleaning cloth features different branding that can’t be seen on the official website. Superfans can examine both in the images above.
Design
This is the third frame in Gunnar’s “cat eye” style, and first non-Tokidoki frame to feature it. Despite being part of a similar style, D.Va looks radically different from the Tokidoki Year of the Dragon, and SANDy designs.
The cotton candy colored acetate looks really nice in person. It’s a color set that works well together, and gives a slightly different impression depending on lighting.
Unlike some recent frames, the branding is quite noticeable. On the front are bunny accents, which look more cute than signal D.Va. Joining it are the temples, each with a strong white contrast. One side has the MEKA (Mobile Exo-Force of the Korean Army) logo, and the other is D.Va in her usual stylization. Both logos are quite visible, appearing near the eye.
I am also surprised to see Gunnar considers these legendary performance level. According to the listing they do not boast the usual G-Shield Premium coating, opting for generic G-Shield, nor are they dual hinged like Cupertino, and several other styles.
This is less of a problem compared to the previously released Fallout style. Since the temples are at the top corner of the frames, it’s more accommodating. That being said, most eye glass locations should adjust them upon request if need be.
Performance
Let me start by saying this review is simply based off my personal experiences with Clear 35, Clear Pro 20, Amber 65, Amber Max 98, and a pair of Blokz I obtained years before. I can also confirm I’ve worn a pair of Gunnar glasses every day for over a year now.
The supposed benefits of blue light blocking glasses include reduced digital eye strain, and better sleep-wake cycle. These root issues can also cause additional problems, such as headaches.
While I strongly believe these helped with my frequent headaches, I saw no additional benefits with any Gunnar lens. Even after going down to Clear Pro 20, my sleep-wake cycle didn’t feel any different. In fact, I’d be legitimately surprised if there was any difference compared to Clear 35, even if I took detailed logs.
Lens Differences
The regular D.Va Tokki glasses come in either Amber 65, or Clear 35. Prescription options include the previous tints, plus Amber Max 98, along with transitions in Clear 35, or Amber 65. Unfortunately, non-prescription sunglasses are not included with this frame.
To make things easier we’ve included examples of each of these lens, plus their newly released Clear Pro 20. Please note, Clear Pro 20 is currently limited to either the Arbor, or Strata collection. They also recently released a prescription version of Clear Pro 20.
Clear Pro 20 vs Normal
The pictures above give an idea of how Clear Pro 20 perform next to our white theme. A thorough examination shows no real difference with the webpage. The only thing that looks kind of off is the website on my laptop. However, that tint is present on the version without any of the glasses, consistently appears across multiple images, and when enlarged seemingly matches Clear 35 images.
Clear 35 vs Normal
Having worn Clear 35 for a months, it’s surprising how quick the adjustment period is. Most things look largely the same, kind of like comparing a television set on cool, and then changed to warm. Where the difference is most pronounced are white backgrounds, like the page I write these articles on is immediately noticeable, or similarly colored objects. Though by and far it will not stand out if you’re not doing color work.
Clear 35 vs Amber 65
The difference between Clear 35, and Amber 65 is less pronounced than one might think. Instead of being a radically different look, the world looks closer to a sepia tone photo. This is most noticeable with white backgrounds, though other colors vary.
Clear 35 vs Amber Max 98
Amber Max 98 is a lot more pronounced. Not only does it take a minute to get used to, it radically changes how things look. Worth considering if blue light blocking is the most important thing to you.
Reflections
Reflections have been something of a battle with Gunnar glasses. The different tints, and elements to each lens result in varying amounts of reflection, which can be a big deal depending on the situation.
Consistently Amber has been the best at it, followed by Clear Pro, Clear, and finally Amber Max.
Gunnar Overwatch D.Va Tokki Glasses Review Verdict
With Gunnar Overwatch D.Va Tokki glasses more than any other style I’ve reviewed, it comes down to personal preference. The included accessories are not quite as ubiquitous as the rest, feature more apparent branding, plus a rather loud style in general. None of this is meant as criticism per se, just that they feature the same quality we’ve come to expect from Gunnar, and it ultimately comes down to if these aspects appeal to you.
Editor’s Note: Gunnar Overwatch D.Va Tokki glasses were provided to us for review purposes. Since certain elements are unchanged from our other Gunnar reviews, they were reused here. The comparison pictures feature various Gunnar frames.
