How do ceramic and carbon tint compare on the spec sheets?
At every darkness level, LLumar’s IRX ceramic rejects the most total solar energy, SunTek’s CXP carbon comes close behind, and SunTek’s basic Carbon sits near dyed film. The table pairs shades by measured visible light (VLT), not by the number in their names, and shows VLT and total solar energy rejected (TSER) for each.
| Darkness | SunTek Carbon | SunTek CXP (carbon) | LLumar IRX (ceramic) | LLumar ATC (dyed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| About 5% | Carbon 5: 5% / 46% | CXP 5: 5% / 60% | IRX 05: 6% / 62% | ATC 05: 5% / 44% |
| About 17–20% | Carbon 18: 18% / 44% | CXP 18: 17% / 55% | IRX 15: 20% / 59% | ATC 15: 18% / 40% |
| About 33–39% | Carbon 38: 38% / 37% | CXP 35: 33% / 53% | IRX 35: 39% / 54% | ATC 35: 38% / 35% |
| About 54–60% | Carbon 55: 55% / 31% | CXP 55: 54% / 47% | IRX 50: 54% / 50% | ATC 50: 60% / 28% |
| IRER, all shades | Not published | 54–56% | 59–61% | 22% |
| UV (300–380 nm) | >99% | >99% | >99% | >99% |
| Visible reflection | 5–9% | 5–9% | 5–7% | 5–7% |
SunTek figures are from its Automotive Window Film Specifications sheet (04/24); the LLumar rows are taken from LLumar’s sheet LL0116NAEN, dated 03/26. Where a carbon shade is darker than the IRX it’s paired with, as CXP 35 is, the carbon film gets a small head start on TSER.
What is carbon window film?
Carbon film gets its colour and much of its heat control from carbon particles in the film rather than from dye or metal. The makers describe it in similar terms.
- SunTek says its “Carbon films are manufactured with carbon particles rather than simple dyes”, which gives its Carbon and CXP lines “a non-reflective appearance in impressive shades of black” (SunTek Carbon and CXP). CXP, short for Carbon Extra Performance, is described as a “non-metal nano-hybrid carbon composition”.
- 3M says its Color Stable series uses “nano-carbon polyester”, with the nano-carbon “dispersed throughout the thickness of the film”, and calls it a “non-metallized window film that won’t interfere with mobile devices, GPS or satellite radio reception” (3M Color Stable brochure).
Ceramic film, by contrast, uses ceramic particles chosen to block infrared. LLumar’s sheet describes IRX as “advanced nanoceramic IR-blocking technology”. LLumar’s current automotive sheet lists dyed, metallized, ceramic and clear films and no carbon line.
Why can SunTek’s carbon numbers sit next to LLumar’s?
Because both sheets come from the same company and use the same test. SunTek’s sheet and LLumar’s are both published by Eastman Performance Films, LLC, and both report data captured to NFRC guidelines on single-pane, 6 mm clear glass. That makes them about as fair a carbon-against-ceramic comparison as published data allows.
Why 3M’s carbon numbers can’t be compared directly
3M’s Color Stable brochure lists TSER of 64, 60, 55 and 51% for CS 5, 20, 35 and 50, and IRER of 57 to 63%. On their face those beat SunTek’s carbon and match IRX. The catch is the glass: 3M says its data shows film applied to 6 mm, “73% VLT automotive green glass”. That base glass already holds back 27% of visible light before any film goes on, so 3M’s figures describe film and tinted glass working together. LLumar’s and SunTek’s describe film on clear glass. The brochure’s separate infrared figure, IRR, covers only 900 to 1,000 nm and is measured on the film alone, with no glass at all.
The lesson for any quote: ask what glass the numbers were measured on before comparing two brands.
How much more infrared does ceramic reject than carbon?
On SunTek and LLumar’s shared test method, ceramic rejects about 5 more points of infrared energy than the upgraded carbon, and the basic carbon’s infrared figures aren’t published at all. SunTek’s own sheet also shows its ceramic line beating its carbon lines, which takes brand out of the question.
| Measured VLT | SunTek Carbon | SunTek CXP (carbon) | SunTek CIR (ceramic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | Carbon 5: 46% TSER | CXP 5: 60% TSER, 54% IRER | CIR 5: 62% TSER, 58% IRER |
| 33–36% | Carbon 35 (36%): 38% TSER | CXP 35: 53% TSER, 55% IRER | CIR 30: 55% TSER, 59% IRER |
| 52–55% | Carbon 55: 31% TSER | CXP 55: 47% TSER, 54% IRER | CIR 50 (52%): 50% TSER, 59% IRER |
Selective IR rejection (SIRR), the larger infrared number, tells the same story: 76–79% for CXP, 83–86% for SunTek’s CIR ceramic and 85–88% for LLumar IRX. For the basic Carbon line, SunTek’s sheet leaves both infrared columns blank. SunTek’s page rates Carbon for “good heat rejection” and CXP for “outstanding heat and infrared rejection”, and positions CXP as “a perfect economical option to ceramic tint”.
Do carbon and ceramic tint differ in looks, signals or fading?
Very little. Both are non-metallic, so neither interferes with phone, GPS or radio reception, and both reflect only 5 to 9% of visible light, so neither looks mirrored.
- Colour. SunTek’s carbon comes in “shades of black”; LLumar’s ceramic and dyed films are charcoal.
- Fading. SunTek says its carbon tint “will not change color like some dyed films”, and 3M says Color Stable has “no chance of the film turning purple”. Brookswood Tint describes its IRX and AIR films as ceramic, not dyed.
- Warranty. SunTek backs Carbon and CXP with “a manufacturer’s lifetime limited warranty” covering “change in color”, 3M offers a “limited lifetime warranty”, and LLumar backs IRX with a manufacturer’s lifetime limited warranty. SunTek and LLumar both send you to the dealer for the restrictions.
Ceramic or carbon: which should you choose?
Choose ceramic if heat is your reason for tinting, especially in the lighter shades. Choose carbon if a shop you trust sells it, you like its black look, and its numbers meet your needs. Just make sure you know which carbon line you’re getting.
Carbon suits you if
- You want a deep black, non-reflective look in a colour-stable film.
- You’re quoted CXP or a similar upgraded carbon: within 1 to 4 points of IRX’s TSER at similar darkness.
- Heat is a secondary concern, and carbon is quoted for less than ceramic where you’re shopping.
Ceramic suits you if
- You want the most heat rejection at a given darkness: IRX holds 59–61% IRER in every shade.
- You want a light shade that still cuts heat: at 54% VLT, IRX 50 still turns away half the sun’s total energy, while SunTek’s Carbon 55, at 55%, turns away 31%.
- You’d rather not compare carbon sub-lines at all.
Where we stand
We don’t carry carbon film; our window film menu is LLumar’s dyed ATC and its two ceramics, IRX and AIR, so read this with that in mind. Every carbon number here comes from its maker’s own sheet. Our honest read of those sheets: basic carbon performs close to our ATC, and upgraded carbon closes much of the gap to our IRX. If a carbon quote is in front of you, ask which line it is and what glass its numbers were measured on. For the dyed side of the comparison, see ceramic vs dyed window tint; for another brand’s ceramic, LLumar vs XPEL window tint.
How do you compare a carbon quote with a ceramic one?
Get the film line and shade named on every quote, then compare measured VLT and TSER from each maker’s sheet, on the same windows. Brookswood Tint will quote LLumar IRX, and ATC if you’d like the dyed price too.
IRX is priced per package above the ATC base, which the window tint price list sets at $240 for a sedan’s or pickup’s five rear windows, $220 for a sports coupe’s three and $260 for a full-size SUV’s or wagon’s seven. Whichever film you pick, BC’s rule under MVAR s. 7.05(8) is the same: any shade is legal behind the driver, and the two front door windows can’t legally carry film at all. Front film is installed on request, once the shop has explained that it can lead to a ticket (Mission RCMP says one typically carries a $109 fine) or to a Notice & Order, under which the film comes off and the car is inspected.
Most cars are done the same day. Send the year, make, model and the carbon quote you have through the ceramic tint quote form, and see LLumar IRX nano ceramic film or ceramic window tint for the film and the service.