Comparing PVS-7, PVS-14, and PVS-31 Night Vision Devices – Which One is Right for You?

When it comes to choosing a night vision device, there are many options to consider. Three popular choices are the PVS7, the PVS 14 and the PVS 31. All three are great night vision devices.

So, between pvs 7 vs pvs 14 vs pvs 31, which is the better night vision device?

In pvs 7 vs pvs 14 vs pvs 31, PVS 7 is better than the PVS 14 and PVS 31 in terms of affordability. The PVS 14 is better than the rest in terms of weight, size and the  quantity of batteries. The PVS 31, however, is the best at design, range of detection and recognition, resolution, and battery life. 

In this comparison, we will take a closer look at PVS 7, PVS 14 and PVS 31. This will help you  make an informed decision when choosing a night vision device.

PVS 7 vs PVS 14 vs PVS 31: A Quick Comparison

In this section I will briefly go through the differences between the PVS – 7, the PVS – 14 and the PVS – 31 night vision devices. I will give a more detailed comparison between the three in the next section.

Feature	PVS – 7	PVS – 14	PVS – 31
Design	Biocular	Monocular	Binocular
Field of View	40 degrees	40 degrees	40 degrees
Magnification	1x	1x	1x
Range of detection	325 m	350 m	1650 m
Range of recognition	225 m	300 m	700 m
Resolution	>64 lp/mm	>64 lp/mm	72 Ip/mm
Weight	680 g	351 g	425 gm
Dimension	5.8″L x 3.1″H x 6.1″W	4.5“L × 2.25”H × 2”W	4.3”L x 4.3”H x 3.4”W
Battery Type	AA	AA	AA
Number of batteries	2	1	4
Battery Life	40 hours	40 hours	50+ hours
Price	$2799	$2950	$13,000

This was just a summary of all the possible differences among these 3. However, it’s okay to be in confusion. In the next segment, I would explain these factors in more detail. So stick with us.

PVS 7 vs PVS 14 vs PVS 31: An In-depth Comparison

Design:

The PVS 31 has better design than both the PVS 7 and the PVS 14. The PVS 14, however, has a slightly better design than the PVS 7.

The PVS 14 has a monocular design, while the PVS 7 and the PVS 31 have a biocular binocular design respectively. The PVS 7 has only a single image intensifier tube and only splits the image between two eyepieces. The monocular design of the PVS 14, on the other hand, makes it more versatile and cost effective.

But the PVS 31 has a better design as it has an individual image intensifier tube for each eyepiece. This reduces the strain on the eye and improves your night time visibility.

Winner: PVS 31.

Field of View:

PVS – 7, PVS – 14 and  PVS – 31 are tied when it comes to field of view. All three night vision devices have a 40 degree field of view. But the PVS – 31 can provide you with better situational awareness and depth perception due to the binocular design. In certain situations, such as combat, the role of FOV is very important.

Result: Tie

Magnification:

The PVS – 7, the PVS – 14 and the PVS – 31 are tied when it comes to magnification as well. All three night vision devices have no built-in zooming system, unfortunately. 

Result: Tie.

Range of detection:

The PVS 31 has a longer range of detection than the PVS 7 and the PVS 14. But the PVS 14 has a better range of detection than the PVS 7. The PVS 31 has a range of detection of 1650 m compared to the 350 m range of detection of the PVS 14. 

The PVS 7, in contrast, has a range of detection of just 325 m. You may also be able to detect lasers with night vision devices.

Winner: PVS 31

Range of recognition:

The PVS 31 has a better range of recognition than the PVS 7 and the PVS 14. The PVS 14, however, has a longer range of recognition than the PVS 7. The PVS 31 has a range of detection of 700 m compared to the 300 m range of detection of the PVS 14. The PVS 7, on the contrary, has a range of detection of just 225 m.

Resolution:

The PVS 31 has better resolution compared to the PVS 7 and the PVS 14. The PVS 7 and PVS 14 tie in this regard. The PVS 31 comes with a resolution of 72 Ip/mm. Whereas the resolution of both the PVS 7 and PVS 14 is 64 Ip/mm. 

Winner: PVS 31

Weight:

The PVS 14 is lighter than both the PVS 31 and PVS 7. The PVS 31 is lighter than the PVS 7 though. The PVS 14 weighs just 351 g due to its monocular design. The PVS 31, despite having a binocular design, weighs 425 g. The PVS 7, however, comes in heavy at 680 g.

Winner: PVS 14.

Dimension:

The PVS 14 is smaller in size compared to the PVS 7 and the PVS 31. The PVS 31, on the other hand, is less bulky compared to the PVS 7. The PVS 7 has a bulky structure due to its design. It comes in at 5.8″L x 3.1″H x 6.1″W.

The PVS 31, on the contrary, has a 4.3”L x 4.3”H x 3.4”W dimension. The PVS 14, though, is the smallest of the bunch due to the monocular design. The size of the PVS 14 is just 4.5“L × 2.25”H × 2”W.

Winner: PVS 14

Battery:

The PVS 14 uses fewer batteries than the PVS 7 and PVS 31. The PVS 7 uses half the batteries that PVS 31 requires. The PVS 14 uses only one AA battery as it has only one image intensifier tube.

The PVS 31 requires 4 AA batteries for operation. The PVS 7 in contrast uses only 2 AA batteries. All 3 devices use AA batteries only. Users of PVS 14, however, sometimes complain that their PVS 14 is not turning on.

Winner: PVS 14.

Battery Life:

The PVS 31 has better battery life compared to the PVS 7 and the PVS 14. The PVS 7 and the PVS 14 have similar battery life. Both the PVS 7 and PVS 14 have a battery life of about 40 hours. The PVS 31, on the contrary, can be operated for more than 5 hours with one set of 4 AA batteries. 

Winner: PVS 31.

Price:

The PVS 7 is more affordable than the PVS 14 and the PVS 31. The PVS 14 is only a bit more expensive than the PVS 7. The PVS 31 is very expensive compared to the other two.

The PVS 7 comes in at $2799, while the PVS 14 costs about $2950. Both the PVS 7 and PVS 14 are very expensive night vision devices. But the PVS 31 will cost you a whopping $13,000, making it the most expensive of the bunch by a wide margin. 

If all three of these are too expensive, you can still get some decent night vision devices under $1k.

PVS 7-

Winner: PVS 7

So, Which is Better? PVS 7, PVS 14 or PVS 31?

The PVS 7 is better when it comes to affordability compared to the other two. The PVS 14 is a bit more expensive than PVS 7 but is much cheaper than the PVS 31. In terms of design the PVS 31 is better than the other two. The PVS 14 has a better design than the PVS 7 though.

All three night vision devices perform the same when it comes to magnification and field of view (FOV). the PVS 31 has a much high range of detection and range of recognition compared to PVS 14 and PVS 7. The PVS 14 performs a bit better than the PVS 7 in these two regards. 

The PVS 7 and PVS 14 have similar resolution. But the PVS 31 has a much better resolution than the other two. The PVS 14 is the lightest and the smallest of the bunch. The PVS 31 is much lighter than the PVS 7 and bit smaller in size too. 

Furthermore, all three devices use AA batteries. But the PVS 14 uses only one, while the PVS 7 requires two. The PVS 31, on the other hand, needs 4 AA batteries to operate. But in terms of battery life the PVS 31 beats the other two by a good margin. The PVS 7 and the PVS 14 tie in this criteria.

So, which night vision device is best among these three? It depends on which features are the most important to you. Pick the device that is adequate for your use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can you use 2 PVS-14?

Yes, you can use 2 PVS 14s at the same time. There are mounts available for purchase that let you mount two PVS 14 monoculars simultaneously to form a night vision binocular device.

Does the military still use PVS-7?

Yes, the military still uses the PVS 7. The US military has been using the PVS 7 from 1988. There are currently hundreds of thousands of these night vision devices in the stocks of the US military. But they are slowly being phased out for the newer PVS 14 and PVS 31 variants.

Why is night vision so expensive?

Night vision devices are so expensive primarily due to the complexity in developing these devices. These devices also use highly specialized components that have limited availability in the market. 

Conclusion

Now you know about PVS 7 vs PVS 14 vs PVS 31. I hope you didn’t face much trouble in reading this article. The three night vision devices have a lot of distinguishing factors. 

It is important to know what features separate the three to get the night vision device that is right for you. I expect that i managed to answer all your questions here.

That is all for today. Thank you and goodbye!