Embodiments of articles with optical coatings are described herein. According to one embodiment, an article may comprise a substrate having a major surface, and an optical coating disposed on the major surface and forming an anti-reflective surface, the optical coating comprising an anti-reflective coating. The article may exhibit a maximum hardness of about 12 GPa or greater as measured on the anti-reflective surface by a Berkovich Indenter Hardness Test along an indentation depth of about 100 nm or greater. The article may exhibit a single side average light reflectance measured at the anti-reflective surface of about 8% or less over an optical wavelength regime in the range from about 400 nm to about 800 nm. The article may exhibit an average light transmission of about 90% or greater over an optical wavelength regime in the range from about 400 nm to about 800 nm.