Micro red dot sights have really become popular in recent years…
For most people (me included) they perform just as well as larger red dot sights, but they cut down the weight and amount of bulk that you end up adding on your rifle…
The optics company that started the micro red dot craze was Aimpoint, and right now, two of their most popular micro red dot options are…
- The Aimpoint T2 (Check Price On Amazon – Over 84 Reviews)
- The Aimpoint Comp M5 (Check Price On Amazon – Over 29 Reviews)
So in this Aimpoint T2 Vs Comp M5 comparison, we’re going to put these two little sights up against each other, and see how they do in the following 6 categories…
- Durability And Toughness
- Reticle And Lens Clarity
- Size Comparison
- Battery Life And Brightness Settings
- Extra Goodies Included With The Optic
- Price Comparison
In the end, I’ll tell you if I prefer the classic Aimpoint T2 or the flashy and new Comp M5…
And you should have all the information you need to determine which sight will work best for you…
Let’s get started!
Durability And Toughness…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 Micro is an extremely durable little red dot sight. First of all, Aimpoints in general are known for their durability and reliability…
And the T2 Micro has been out for quite a few years now which means it’s been in the hands of many different shooters, and it still maintains a high reputation for toughness…
Now the sight housing on the Aimpoint T2 is constructed from high strength aluminum which is a very rugged material…
In addition to that, it also has a hard anodized non-reflective finish which will help protect the optic from the elements and keep it low profile at the same time…
The sight housing on the T2 is also built up a little bit so that it covers and protects the windage and elevation turrets…
I really like this feature because it prevents them from getting bumped or snapped off accidentally, which is something that can happen with other red dot sights…
The Aimpoint T2 is also a waterproof optic. It’s rated to be waterproof in up to 25 meters (80 feet) of water, which means you could actually take it SCUBA diving with you if you wanted too…
Now most of us are not Navy SEALs, so we’ll never go swimming with our optic. However, the T2 can handle rainy, snowy, or wet conditions without having any issues at all…
And it’s also shockproof, which means it can easily handle the recoil from being mounted on high-powered rifles, shotguns, and pistol caliber carbines…
All in all, I think that the ruggedness and reliability that you get with the Aimpoint T2 are extremely impressive…
Aimpoint Comp M5
The Aimpoint Comp M5 is a little bit of a newer sight than the Micro T2, but even though it hasn’t been around quite as long, it too has developed a fantastic reputation for durability and toughness…
The Comp M5 also has a sight housing that’s constructed from high strength aluminum, so it’s also made from a very rugged material…
And it also has a hard anodized finish which will help protect it from damage by the elements…
On top of that, the Comp M5 is also designed with a portion of the sight housing that is raised up to offer protection for the windage and elevation turrets…
Again, I really like this design feature because it helps prevent the adjustments from getting bumped or from accidentally getting snapped off…
The Comp M5 is also a waterproof optic. It’s rated to be submersible is up to 45 meters (150 feet) of water, which is an insane amount of waterproofing…
So just like the Aimpoint T2, it can easily handle any rainy or snowing conditions that you might find yourself shooting or carrying your rifle in…
Last, the Comp M5 is also a shockproof optic. So it can easily handle the recoil from high-powered rifles, shotguns, and pistol caliber carbines or submachine guns…
All in all, the Aimpoint Comp M5 is also an extremely impressive optic in terms of reliability.
Durability And Toughness Conclusions…
Ok, so this is actually a pretty tough category in which to compare these two sights because these are both Aimpoints…
If you don’t already know, Aimpoints are pretty much known for how durable and reliable they are, and both the Micro T2 and the Comp M5 live up to that legendary reputation…
They both have a sight housing that’s made from high quality aluminum. They both have windage and elevation turrets that are protected by the sight housing…
And they’re both waterproof and shockproof. The differences are that the Comp M5 is a little bit of a larger optic than the Micro T2, and it’s also rated to be submersible in a deeper amount of water…
So even though the Micro T2 blows away a lot of other red dot sights when it comes to how waterproof it is…
I’m going to give the slight edge in this category to the Comp M5 because it is just a bit more waterproof than the T2…
Winner: Aimpoint Comp M5
Reticle And Lens Clarity…
Aimpoint T2
The lens clarity on the Aimpoint T2 is very good. You don’t really notice much of that annoying greenish/blue tint that you get with some other red dot sights…
And overall, you get a very clear view and sight picture when looking through the sight…
Now the reticle on the Aimpoint T2 is a simple 2 MOA (minute of angle) dot. I’m a big fan of a 2 MOA dot on this style optic, and there are a few reasons why…
First of all, the 2 MOA dot is large enough (and bright enough) that it allows your eye to pick it up very quickly, which allows you to shoot very fast…
But at the same time, you have that precise little dot, which gives you a fine aiming point for small targets or targets that are at further distances…
Simply put, it’s a reticle that helps you shoot fast and accurately, and because of that, I’m a big fan of it…
I have used red dot sights with larger MOA dot reticles in the past (4 MOA or 6 MOA), and I found it hard to aim precisely, particularly at small targets at extended ranges…
So overall, I’m very happy that Aimpoint has stuck with their 2 MOA dot system throughout the years because even if you do feel the need for a larger dot…
One of the things you can do is simply bump up the brightness level on your sight until the dot starts to bloom out.
But as I said, the 2 MOA dot is very easy to see. So I doubt you’ll have any problem picking up the reticle on this optic.
Aimpoint Comp M5
The lens clarity on the Aimpoint Comp M5 is also very good. Just like with the T2 Micro, you don’t really get any of that annoying blue tint…
And the sight window is very clear, which allows you to get a clean sight picture…
On top of that, the reticle on the Comp M5 is also a simple 2 MOA red dot…
Again, I’m a huge fan of a simple 2 MOA dot reticle because I think it’s just as easy as a 4 MOA or 6 MOA dot for your eye to pick up…
But at the same time it offers you more precision for accurate shots on small targets or targets that are off in the distance…
So again, I think the 2 MOA dot reticle was a great choice by Aimpoint, and for most shooters it will allow you to shoot quickly and accurately.
Reticle And Lens Clarity Conclusions…
These two sights are very similar in this category, which is no surprise because, again, they’re both Aimpoints…
So they both have extremely clear glass, and they both have a 2 MOA dot reticle…
There’s not really anything that separates the two sights here, so in this section, I’m going to call it a draw.
Winner: Draw
Size Comparison…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 is a true micro red dot sight. It’s very compact (much more compact than a traditional-sized red dot such as the Aimpoint PRO)…
And its general size has been copied by a number of other red dot sight manufacturers out there…
With that in mind, the T2 Micro has a height that measures in at 1.4 inches. It has a width that measures in at 1.6 inches, and it has a length that measures in at 2.7 inches…
In addition to that, the T2 Micro has a weight that comes in at just 3.0 ounces.
Aimpoint Comp M5
The Aimpoint Comp M5 is also a pretty compact sight. But that being said, it is a little bit larger than the T2 Micro…
The Comp M5 has a height that measures in at 1.6 inches. It has a width that also measures in at 1.6 inches, and it has a length that measures in at 3.3 inches…
On top of that, the Comp M5 has a weight that comes in at 5.2 ounces.
Size Comparison Conclusions…
So as I said, both of these sights are pretty compact, but by looking at them side-by-side, it’s pretty clear that the Aimpoint T2 is smaller…
Both sights have a width of only 1.6 inches. So they’re both pretty narrow…
But the Aimpoint T2 is shorter than the Comp M5 in terms of height and in terms over overall length…
On top of that, the T2 Micro is more lightweight than the Comp M5 as well…
So in this section, the Aimpoint T2 Micro is going to come away as the winner.
Winner: Aimpoint T2
Battery Life And Brightness Settings…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 Micro uses one CR2032 battery which powers the sight for 50,000 hours (over 5 years)…
For me, it’s pretty much a requirement these days that any red dot sight I put on my guns has years worth of battery life, and the reason why is simple…
You don’t want your optic’s battery dying on you at the wrong time. I’ve actually had red dot sights die on me at the range before, and it can get pretty annoying…
But at the end of the day, you can just go home and replace the battery, and it’s not really a big deal…
However it would be a disaster for your battery to stop working if you ever need to use your optic in an emergency self-defense situation…
In addition to that, it’s a good idea to keep your optic on at all times…
So that if you do ever need to grab your rifle in self-defense, you won’t end up having to fiddle around with buttons just to turn your sight on…
So in the end, the 5 years worth of battery life that you get with the T2 Micro allows you to keep your optic ready to go at all times, and it’s very unlikely that your optic’s battery will end up dying on you…
Especially if you follow the standard advice of replacing your battery at least once a year (some people like to do it on their birthday)…
Now the T2 Micro comes with a total of 8 daylight brightness settings, 4 night vision settings, and 1 extra bright setting…
The daylight brightness settings are very powerful on the high end, and it’s very easy to see your reticle even on an extremely sunny day…
On top of that, if the conditions are really extreme in terms of brightness, you have that extra bright setting that you can alway bump the sight up to…
Now the 4 night vision settings will have to be used with night vision equipment…
And I like that they’re included on the T2 because if you have or plan on getting some NV equipment, then you’ll easily be able to run your sight at night, which is not always the case with Aimpoint sights (for example the Aimpoint H2)…
Aimpoint Comp M5
The Aimpoint Comp M5 uses 1 AAA battery which is able to power the sight for 50,000 hours (over 5 years)…
Again, I love super long battery life like this on all of my battery powered optics because you can keep them turned on all the time…
So your sight will always be ready to go, and it’s very unlikely that you’re optic’s battery will die on you (as long as you change out the battery periodically, like once a year)…
Now the Comp M5 comes with 5 daylight brightness settings, 4 night vision settings, and 1 extra bright setting…
Just as with the T2 Micro, the daylight brightness settings get very bright on the high end…
And you have that extra brightness setting which allows you to bump up the power if the lighting conditions are really extreme…
And again, the 4 NV settings can be used along with NV equipment, which will allow you to run your sight in the dark.
Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…
In this category, these two sights have a lot of similarities, but there are a few key differences…
First of all, they both give you 50,000 hours worth of battery life, which is awesome because you can keep them running 24/7 and they’ll be ready to go if you ever need to use them…
In addition to that, they both have powerful daylight brightness settings, the extra bright settings, and 4 night vision settings…
That being said, the T2 Micro has a few more daylight brightness settings than the Comp M5 which isn’t that big a deal, but it might allow you to fine tune your brightness level just a tiny bit more…
On top of that, it uses a CR2032 battery rather than a AAA battery which is used in the Comp M5…
I personally prefer the use of the CR2032 battery on the T2 Micro because it’s more light weight and less bulky than the AAA battery used on the Comp M5…
So in this category, I’m going to give the win to the Micro T2, but just by a hair…
Winner: Aimpoint T2
Extra Goodies Included With The Optic…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 comes with some pretty cool accessories. You actually get a protective flip up lens cover for both the front and rear lens of the optic…
The front lens cover is fully blacked out whereas the rear lens cover is actually clear, and this set up confuses a lot of people, but it actually has a pretty cool purpose…
You see, even with both of your lens covers closed, if you look through the optic with both eyes open (which is key) the dot will still superimpose over the target you’re aiming at…
It’s just a matter of how your brain works, and this allows you to use your optic very quickly in an emergency situation while still keeping both lenses fully protected…
And it’s all because of that clear rear lens cover. Now aside from that, you can get the T2 Micro with either no mount, a high mount, or a low mount…
The high mount option is for use on an AR platform rifle or any other rifle/carbine system that requires that you mount the optic high…
And the low mount will work great with many pistol caliber carbines, shotguns, the AK platform, and any other firearm that requires the use of a low mount…
Both included mounts will increase the overall cost of the sight. So unfortunately the mounts are not included free of charge…
That being said, getting the sight with no mount is the least expensive option, but you will have to purchase a mount for the optic on the aftermarket…
The good news is that there are tons of mounts out there which are being made for Aimpoint Micro sights because they are extremely popular optics…
So in the end, you won’t have any problems finding a quality mount that will allow you to put the T2 on your gun.
Aimpoint Comp M5
The Aimpoint Comp M5 also comes with a front and rear lens cover, and it’s the same set up as with the T2 Micro, with the front cover being blacked out and the rear cover being clear…
Again, I really like that Aimpoint includes both of these covers because they increase the overall durability of your sighting system…
And at the same time, you can still use your optic very quickly in an emergency (because that rear lens cover is clear)…
Aside from that, the Comp M5 uses the same Aimpoint Micro footprint that’s found on the T2. So there are tons of aftermarket mounts that will fit it perfectly…
And you can also purchase it in a package with either a low or a high amount which, again, will increase the overall price of the sight.
Extra Accessories Conclusions…
In this category, both sights (again) have a lot of similarities…
They both come with the same protective lens covers which I actually think are pretty cool, and they both have the same Aimpoint Micro footprint…
…which is extremely popular and will make it fairly easy to find a mount for your sight. Aside from that, you can purchase either optic with a factory low or high mount for a higher price.
There’s not really anything that separates these two in this section, so I think I’m gonna have to call it a draw here…
Winner: Draw
Price Comparison…
Unfortunately I won’t be able to give you exact numbers in this category because the prices of these sights are known to change as the market fluctuates…
But with that being said, in general, you’ll usually find that the Aimpoint T2 is around 5 to 10 bucks less expensive than the Comp M5…
In my opinion, 5 to 10 bucks isn’t a huge difference, especially because both of these sights are premium sights that carry a premium price tag…
But if you are interested in saving a few bucks, then the Aimpoint T2 is probably going to be the less expensive option for you.
Winner: Aimpoint T2
Aimpoint T2 Vs Comp M5 – Final Thoughts…
So in the end, in the Durability And Toughness category, both of these sights are extremely tough and reliable…
But because the Comp M5 is a bit more waterproof and a larger sight than the Micro T2, it came away as the winner here…
In the Lens Clarity And Reticle category, both sights have a very clear lens that allows you to get a very clean sight picture…
And they both have a 2 MOA dot reticle, which helps you shoot fast and accurately. So in this section I called it a draw…
In the Size Comparison, both sights measure in at the same width…
However, the Aimpoint T2 is smaller in all other dimensions, and it’s a little bit more lightweight than the Comp M5. So it came away as the winner in this category…
In the Battery Life And Brightness Settings category, both sights give you 50,000 hours of battery life, which is awesome…
And they both have very powerful brightness settings and 4 night vision settings…
However, since the T2 Micro has more brightness settings and uses the less bulky CR2032 battery. It came away as the winner here…
In the Extra Accessories category, both sights come with front and rear flip-up lens covers, and you can get both with an included mount for an increased price. So I called it a draw in this section…
And Last in the Price Comparison, the Aimpoint T2 is usually around 5 to 10 dollars less expensive than the Comp M5…
So which of these sights do I prefer? I prefer the Aimpoint T2 Micro…
I prefer the Aimpoint T2 for a few reasons. First of all, even though I gave the win in the durability and toughness category to the Comp M5, the T2 Micro is still one of the most durable red dot sights you can get…
It’s tough enough that you can use it in very rough conditions, and it’ll still keep working for you. So it’s definitely a sight that you can rely on regardless of whether you’re in the military, law enforcement, or as a civilian shooter…
I also prefer the T2 because it’s more compact in terms of its dimensions than the Comp M5, and it’s more lightweight…
On top of that, it uses a CR2032 battery rather than the AAA battery used Comp M5, and that’s another feature that helps keep the weight and bulk of the optic down…
Last, the Aimpoint T2 is slightly less expensive than the Comp M5. So it’ll end up saving you some money.
Now if you like the increased size and durability of the Comp M5, and you don’t mind paying just a little bit more money, then feel free to go with it because it’s still an amazing optic…
Either way, I hope I was able to show you the major similarities and differences between these two awesome optics from Aimpoint.