Whenever you’re talking about premium red dot sights there are two names that will have to be part of the discussion… Aimpoint and Eotech…
Both of these companies have a reputation for making super high quality and reliable optics…
…and they’ve both supplied optics to law enforcement and military units that have been put through the toughest conditions.
And right now, two of their most popular offerings are…
- The Aimpoint T2 (Check Price On Optics Planet – Over 105 Reviews)
- The Eotech EXPS3 (Check Price On Optics Planet – Over 210 Reviews)
So in this Aimpoint T2 Vs Eotech EXPS3 comparison, we’re going to put these two sights up against each other and see how they stack up in the following six 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 personally prefer the rock-solid Aimpoint T2 or the blazing-fast Eotech EXPS3, and you should have all the information you need to determine which optic will work best for you…
Let’s get started!
Durability And Toughness…
Aimpoint T2
Aimpoints are pretty much known for their durability and reliability and the Aimpoint T2 is no different. To start off with, the sight housing on the T2 is made from high strength aluminum…
It’s very rugged, and it also has a hard anodized non reflective finish which helps the sight (and you) keep a low profile and also helps protect the body of the optic from the elements…
In addition to that, the sight housing on the T2 is built up around the windage and elevation adjustments. This is actually an important feature for me because it prevents them from getting bumped accidentally or even snapped off which is something that can happen with some other red dot sights out there…
The Aimpoint T2 is also a waterproof optic. It’s rated to be waterproof in up to 25 meters (80 feet) of water, and it can easily handle serving in rainy, snowy, or wet conditions…
Last, the T2 is also a shockproof optic. So it can handle the recoil from high-powered rifles, shotguns, and pistol caliber carbines or submachine guns without having any problems at all…
All in all, the durability and toughness that you get with the Aimpoint T2 is extremely impressive, especially considering just how small the sight actually is.
Eotech EXPS3
The Eotech EXPS3 is also a very durable optic. It’s sight housing is also made from a high quality aluminum, and it also has an anodized finish which will help protect the optic from the elements…
In addition to that, the EXPS3 has a large protective hood that goes over the sight window, and I really like this feature because it gives you extra protection in an area that could be a weak point on the sight without it…
Next, the windage and elevation adjustments on the EXPS3 are actually recessed into the sight housing. They can still be adjusted easily with the use of a small screwdriver, but they can never be bumped or snapped off accidentally…
The EXPS3 is also a waterproof optic. It’s rated to be waterproof in up to 10 meters (33 feet) of water, and just like the Aimpoint T2 it can easily handle any rainy, snowy, or wet conditions that you can throw at it…
Last, the EXPS3 is also a shockproof optic and can handle the recoil from being mounted on shotguns, high powered rifles, and PCCs, just like the Aimpoint T2…
All in all, the ruggedness that you get with the EXPS3 is also very impressive.
Durability And Toughness Conclusions…
In this category these two sights have a lot of similarities, but there are a few differences. Both sights are built using very rugged materials, and they both have an anodized finish to help protect them from the elements…
In addition to that, they’re both also shockproof and waterproof. That being said, the Aimpoint T2 waterproof rating is significantly better than the EXPS3 waterproof rating (even though the Eotech’s rating is also pretty good)…
So even though both of these sights are extremely durable and it’s really close in this category, I’m going to give the edge to the Aimpoint T2 but only by a hair…
Winner: Aimpoint T2
Reticle And Lens Clarity…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 has a very clear lens. You don’t really get any of that blue tint (which can end up being distracting) like you do on some other red dots (such as the Trijicon MRO)…
And overall you’re able to see very clearly and to establish a very clean sight picture when looking through the optic…
Now the reticle on the Aimpoint T2 is a simple 2 MOA (minute of angle) dot, and I think it’s a very good reticle on this style of optic…
The reason why I like it is because the 2 MOA dot is fairly quick and easy for your eye to pick up, which allows you to shoot fast…
But at the same time, it’s still a small dot that allows you to aim precisely at small targets or targets that are at further distances…
So I like the 2 MOA dot as a reticle on a red dot sight, and I’m glad that Aimpoint decided to go with a small dot rather than something like a 6 or 8 MOA dot…
…because I’ve found that those larger dots end up covering up too much of the target when you’re trying to shoot very accurately.
Eotech EXPS3
The Eotech EXPS3 also has an extremely clear lens. It’s actually a holographic sight, which is a little bit different from a reflex sight…
…and it uses a laser driven hologram to produce the reticle rather than a traditional emitter. The result is that the lens is extremely clear without any blueish or greenish tint.
So just as with the Aimpoint T2, the lens on the EXPS3 is very clear, and it allows you to get a very clean sight picture when looking through the optic…
In addition to that, the EXPS3 has a huge sight window, it’s much bigger than the lens found on the Aimpoint T2, and it gives you a much larger field of view when you’re shooting…
Now the reticle that you get with the EXPS3 will actually depend on which version of the sight you get. For example, the EXPS3-0 has a circle dot reticle which includes a 1 MOA dot which is surrounded by a 68 MOA ring…
I love circle dot reticles like this, and they’re actually my favorite type of reticle on red dot sights. The reason why I like them so much is because that large 68 MOA is extremely quick and easy for your eye to pick up, and that allows you to shoot very fast at large targets up close…
But at the same time, you still have that small 1 MOA dot which is even more precise than the Aimpoint T2’s 2 MOA dot for shots that require a high degree of accuracy…
So it’s a reticle that helps you shoot fast without sacrificing any precision, and that’s why I’m such a big fan of it…
Another version of this sight is the EXPS3-2, and it gives you a 68 MOA ring reticle with a 1 MOA dot in the center and another dot just below it forming a simple BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator) reticle…
With this reticle you can zero the optic at 50/200 meters and the lower dot will set you up for shots at 500 meters…
The last option is the EXPS3-4, which also has a 68 MOA ring but has a 4 dot Bullet Drop Compensator that helps you range out to 600 meters…
My favorite of the 3 options is definitely the EXPS3-0 because it’s simple and straightforward. However, if you’re going to run a magnifier behind your optic, either of the two BDC reticles would be a great choice.
Reticle And Lens Clarity Conclusions…
Ok so in this section, there are a lot of key differences between these two sights. First of all, they both have great lens clarity which is great because it allows you to get a very clean sight picture…
But that’s pretty much where the similarities end. For example, the EXPS3 has a much larger sight window than the Aimpoint T2, and it allows you to get a larger field of view when looking through the sight…
In addition to that, the Aimpoint T2 only has a 2 MOA dot reticle (which does work well), but the Circle Dot Reticles offered on the EXPS3 are better in my opinion…
The big 68 MOA ring is faster for your eye to pick up than the 2 MOA dot on the T2, and you still have that 1 MOA dot in the center for shots that require a high degree of accuracy…
So taking all that into consideration, I think the clear winner in this category is the Eotech EXPS3.
Winner: Eotech EXPS3
Size Comparison…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 is a very compact optic. It’s much smaller than a traditionally sized red dot sight like the Aimpoint PRO because it’s actually a micro red dot sight just like the Aimpoint H2…
Now the height on the Aimpoint T2 measures in at 1.4 inches, and the width measures in at 1.6 inches. In addition to that, the length measures in at 2.7 inches…
And the weight comes in at just 3.0 ounces, which is extremely lightweight for an optic.
Eotech EXPS3
The Eotech EXPS3 is a much larger sight than the Aimpoint T2. It’s not quite as large as the Eotech 512, but its still a fairly large optic…
That said, the height on the EXPS3 measures in at 2.9 inches. The width measures in at 2.3 inches, and the length measures in at 3.8 inches long…
In addition to that, the weight on the EXPS3 comes in at 11.2 ounces.
Size Comparison Conclusions…
In this category these two sights are very different. The Eotech EXPS3 is a full size holographic sight whereas the Aimpoint T2 is a micro red dot sight…
And because of that, the T2 is a much smaller sight (in every dimension) than the EXPS3. In addition to that, the T2 is much more lightweight than the EXPS3…
Now, it’s actually very easy to add too much weight to your rifle when adding accessories and optics because even though a few ounces doesn’t seem like much, ounces quickly add up to pounds…
I like to keep my rifles very lightweight because it keeps them more handy and faster into action. So because of the significant advantage that you get in terms of compact size and lighter weight…
The clear win in this category goes to the Aimpoint T2.
Winner: Aimpoint T2
Battery Life And Brightness Settings…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 is powered by 1 CR2032 battery, and it’s able to power the sight for over 5 years (around 50,000 hours)…
I love it when red dot’s have super long battery life like that, and the reason why is simple… You don’t want your optic dying on you at the wrong time…
I’ve had red dot sights die on me at the range before and even though that can get pretty annoying, at the end of the day it’s not that big a deal because you can just change out the battery when you get home…
In addition to that, I personally believe it’s a good idea to keep your optic turned on all the time so that it’s ready to go at all times without you having to fiddle around with the buttons to turn it on…
And with 50,000 hours worth of battery life, you can keep the T2 turned on and ready to go at all times, and as long as you swap out your battery at least once a year (which is what most people recommend)…
…you’ll never have to worry about the battery dying on you in an emergency self defense situation or at any other time.
Now with the T2 you get 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 you’ll have no problem seeing your dot even on a bright day…
If you do end up having a problem seeing the dot in some extreme situation, you also have the extra bright setting that you can bump the sight up to…
The 4 night vision settings will only be visible with the use of night vision equipment, and they’ll allow you to easily run the T2 in the dark.
Eotech EXPS3
The Eotech EXPS3 uses one CR123 battery which is able to power the sight for around 1,000 hours when on setting 12…
1,000 hours might seem like a lot, but in the world of premium red dot sights, it’s actually a fairly short lifespan for a battery (again, the Aimpoint T2 gives you 50,000 hours worth of battery life)…
As I mentioned earlier, I like when red dot sights have super long battery life because you can keep them turned on all the time (so that they’re always ready to go) and really not worry about the battery dying on you…
If you plan on keeping the EXPS3 turned on all the time, then be prepared to change out your batteries several times per year…
Now with the EXPS3 you get a total of 20 daylight brightness settings and 10 additional night vision settings…
The daylight settings get very bright, especially on the high end, and you won’t have any problems with the reticle washing out even on a bright day…
The addition of NV settings is something that distinguishes the Eotech XPS3 line from the XPS2 line, which only has daylight brightness settings…
So just as with the Aimpoint T2, you can run the EXPS3 in the dark as long as you pair it with night vision equipment.
Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…
Once again, we have a category in which these two sights have several significant differences. First of all, they both feature powerful daylight brightness settings and NV settings, so there’s not much that differentiates the two there…
But that being said, the Aimpoint T2 gives you 50,000 hours worth of battery life whereas the EXPS3 only gives you 1,000 hours…
Like I mentioned earlier, this is actually a pretty important feature because it allows you to keep the T2 on at all times, and as long as you change out the battery at least once a year…
You’ll never have to worry about your optic’s battery dying on you. The same can’t be said for the EXPS3, and that’s a big downside in my opinion…
So because of that, the clear winner in this category is the Aimpoint T2.
Winner: Aimpoint T2
Extra Accessories Included With The Optic…
Aimpoint T2
The Aimpoint T2 comes with a front and rear flip up lens cover. The front lens cover is blacked out like you normally will find, however the rear lens cover is actually clear…
This might seem like a strange set up, but there is an actual purpose behind it. You see, when looking through the clear rear lens cover, you can still see the red dot against the black background of the blacked out front lens cover…
And if you open both eyes, you’ll actually be able to superimpose the dot over any target that you see. It’s just a weird way that your brain works…
And I think it’s a pretty cool feature because it means that you can keep both lens covers closed but still have the ability to make a quick shot in an emergency…
No you can purchase the T2 with a high mount, a low mount, or no mount at all. The high mount will pair nicely with an AR-15 or an AR-10, and the low mount will work well with a shotgun, an AK, or any other firearm that favors a low mount…
Both the high mount and the low mount will increase the overall cost of the sight package, so they’re really more ‘add-on’ items than included, but it is an option to get your T2 with a factory mount…
The least expensive option will be to get the T2 with no included mount. However, if you do this, you will have to pick up a mount on the aftermarket to be able to put the optic on your gun…
The good news is that the Aimpoint T2 is a very common sight, so there are tons of companies making mounts that will fit the T2 footprint…
And by going with an aftermarket mount, you can pick out the exact features you want in your mount. For example, you might want an ultra light weight mount or a QD (Quick Detach) mount…
Those options and many others are easy to find when looking for a mount for the T2.
Eotech EXPS3
The Eotech EXPS3 comes with a mount built into the housing of the sight, and it’s actually a QD (Quick Detach) mount…
Now the included EXPS3 mount is a high mount, so it sets you up for a cowitness with back up iron sights (BUIS) on an AR platform rifle such as an AR-15, an AR-10, or an AR-9…
That will make it a less than ideal set up for something like a shotgun or an AK which will favor a low mount, but since most people will be mounting it on an AR anyway, I don’t think that’s too big of a problem…
All in all, I love that the EXPS3 comes with an included mount because it means you won’t have to spend extra time and money hunting down something on the aftermarket…
And I really think it adds a lot of extra value to the overall optics package.
Extra Accessories Conclusions…
Ok so in this category, there are some more key differences between these two sights. First of all, the Aimpoint T2 comes with lens covers, which are actually pretty nice…
But if you want it to come with a mount, you’re going to have to spend extra money or hunt down a mount on the aftermarket (and again pay more money)…
On the other hand, the Eotech EXPS3 comes with an included mount that sets you up for a co witness with flip up sights on an AR-15…
So you won’t have to spend any extra time hunting down a mount for your optic with the Eotech, and you won’t have to spend any extra money just to mount your optic either…
So in this category, I’m going to give the win to the Eotech EXPS3.
Winner: Eotech EXPS3
Price Comparison…
Unfortunately I won’t be able to give you exact numbers in this section because as the market changes, the prices on these sights are known to change as well…
That being said, in general, you’ll usually find that the Eotech EXPS3 is around 180 to 190 bucks less expensive than the Aimpoint T2…
That’s a significant chunk of change for most of us, and it could be a major factor if you’re trying to decide which of these two sights is right for you…
So if you are on a budget and trying to keep the price of your sight low, keep in mind that the Eotech EXPS3 is definitely going to be the less expensive option for you.
Winner: Eotech EXPS3
Aimpoint T2 Vs Eotech EXPS3 – Final Thoughts…
So in the end, in the Durability And Toughness category, both sights are made using very high quality and rugged materials, and they’re both shockproof and waterproof…
But because the Aimpoint T2 has a slightly better waterproof rating than the Eotech EXPS3, I gave the win to the T2 in this section…
In the Lens Clarity And Reticle category, both of these sights have a very clean lens which allows you to get a clean sight picture…
But the Eotech EXPS3 has a bigger sight window (which gives you a larger field of view), and a Circle Dot Reticle (which I think is a better reticle than the T2’s 2 MOA dot because it helps you shoot faster without sacrificing accuracy)…
So in this section, I gave the win to the EXPS3…
In the Size Comparison, the Aimpoint T2 is smaller in every dimension and more lightweight than the EXPS3. So it came away as the clear winner in this category…
In the Battery Life And Brightness Settings category, both sights feature powerful daylight brightness settings and night vision settings…
However the Aimpoint T2 gives you 50,000 hours of battery life whereas the EXPS3 only gives you 1,000 hours. So I gave the win to the T2 in this section…
In the Extra Accessories category, the Aimpoint T2 comes with flip up lens covers but not with a mount, whereas the Eotech EXPS3 comes with an included high mounting system which makes it perfect for an AR-15…
So in this section I gave the win to the EXPS3…
And last in the Price Comparison, the Eotech EXPS3 is usually around 180 to 190 dollars less expensive than the Aimpoint T2…
So which of these sights do I prefer? I prefer Aimpoint T2…
I prefer the Aimpoint T2 for a few reasons. First of all, it’s an Aimpoint, so it’s going to be super durable and super reliable for you even if you have to use it in tough conditions…
In addition to that, it’s very compact and lightweight, and that’s important because it will help keep your rifle lightweight and fast into action…
Last, I love the super long battery life that you get with the Aimpoint T2 because you can leave the sight turned on for years (so it’s always ready to go), and still not have to worry about the battery dying on you…
Simply put, the Aimpoint T2 is the king of red dot sights right now, and unless something comes out that is as small, lightweight, and just as durable and reliable, it’ll remain the king for years to come.
Now if you want a Circle Dot Reticle, you don’t mind the shorter battery life, and you want to save some money, then feel free to go with the EXPS3 because it’s still an awesome sight…
Either way, I hope I was able to show you the main similarities and differences between these two legendary red dot sights.