Vortex really is an awesome company when it comes to affordable optics…

They’ve got so many options to choose from and the quality level on their products is honestly pretty high…

Two of their most popular options when it comes to affordable red dot sights are…

• The Vortex Crossfire (Check The Price On Amazon – Over 200 Reviews)
• The Vortex SPARC AR (Check The Price On Amazon – Over 350 Reviews)

And in the Vortex Crossfire vs SPARC AR comparison, we’re going to see how these two sights stack up against each other in the following categories…

• Toughness And Durability
• Lens Clarity And Reticle
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Accessories Included With The Sight
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll reveal which of these two sights I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine which one of them will work best for you…

Let’s jump into it!

Durability And Toughness…

Vortex Crossfire

The Vortex Crossfire is a very durable micro red dot sight. To start off with, the sight housing is made from high-quality aluminum, and it has an anodized finish that helps protect it from the elements.

In addition to that, the sight housing is built up around the windage and elevation turrets…

This is important because it protects them from being snapped off accidentally, which is something that can happen with some red dot sights on the market. 

The Crossfire is also waterproof and o-ring sealed, so you won’t have any problems in rainy, snowy, or wet conditions. 

And it’s also shockproof, so it can easily handle the recoil from shotguns, pistol caliber carbines, or high powered rifles. All in all, I think it’s a very durable optic. 

Vortex SPARC AR

The Vortex SPARC AR is also a very durable red dot sight… The sight housing is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, and it also has an anodized finish which will help protect it from the elements.

Also, just like with the Crossfire, the sight housing is built up around the windage and elevation turrets protecting them from being snapped off or spun accidentally. 

The SPARC is also waterproof and fog proof, so using it in rainy, snowy, or wet conditions won’t be a problem…

And last, it’s shockproof and can easily handle the recoil from high powered rifles, shotguns, and pistol caliber carbines. All in all, it is also a very durable red dot sight. 

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

Both of these sights are made by Vortex, so naturally, they’re going to be similar in terms of materials and construction… 

Both of them are made from high-quality aluminum and both have a sight housing that protects the windage and elevation turrets. 

They’re also both waterproof and shockproof. So taking all of that into consideration, I’m going to have to call it a draw between these two in this category. 

Winner: DRAW

Lens Clarity And Reticle…

Vortex Crossfire

The lens clarity on the Vortex Crossfire is very good. When you look through the optic, the lens is very clear…

…and you don’t have any of the bluish or greenish tint that you get with some other red dot sights on the market. 

In addition to that, the reticle on the Crossfire is a simple 2 MOA (Minute Of Angle) dot. Personally I’m a big fan of a 2 MOA dot on a red dot sight for a couple of reasons. 

First of all, I like that it’s very fast and easy to pick up (with your eye) which is something that comes in handy when you need to make a quick shot at a large target up close. 

Secondly, a 2 MOA dot is small enough that it allows you to aim with precision at small targets in the distance. 

So it’s fast and precise which is exactly what you want out of an optic, and I think it was a great choice by Vortex to go with a 2 MOA dot reticle rather than a larger 4 MOA or 6 MOA reticle. 

Vortex SPARC AR

The lens clarity on the SPARC AR is also very good. Just as with the Crossfire, there’s no bluish or greenish tint when you look through the sight, and it allows you to get a very clean sight picture.

 In addition to that, the reticle on the SPARC is also a 2 MOA dot. As I mentioned before, I’m a big fan of a 2 MOA dot on a sight like this because it’s simple, fast, and precise. 

Lens Clarity And Reticle Conclusions…

Once again in this category, these two optics are very similar. Both of them have extremely clear lenses and both of them use a 2 MOA dot reticle. There really isn’t much that separates these two here…

So even though I don’t want to, I’m going to have to call it a draw again (don’t worry, we’ll be getting to significant differences between these two sights soon… keep reading!)

Winner: DRAW 

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Vortex Crossfire

The Vortex Crossfire uses one CR2032 battery which is able to power the sight for 7,000 hours when it’s on the medium brightness setting (setting 5). 

Honestly, that’s not the best battery life I’ve seen on a micro red dot sight, but it’s not bad considering the price range of this optic. 

In addition to that, the control dial on this sight makes turning it on and off very easy, and as long as you don’t forget to turn off your optic when it’s not in use, I think the battery life will be more than sufficient for you. 

Now the Crossfire has 11 brightness settings. The medium and high brightness settings get very bright, and I don’t think you’ll have any problems seeing the reticle even on a sunny day.

Unfortunately, there are no night vision settings on the Crossfire, but the truth is that most people won’t need them…

…and if you ever intend to run your optic with night vision equipment, then just be aware that this isn’t the sight for you. 

Vortex SPARC AR

The SPARC AR uses one AAA battery which is able to power the sight for 300 hours on the maximum brightness setting and 5,000 hours on the lowest brightness setting. 

Again, that’s not the best battery life you’ll find on a red dot sight, and it’s considerably less than the Crossfire, which lasts for 7,000 hours on the medium brightness setting. 

Now the SPARC has a total of 12 brightness settings. 10 of those settings are for daylight brightness and 2 of them are for night vision. 

Just as with the Crossfire, the daylight brightness settings get very bright and you shouldn’t have any problem seeing the reticle even on a sunny day. 

And even though most people won’t end up using the 2 night vision settings, some people will take advantage of them, and I like that Vortex includes them at no additional cost. 

Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…

Okay, we finally have some major differences between these two optics…

First of all, the Crossfire has 7,000 hours of battery life on its medium brightness setting, and the SPARC only has 5,000 on its lowest brightness setting. 

On the other hand, the SPARC includes night vision brightness settings, whereas the Crossfire only includes brightness settings for use in daylight. 

So here’s the deal, even though the SPARC has night vision settings, most people won’t end up using them, and the battery life on the Crossfire is significantly better than on the SPARC. 

To me, longer battery life is always a good idea on a red dot sight. So I think the clear winner in this category is the Vortex Crossfire.

Winner: Vortex Crossfire 

Extra Accessories Included With The Optic…

Vortex Crossfire

The Vortex Crossfire comes with some pretty cool accessories. To start off with, you get a bikini lens cover which will come in handy whenever you want to add a little extra protection to your optic. 

In addition to that, you get 2 included mounts with the Crossfire, a low mount and a high mount…

 The high mount is unique in this price range of red dots because it’s skeletonized (which makes it more lightweight), and it sets your optic up for a lower 1/3 cowitness with backup iron sights on an AR-15. 

The low mount makes this optic perfect for use on other firearms platforms such as shotguns, AKs, and pistol caliber carbines. 

All in all, I really like that you get a low mount and a high mount because it makes this optic a great option no matter which firearm you choose to run it on. 

Vortex SPARC AR

The Vortex SPARC also comes with some pretty cool accessories. First of all, you get a rubber cover that protects the body of the sight and has lens covers for a little bit of added protection. 

In addition to that, it comes with a high mount. It’s important to remember that the SPARC AR is designed to be used with an AR-15 and that fact is definitely reflected in the included mount.  

It sets the side up for a lower 1/3 cowitness with backup iron sights on an AR-15, but it includes a removable shim which gives you an absolute cowitness if that’s what you prefer. 

Extra Included Accessories Conclusions…

Both of these sights have included lens covers but they’re very different when it comes to the mounts that are included. 

The SPARC only comes with one mount which is adjustable for a lower 1/3 cowitness or an absolute cowitness, but it does limit you to using the optic on an AR-15. 

The Crossfire comes with a low mount and a skeletonized high mount. That makes it a great option for an AR-15 (which is what most people use it for)…

…but it also means it can be used on AKs, shotguns, pistol caliber carbines, .22 rifles, and many other types of firearms. So because of that, I think the Crossfire is the clear winner in this category.

Winner: Vortex Crossfire 

Price Comparison…

Unfortunately I won’t be able to give you exact numbers in this category because the prices of these two optics are changing all the time.

That being said, in general, you’ll usually find that the Crossfire is around 15 to 20 bucks more expensive than the SPARC…

That’s not a huge difference, but it could be a factor for some who are really on a tight budget. And that means the SPARC is the slight winner in this category. 

Winner: Vortex SPARC AR 

Vortex Crossfire Vs SPARC AR – Conclusions…

So to sum it all up, here’s how these two vortex red dots compared in the individual categories…

In the Durability and Toughness category, I had to call it a draw because both of these sights were about the same. 

In the Lens Clarity and Reticle category, I had to, again, call it a draw because these two sights were so similar. 

In the Battery Life and Brightness Settings category, I gave the win to the Crossfire because it had better battery life.

In the Extra Accessories category, I also gave the win to the Crossfire because it comes with a low mount AND a high mount. 

And last, in the Price Comparison, the SPARC AR was the slight winner but only by a few dollars. 

So which of these sights do I prefer? I prefer the Vortex Crossfire.

I prefer the Crossfire for a few reasons. First of all, it has significantly better battery life than the SPARC AR, and I’m always trying to get the best battery life I can out of my red dot sights.

I also like the fact that it uses a CR2032 battery rather than the AAA battery used by the SPARC because it’s less bulky and more lightweight. 

Another thing I like is that you get a high mount and a low mount with the Crossfire, so you’re not limited to running your optic just on an AR-15.

Now if you prefer the use of a AAA battery because it’s a little more common AND you know you’re going to use the optic with an AR 15, then the SPARC AR is still a great option…

Either way, I hope I was able to show you the major differences between these two awesome budget red dot sights from vortex optics!

Pistols with red dots mounted on them have really started to become popular in recent years…

The reason why is that more and more, gun companies are offering handguns that are cut (from the factory) for use with optics…

And the truth is that most people (as long as your marksmanship fundamentals are squared away) can shoot their pistol faster and more accurately with an optic…

Right now, two of the most popular options when it comes to miniature reflex sights (pistol red dot sights) are:

• The Trijicon RMR (Check Price On Amazon – Over 250 Reviews)
• The Vortex Venom (Check Price On Amazon – Over 800 Reviews)

So in this RMR Vs Venom comparison, we’re going to examine how these two pistol red dots stack up against each other in the following categories…

• Toughness And Durability
• Lens Clarity And Reticle
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Accessories Included With The Sight
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll tell you which of these two sights I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine which of these optics will work best for you…

Let’s get started! 

Durability And Toughness…

Trijicon RMR

The Trijicon RMR is a very durable red dot sight. Trijicon has a reputation for making some of the toughest optics in the world (even for the US military)…

…and RMR actually stands for Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sight. Now the RMR Type 1 did have some problems when mounted on pistol slides. 

It had an unsecure battery connection, and because of that, it was common for the reticle to flicker on and off intermittently due to the force of the slide reciprocating.

Those problems have been completely eliminated by the Trijicon RMR Type 2 which is able to easily handle the recoil from high powered rifles, shotguns, pistol caliber carbines, or pistol slides… 

Now the sight housing on the RMR is made from a military-grade aluminum alloy and the windage and elevation turrets are recessed into the sight housing…

To me, this is an important feature because it means the adjustment turrets can never be snapped off or spun accidentally, which is something that can happen with some other red dot sights. 

Last, Trijicon puts multiple coatings on the lens of the RMR to make it scratch-resistant, and for such a small optic, it really is built like a tank and has a long track record of success behind it. 

Vortex Venom

The Vortex Venom is also a very tough miniature reflex sight. To start off with, the sight housing is made from high-quality aluminum, and just as with the RMR…

…the windage and elevation adjustments are recessed into the sight housing. In addition to that, the Venom is O-ring sealed and waterproof…

And because it’s shockproof, it can easily handle the recoil from high-powered rifles, shotguns, pistol caliber carbines, and pistol slides. 

Last, the lens is toughened up by a special coating that Vortex calls ArmorTek, which makes it scratch-resistant, and even though it doesn’t have the track record of the RMR, it’s a pretty durable sight. 

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

Even though both of these sights are made from high-quality materials, the RMR’s reputation and long track record for durability come into play here.

In addition to that, the protection around the lens is more rugged on the RMR than the Venom… So in this category, I’m going to give the win to the Trijicon RMR. 

Winner: Trijicon RMR 

Lens Clarity And Reticle…

Trijicon RMR

The Trijicon RMR lens clarity is very good. You do get a slightly bluish tint when looking through the optic, but Trijicon says this gives you better contrast (which there is some truth to)…

…and you still get a very clean sight picture. As for the reticle, there are two different models of the RMR that you can choose between. 

There is a 3.25 MOA (Minute Of Angle) dot reticle model, and a 6.5 MOA dot reticle model. Personally, I prefer the smaller 3.25 dot reticle for a pistol red dot sight like this…

…because it’s large enough for you to pick up (with your eye) very quickly, but at the same time, it’s small enough that it allows you to aim precisely at smaller targets or targets that are off in the distance. 

The 6.5 MOA dot reticle can still work well, but again, I just prefer the precision of the smaller 3.25 MOA dot. 

Vortex Venom

The Vortex Venom lens clarity is also very good. Again, you get a slightly bluish tint when looking through the sight, but it’s not very distracting and you still get a very clean sight picture.

Just like with the RMR, there are two models of the Vortex Venom and the one you get is based on the size of the reticle you prefer. 

There is a 3 MOA dot reticle model and a 6 MOA dot reticle model. Again, I prefer the 3 MOA dot reticle over the 6 MOA dot because I feel it’s just as fast but more precise. 

Lens Clarity And Reticle Conclusions…

Both of these sights have very good lens clarity and give you a clean sight picture with a slightly bluish tint, so they’re pretty even in that respect. 

In addition to that, both have two models to choose from based on the size of the reticle you prefer… 

Again, in both cases I prefer the smaller 3 MOA or 3.25 MOA dot because they are more precise than the larger dots, but still easy to see.

All that being said, there isn’t a lot that separates these two sights in this category, so I’m going to have to call it a draw.  

Winner: DRAW

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Trijicon RMR

The Trijicon RMR uses one CR2032 battery which powers the sight for up to 4 years…

For me, ultra long battery life is extremely important on a sight like this because it means you can leave your sight turned on all the time.

All you really have to do is remember to swap out your battery once a year, and you can leave your sight turned on and be ready to go in any emergency situations that might pop up.  

Now the RMR has 8 daylight brightness settings, 2 night vision settings, and 1 extra bright setting…

The daylight brightness settings give you a clearly visible reticle (even on a bright day), and if the conditions are really bad, you’ve got the extra bright setting.

Also, Trijicon includes an automatic brightness adjustment feature with the RMR. This feature allows the sight to automatically adjust to whatever lighting conditions you find yourself in.  

I really like this feature because it helps you get a crisp and clear sight picture in any lighting conditions, without having to worry about pressing buttons to get your reticle set on the right level of brightness. 

That said, if you don’t like this auto adjust feature you can turn it off, and manually adjust the brightness exactly how you like it.    

Last, even though most people won’t use this optic with night vision equipment, some people will, and I like that Trijicon includes the 2 NV settings at no additional cost.

Vortex Venom

The Vortex Venom uses one CR1632 battery, and it’s able to power the sight for 150 hours on the highest brightness setting and 30,000 hours (3 years) on the lowest brightness setting. 

That’s not quite as long as the Trijicon RMR, but it’s pretty close, and I think it’s still very adequate battery life. Now with the Vortex Venom you get 10 brightness settings…

There are no night vision settings included, but the higher brightness settings get very bright, and you won’t have any problems seeing your reticle even in very bright conditions. 

Just like with the RMR, the Venom includes an auto brightness feature that will adjust the brightness intensity of your reticle to whatever the ambient lighting conditions are.

Again, I like the auto brightness adjustment feature, but if it doesn’t work well for you, it’s easy to swap the sight over to its manual adjustment setting for brightness.   

Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…

Both of these sights have great daylight brightness settings and an automatic brightness adjustment feature. So they’re definitely pretty even in that area. 

That being said, the RMR does have night vision brightness settings whereas the Venom does not, and even though that won’t matter to most people, it could be an important factor for some. 

In addition to that, the battery life on the Trijicon RMR is better than the Vortex Venom because it gives you 4 years of battery life instead of 3 years. 

Now 3 years of battery life is still very good, but in this category I have to give the win to the Trijicon RMR. 

Winner: Trijicon RMR 

Extra Accessories Included With The Optic…

Trijicon RMR

The standard Trijicon RMR Type 2 doesn’t really come with any extra accessories unless you’re willing to pay a higher price for a sight and mount combination. 

To me, that’s not really a problem because I think miniature reflex sights like this are best used on pistols rather than being mounted on rifles like AR-15s or AKs (I prefer micro red dot sights for that)…

And included with most pistols that are cut for optics, you get mounting plates that allow you to mount your red dot directly onto the slide of the gun (so you don’t actually need a mount).  

All that being said, it is a little bit disappointing that Trijicon doesn’t include any extra goodies when you purchase a standard Trijicon RMR. 

Vortex Venom

The Vortex Venom comes with a couple of pretty cool accessories. First of all, it comes with a protective rain cover…

I like this accessory because I think it’ll come in handy when you want to give a little bit of added protection to your sight.

In addition to that, the Venom comes with a low mount that attaches the sight to a picatinny rail. Now because it’s a low mount, it’s not really useful for mounting this sight on an AR-15…

….but it could be very useful if you wanted to mount this sight onto something like a shotgun, an AK, or a pistol caliber carbine.

Again, I personally wouldn’t mount a mini reflex sight like this on anything other than a pistol, but if you did want to mount this sight onto one of those larger firearms platforms…

…I think it’s pretty cool that a mount is included.

Extra Accessories Conclusions…

The Vortex Venom comes with a rain cover and a low mount, and those two things are included at no additional cost.

The Trijicon RMR comes with no additional accessories unless you’re willing to pay more for a sight and mount combination. 

Even though I wouldn’t use a picatinny rail mount with either of these two sights (because for me they are both strictly pistol optics)…

…it’s still nice to get extra goodies included with your sight because things like protective covers and mounts give you more value for your money and more options when it comes to your optic.

So in this category, the clear winner is the Vortex Venom.

Winner: Vortex Venom     

Price Comparison…

Unfortunately I won’t be able to give you exact numbers in this section because the prices of these two pistol red dot sights are changing all the time…

That being said, in general, the Vortex Venom is around 200 to 250 bucks less expensive than the Trijicon RMR…

That’s a pretty significant difference, so the clear winner in this category is the Vortex Venom.

Winner: Vortex Venom

RMR Vs Venom – Conclusions…

So to sum it all up, here’s how the categories broke down…

In the Durability and Toughness category, I gave the win to the Trijicon RMR because of its long track record for durability and reliability. 

In the Lens Clarity and Reticle category, I called it a draw because these two optics were about the same. 

In the Battery Life and Brightness category, I gave the win to the RMR because of it’s longer battery life and NV settings. 

In the Extra Accessories category, the Vortex Venom came out on top because it comes with a low mount and a rain cover.

And last in the Price Comparison, the Venom was, again, the clear winner because it’s nearly half the price of the RMR. 

So which of these two sights do I prefer? I prefer the Vortex Venom.

I prefer the Vortex Venom (3 MOA dot reticle model) because it has great battery life and gives you a clean sight picture…

It’s also plenty durable (even though it doesn’t have the track record of the RMR) and it comes with some useful accessories (the low mount and the rain cover)…

And don’t forget, it’s around half the price of the RMR! 

Now if price isn’t a big factor for you, and you want the toughest mini reflex sight possible, then I recommend you get the Trijicon RMR because it is the more durable option of the two…

Either way, I hope I was able to show you the major differences between these two awesome pistol red dot sights!

Vortex has really become one of my favorite optics companies in recent years…

I love the high-quality levels they put into their optics, and they’ve got a lot of sights you can choose from (many of them being budget-friendly)…

One of their most popular options right now is the Vortex SPARC red dot, which stands for “Speed Point Aiming for Rapid Combat”, and it comes in 2 models…

• The Vortex SPARC AR (See Price On Amazon – Over 350 Reviews!)
• The Vortex SPARC 2 (See Price On Amazon – Over 800 Reviews!)

Now don’t let the names fool you because these 2 sights have some pretty significant differences, and in this Vortex SPARC Vs SPARC 2 comparison…

…we’re going to see how they stack up against each other in the following categories:

• Toughness And Durability
• Lens Clarity And Reticle
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Accessories Included With The Sight
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll tell you which of these two sights I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine which one will work best for you…

Let’s begin!

Durability And Toughness…

Vortex SPARC AR

The Vortex SPARC AR is a very durable micro red dot. To start off with, the sight housing is made from aircraft-grade aluminum and it has an anodized finish which helps protect the site from the elements. 

In addition to that, the windage and elevation knobs are protected by raised portions of the sight housing, and it’s unlikely that they’ll be snapped off accidentally.  

The SPARC AR also comes with a rubber cover that gives added protection to the body of the optic, and it’s a fog proof and waterproof sight, so you won’t have any problems using it in rainy, wet, or snowy conditions.

Last, it’s also shockproof and can easily handle the recoil from an AR-15, which is the rifle this optic is designed to be used with. All in all, I think it’s a  pretty tough little optic. 

Vortex SPARC 2

The Vortex SPARC 2 is also a very durable optic. Just as with the SPARC AR, the sight housing is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and it has an anodized finish to help protect it from the elements.

Also just like with the SPARC AR, the sight housing is built up around the windage and elevation turrets protecting them from being snapped off accidentally. 

It’s also fog proof and waterproof, so it can be used without problems in the rain or snow, and it’s shockproof too…

…So it can easily handle the recoil from high powered rifles, shotguns, and pistol caliber carbines. 

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

Both of these sights are made by Vortex Optics, and they’re both versions of the SPARC red dot sight… So naturally, they’re going to have a lot in common when it comes to the way that they’re built. 

That being said, they’re both made from the same tough materials, and they’re both waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof… So in this category, we really do have to call it a draw.

Winner: DRAW 

Lens Clarity And Reticle…

Vortex SPARC AR

The lens clarity on the SPARC AR is very good. When you look through the optic, the lens is very clear and there’s no annoying bluish or greenish tint (which is something you find with some other red dot sights).

Because of that, it’s very easy to get a clear and clean sight picture through the optic. Now, the reticle on the SPARC AR is a 2 MOA (Minute Of Angle) dot.  

Personally, I’m a big fan of the 2 MOA dot reticle on red dot sights. I like it because the 2 MOA dot is very easy for your eye to quickly pick it up when you aim at large targets up close…

…but at the same time, it’s small enough to give you precision when you really need to bear down at small targets in the distance.

It really is a great choice and I’m glad Vortex decided to go with a 2 MOA dot over a larger reticle like a 4 MOA or 6 MOA dot. 

Vortex SPARC 2

The lens clarity on the SPARC 2 is also very good. Once again, the lens is very clear and you don’t have any of the annoying bluish or greenish tint. 

In addition to that, the reticle is also a 2 MOA dot which, as I mentioned before, is a great choice for a micro red dot sight because it’s simple, fast, and precise. 

Lens Clarity And Reticle Conclusions…

Once again we have a very close call because these two sights are very similar. Both of them have an extremely clear lens and give you a clean sight picture… 

And both of them I have a 2 MOA Dot reticle which, again, I think is a great choice by Vortex. I really have no other option than to call it a draw once again in this category (don’t worry, we’ll be getting to the significant differences soon!).

Winner: DRAW

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Vortex SPARC AR

The SPARC AR uses a single AAA battery which is able to power the sight for 300 hours on the maximum brightness setting and 5,000 hours on the minimum brightness setting. 

I would prefer that battery life to be longer, but I do feel that it’s adequate for a sight in this price range…

Also, to help save you some of that battery life, Vortex includes an automatic shut off feature on this sight. 

It will automatically turn off after 12 hours of non-use, and I think that’ll come in handy if you ever forget to manually turn your sight off.

Now, with the SPARC AR you get 10 brightness settings… 8 of those settings are for daylight brightness and 2 of them are for use with night vision equipment. 

The daylight brightness settings get extremely bright, and your reticle is very easy to see even if you’re shooting on a bright, sunny day. 

Also, most people won’t use the 2 night vision settings but some people will take advantage of them, and I like that Vortex includes them at no additional cost. 

Vortex SPARC 2

The SPARC 2 uses one CR2032 battery which is able to power the sight for 300 hours on the maximum brightness setting and 6,000 hours on the minimum brightness setting.

Once again, I think that’s adequate for a red dot in this price range, and it’s important to note that you do get a few more hours with the SPARC 2 over the SPARC AR.   

Also just like with the SPARC AR, the SPARC 2 has the automatic shut off feature after 12 hours of non-use. 

Again, I think that’s a very useful feature, and it’s going to help you extend the life of your battery. The SPARC 2 also has 8 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision settings… 

…and just as with the SPARC AR, the daylight brightness settings get very bright (even during a  sunny day), and I like that the 2 night vision settings are included at no additional cost.

Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…

OK, in this category we have some significant differences between these two sights. First of all, both sights have the same 8 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision settings…

…but they’re very different when it comes to their batteries. The SPARC AR uses one AAA battery and the SPARC 2 uses one CR2032 battery. 

Personally, I prefer the CR2032 battery on the SPARC 2 because it’s smaller, lighter, and less bulky than the AAA battery on the SPARC AR.  

In addition to that, you also get a little bit better battery life on the SPARC 2… So for me, the winner in this category is the Vortex SPARC 2.

Winner: Vortex SPARC 2 

Extra Accessories That Come With The Optic…

Vortex SPARC AR

The SPARC AR comes with a few pretty cool accessories. First of all, you get a rubber cover that helps give the sight a little bit of added protection. 

Included on the cover are two lens caps, and the whole rubber cover is removable if you want to run your optic in a more minimal way. 

Also included with the SPARC AR is a mount that gives you 2 height options.  Now, to be clear, the Vortex SPARC AR is intended to be used with an AR-15, and the included mount reflects that.  

I say this because you can set the mount up for either a lower ⅓ cowitness or an absolute cowitness with back up iron sights on an AR-15. 

To get the absolute cowitness you simply remove a shim in the mount, but just be aware, that there is no real way to mount the optic lower than these two heights (because of where the battery is stored for this optic). 

So only consider this sight if you intend it to be used on an AR-15.

Vortex SPARC 2

The Vortex SPARC 2 also comes with some accessories that are pretty cool. First of all, it comes with flip up lens covers…

These flip up lens covers are removable if you don’t want to use them, but I really like them because they’re fitted snuggly onto the optic and it’s unlikely that they’ll slip off accidentally. 

In addition to that, Vortex includes what they call the “Multi-Height Mount System” with the SPARC 2. 

Basically, this means that you get 2 included mounts with the sight, a high mount and a low mount… 

The high mount is perfect if you intend to use this sight on an AR-15 because it’s adjustable and can give you either a lower ⅓ cowitness or absolute cowitness with your backup iron sights.

The low mount is great because it allows you to mount the sight on shotguns, AKs, .22 rifles, pistol caliber carbines, and many other firearms platforms. 

And because the low mount is also adjustable, you can really dial in exactly where you want your optic mounted. 

These 2 adjustable mounts are a very cool inclusion with the SPARC 2 because they make this optic an ideal choice for almost any firearms platform you choose.  

Extra Accessories Conclusions…

So both of these sights come with some pretty cool accessories. They both have lens covers that help give you added protection for your optic, but the mounting systems are very different. 

The SPARC AR is intended to be used on an AR-15, and it would be very difficult to mount it on something like a shotgun or an AK…

However, the SPARC 2 comes with two mounts that are both adjustable, and it can easily be mounted on an AR-15 or on a variety of other firearms platforms. 

So for me, the clear winner in this category is the Vortex SPARC 2.

Winner: Vortex SPARC 2

Price Comparison…

Unfortunately I won’t be able to give you exact numbers in this category because the prices of these sights are changing all the time. 

That being said, you’ll probably find the SPARC AR at a lower price that the SPARC 2…

Typically, you’ll see that the SPARC 2 is 50 to 70 bucks more than the SPARC AR… So, the winner in this category has to be the SPARC AR.

Winner: Vortex SPARC AR

Vortex Sparc Vs Sparc 2 – Conclusions…

So to sum it all up, here’s how these two red dots matched up in the individual categories…

In the Durability And Toughness category, we had to call it a draw because these sights are so similar in the way that they’re built.

Next, in the Lens Clarity And Reticle category, we also had to call it a draw, again, because of similarities in these two optics. 

In the Battery Life And Brightness Settings category, I gave the win to the SPARC 2 because the battery life was a little bit better and because it uses a CR2032 battery rather than a AAA battery.

In the Extra Accessories category, I also gave the win to the SPARC 2 because it has 2 mounts (rather than just 1) and can be mounted on a variety of firearms platforms.

Last, in the Price Comparison I gave the win to the SPARC AR.

So which of these sights do I prefer? I prefer the Vortex SPARC 2. 

I prefer the Vortex SPARC 2 because it has a little bit better battery life than the SPARC AR and because it uses a CR2032 battery which is lighter and less bulky than a AAA battery.

I also like that it comes with a high mount and a low mount, so you’re not only limited to mounting it on just an AR-15.

(Again the low mount is great if you want to mount your optic on a shotgun, an AK, a Pistol Caliber Carbine, and many other firearms platforms)

Now if you like using AAA batteries because they’re a little more common than CR2032 batteries, AND you intend to mount your optic on an AR-15…

…then I think the SPARC AR is a great option for you because it’s still a great red dot… 

Either way, I hope this comparison was able to show you the major differences between these two awesome red dot sights from Vortex Optics.

Optics have really come a long way in recent years… And it’s exciting to me because there are some pretty high-quality options out there right now… 

Two very popular choices that won’t cost you an arm and a leg are:

• The Vortex Strikefire 2 (See Price On Amazon – Over 200 Reviews)
• The Vortex Spitfire 1x (See Price On Amazon – Over 80 Reviews)

Now obviously, both of these optics are from Vortex, but because one is a red dot sight and the other is a 1x prism scope they are very different sighting systems.

So in this Vortex Strikefire Vs Spitfire comparison, we’re going to put these two sights up against each other and see how they compare in the following categories…

• Toughness And Durability
• Lens Clarity And Reticle
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Accessories Included With The Sight
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll tell you which of these two optics I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine if either of these sights will work for you. 

Let’s jump into it!

Durability And Toughness…

Vortex Strikefire

The Vortex Strikefire 2 is a very durable red dot sight. To start off with, the sight housing is made from a tough aluminum alloy, and because it’s a large-bodied red dot, it’s incredibly rugged. 

In addition to that, it has a hard anodized finish that helps protect it from the elements, and it’s fog proof and waterproof, so even if you get caught in rainy, snowy, or wet conditions, your sight will keep working.

Last, because it’s shockproof, it can easily handle the recoil from high-powered rifles, shotguns, and pistol caliber carbines. All in all, I think it’s a very tough red dot sight. 

Vortex Spitfire

The Vortex Spitfire 1x is also a very durable optic. Just like with the Strikefire, the body of the optic is made from a tough aluminum alloy. 

Also just like the Strikefire, it has a hard-anodized finish to protect it from the elements, and it’s fog proof and waterproof. 

Last, it’s also shockproof, so recoil from any of your typical firearms won’t be a problem. 

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

Both of these optics are made by Vortex, so it’s only natural that they’re built to similar specs and with similar features.  

For example, they both have a sight housing made from anodized aluminum alloy, and they’re both waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof. 

Honestly, there’s really not much that separates them in this category, so I have to call it a draw.

Winner: DRAW

Lens Clarity And Reticle…

Vortex Strikefire

The lens clarity on the Vortex Strikefire 2 is very good. The lens is very clear, and it allows you to get a very clean sight picture. 

You don’t get any of the annoying greenish or bluish tint that you get with some other red dot sights on the market…

…and  because it’s a large red dot sight as opposed to a micro red dot you have a pretty large field of view through the optic AND you can shoot with both eyes open. 

This is important because it allows you to see more of your target down range and because it allows you to be more aware of your surroundings when using your firearm. 

Also, because it’s a red dot sight rather than a prism scope like the Spitfire, the eye relief on the Strikefire is unlimited. 

That means it doesn’t matter how close or far your eye is in relation to the optic. You’ll be able to see clearly through it…

…and that’s something that will come in handy if you end up having to make shots quickly or from awkward shooting positions. 

Now the reticle on the Strikefire 2 is a 4 MOA dot, and there are actually two models of this optic that you can choose between…

• The Bright Red Dot
• The Red/Green Dot

I personally like the color red when I’m dealing with optics and sights, but some people do prefer green and I think it’s great that Vortex gives you that option with this sight. 

As for the 4 MOA dot reticle, I personally prefer a smaller reticle like a 2 MOA dot, but the advantage of having a larger 4 MOA dot is that your eye picks up the reticle very fast…

This allows you to shoot very quickly, especially at large targets that are at close range. So for that purpose, it’s a pretty useful dot size to go with. 

Vortex Spitfire

The lens clarity on the Spitfire is also very good. Once again, the lens is very clear and it allows you to get a very clean sight picture. 

That being said, because the Spitfire is a 1x prism scope rather than a red dot sight there are many differences from the Strikefire 2. 

First of all, because it’s a 1x scope, the Spitfire has critical eye relief and an eye box. The good news is that the eye relief is a generous 3.8 inches and the eye box is also fairly forgiving. 

That’s exactly what you want with a 1x scope because it means your eye doesn’t have to be in the exact same spot every time just to see clearly through your optic (this is important for fast shooting)…  

…And it is very different from a red dot sight like the Strikefire, which has unlimited eye relief.

Now, the reticle on the Spitfire is called the DRT Reticle, which stands for Dual Ring Tactical Reticle…

This reticle is unique to the Spitfire, and it has a 3 MOA dot in the center, which is surrounded by a small inner ring and then a very large outer ring. 

I actually like this reticle quite a bit because it’s built to allow you to shoot fast. The 3 MOA dot in the center gives you a fair amount of precision when you need it…

…but when you need to shoot at large targets up close, you simply aim by putting the large rings (which your eye picks up very fast) over your target.

All in all,  it’s a very well designed reticle, and I really like it a lot. Last, I have to mention that you do have the option on the Spitfire to change the illumination color between red and green.  

Like I said before, I prefer red on my sights, but if you’re someone who prefers green, it’s good to know that it’s included in this optic. 

Lens Clarity And Reticle Conclusions…

This is kind of a hard category to judge because these two optics are very different. One is a red dot sight and the other is a 1x prism scope, so they both have strengths and weaknesses. 

Now, they both give you a clear sight picture through the optic, which is an important feature on any sight… 

…and I do prefer the unlimited eye relief on the Strikefire 2, even though the Spitfire’s eye relief is pretty generous for a prism scope. 

But when it comes to the reticle, I really prefer the DRT Reticle on the Spitfire over the 4 MOA dot that you get with the Strikefire. 

Again, the 4 MOA dot is a little large for my liking (although others do like it), and I just think the DRT Reticle is really cool… 

So in the end, I’m going to give the win in this category to the Vortex Spitfire. 

Winner: Vortex Spitfire

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Vortex Strikefire 

The battery life on the Vortex Strikefire is different depending on which model you get…

Both models use one CR2 battery, but if you get the Red/Green Dot model,  your battery life is 300 hours on the maximum brightness settings and 5,000 hours on the minimum brightness settings.  

Honestly, that’s okay but it’s a little low when compared to some other popular red dot sights on the market right now. 

That being said, the Bright Red Dot model gives you 80,000 hours a battery life (when it’s on brightness settings 6).  

That super long battery life makes me a lot happier because it means you can leave your sight turned on all the time, which will be important if you ever need to grab your rifle in an emergency situation.

In addition to that, both models do have an automatic shut off feature in which the sight will automatically turn off after 12 hours of non-use…

…and that’s good because it will help save your battery life regardless of the model you choose to go with. Now, with both models you get 8 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision settings…

The daylight brightness settings get extremely bright and you won’t have any problems seeing them in bright outdoor conditions (I live in the Nevada desert). 

Also, I like the fact that the night vision settings are included. Most people won’t use them but some people will, and they’re included at no additional charge.

Vortex Spitfire

The Vortex Spitfire uses 1 AAA battery which only gives you 250 hours of illumination on the maximum brightness setting. 

That’s fairly low, but it doesn’t concern me very much on a 1x prism scope (as opposed to on a red dot sight).

You see, a red dot sight requires battery power just to be able to see your reticle when looking through the optic…

…but on a 1x prism scope you have an etched reticle that’s always there and your battery is only important for illuminating that reticle (it will just appear black without the illumination). 

So with the Spitfire, your scope is still 100% usable even if your battery dies or you don’t have a battery in the optic (a huge benefit of using a prism scope).  

In addition to that, Vortex built in a feature that dims your illumination after 2 hours of non-use and completely turns it off after 12 hours of non-use. 

This will help save the battery life you have, and I think it’s a pretty cool feature that they’ve included. 

Now, with the Spitfire you get 10 daylight brightness settings for your illumination and the 2 night vision settings. 

Once again the daylight brightness settings are very bright, and I like that the night vision settings are included at no extra cost.

Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…

Once again this is a hard category to compare these two very different sights in…  The brightness settings are pretty much a draw, but things are very different when it comes to battery life. 

The Strikefire 2 is a red dot sight and needs battery power for you to even see the reticle. The good news is with the Bright Red Dot model you get 80,000 hours (8 years) of battery life. 

With the Spitfire the battery life is less impressive, but you don’t even need to have a battery because with a 1x prism scope you have an etched reticle.  

It’s a tough call, but in the end I’m going to give the win here to the Vortex Strikefire 2 because 8 years of battery life is pretty impressive for any optic.

Winner: Vortex Strikefire 2 

Extra Accessories That Come With The Optic…

Vortex Strikefire

The Vortex Strikefire 2 comes with some pretty cool accessories. First of all, you get flip up lens covers that fit snugly on to the sight and won’t easily slip off (which can get pretty annoying).

You also get an offset cantilever mount that sets you up for a lower 1/3 cowitness with backup iron sights on an AR-15 (the cantilever mount is an upgrade over the mount from the old Vortex Strikefire 1). 

I really like that Vortex includes this mount because it’s pretty high quality, and it means you won’t have to spend extra money on an accessory that you’ll need to be able to use your optic.

Vortex Spitfire

The Vortex Spitfire also comes with flip up lens covers that fit snugly on to the scope…

In addition to that, it also comes with a mount that sets you up for a lower 1/3 cowitness on an AR-15. However the mount includes a removable riser which, when taken out, lowers the height of the scope. 

This is a pretty cool feature because the lower 1/3 cowitness height is perfect for an AR-15, but if you want to mount your optic on a shotgun, an AK, or a pistol caliber carbine, you’ll want to mount the sight lower. 

The removable riser allows you to mount your sight lower, and it makes this scope compatible with a number of firearms platforms right out of the box.

Extra Accessories Conclusions…

Both of these sights are from Vortex Optics, so they both come with removable flip up lens covers, but the included mounts are very different. 

The cantilever mount included with the Strikefire is perfect for use on an AR-15, but it’s probably not the best choice if you ever want to mount this optic on other firearms platforms. 

The mount that comes with the Spitfire, however, is perfect for an AR-15 but includes a removable riser that makes it more suitable for other firearms platforms as well. 

So in this category I’m going to give the win to the Vortex Spitfire. 

Winner: Vortex Spitfire

Price Comparison…

Unfortunately I won’t be able to give you exact numbers in this category because the prices of these sights are changing all the time. 

That being said, the Vortex Strikefire 2 is typically around 40 to 50 bucks less expensive than the Vortex Spitfire. So the clear winner in this category is the Vortex Strikefire.

Winner: Vortex Strikefire 2

Vortex Strikefire Vs Spitfire – Conclusions…

Wow! This was a pretty interesting comparison for me because these two sights are very different, but here’s how it all played out… 

In the Durability And Toughness category, I had to call it a draw because these two optics were about the same. 

In the Lens Clarity And Reticle category, I gave the win to the Spitfire because of its unique reticle. 

In the Battery Life and Brightness Settings category, the Strikefire got the win because of its impressive battery life.

In the Extra Accessories category, the Spitfire took the slight edge because of its adjustable mount…

And last, the Strikefire won in the Price Comparison…

So which of these sights do I prefer: I prefer the Vortex Spitfire…

I like the Spitfire because I think the DRT Reticle is very cool. It’s a great reticle for shooting fast, but the 3 MOA dot in the center still gives you some important precision.

I also like that the mount is adjustable, so the optic can be used on an AR 15, but also used very effectively on other firearms platforms as well.

All in all, I think it’s a great optic if you’re ok with using a 1x prism scope… 

If you’re not ok with a 1x scope and you want a true red dot sight with unlimited eye relief, then go with the Vortex Strikefire because it’s still a great optic!

Either way, I hope I was able to show you the major differences between these two popular options from Vortex Optics.  

There are some really exciting options available these days in the world of micro red dot sights… 

They’re exciting because they won’t really cost you a lot of money, but at the same time, they perform at a very high level…

And today we’re going to be comparing 2 very popular options:

• The Sig Sauer Romeo 5 (Check Price On Palmetto State Armory – Over 2,710 Reviews)
• The Vortex SPARC AR (Check Price On Amazon – Over 715 Reviews)

Both of these red dots have a lot to offer, and in this Sig Romeo 5 Vs Vortex SPARC AR comparison we’re going to see how they stack up against each other in the following categories:

• Toughness And Durability
• Lens Clarity And Reticle
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Accessories Included With The Sight
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll tell you which of these 2 sights I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine if either of these red dots are the right optic for you…

Let’s get started!

Durability And Toughness…

Sig Romeo 5

The Sig Romeo 5 is a very durable little red dot sight. To start off with, the sight housing is made from aircraft grade aluminum, and it has an anodized finish that helps protect it from the elements. 

In addition to that, the sight housing comes up over the elevation and windage turrets and that protects them from being accidentally snapped off, which is something that can happen with some red dots. 

The Romeo5 is also fog proof, shockproof, and waterproof in up to one meter of water, and it will hold up easily if you mount it on a high-powered rifle, a shotgun, or a pistol caliber carbine.

So all in all, I think it’s a very durable micro red dot sight.

Vortex SPARC

The Vortex SPARC AR is also a very durable micro red dot. Once again the sight housing is made from aircraft grade aluminum…

…and just like with the Romeo 5, the sight housing is raised up to protect the windage and elevation turrets from being snapped off accidentally.  

It’s also shockproof, fog proof, and waterproof, and it has a rubber cover that also gives the optic a little bit of added protection (it’s removable if you don’t want to use it). 

All in all, the SPARC AR is also a very durable red dot sight. 

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

In the end, I think both of these sights are pretty durable… They’re both made from aircraft grade aluminum.

They both have frames that protect the windage and elevation turrets, and they’re both waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof. So in this category, I think we have to call it a draw.

Winner: DRAW 

Lens Clarity And Reticle…

Sig Romeo 5

The lens clarity on the Sig Romeo 5 is very good. It gives you a very clear sight picture and you don’t get any of the bluish or greenish tint that you sometimes have with other red dot sights. 

In addition to that, the reticle is a simple 2 MOA (Minute Of Angle) dot. I think a 2 MOA dot is a great reticle to have on a red dot sight… 

It’s large enough so that you can easily pick it up (with your eye) if you need to make a quick shot, but it’s also small enough so that you can still aim precisely at targets in the distance. 

I really like it, and I’m glad that Sig decided to go with a 2 MOA dot rather than a larger 4 MOA or 6 MOA dot on the Romeo 5. 

Vortex SPARC

The lens clarity on the Vortex red dot is also very good. Just like with the Romeo 5, the lens is very clear and you don’t have any of that annoying bluish or greenish tint.  

Also just like with the Romeo 5, the reticle is a simple 2 MOA dot, and like I’ve already mentioned, I think that’s a great reticle to have on a sight like this because it’s fast, easy-to-use, and precise.

Lens Clarity And Reticle Conclusions…

So once again we have a lot of similarities between these two sights (that makes sense because they are natural competitors in the marketplace)…  

Both have a very clear lens, so you can get a good sight picture and both have a simple 2 MOA dot reticle.

In this category they really are neck-and-neck, and even though I don’t want to… I have to call it a draw once again (don’t worry, they won’t all be draws).

Winner: DRAW

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Sig Romeo 5

The battery life on the Sig Romeo 5 is really fantastic. It uses one CR2032 battery which is going to last you for 50,000 hours (5 years). 

I’m a big fan of ultra long battery life like this on my red dot sights because you don’t want your optic dying on you in the middle of a trip to the range (something I’ve had happen to me with other red dots). 

In addition to that, long battery life like this allows you to keep your optic turned on all the time. This is important because if you ever need to use your rifle in an emergency situation…

…you won’t have to fiddle around with buttons trying to turn it on before going out to deal with the threat.

Now in addition to that long battery life, Sig also includes a feature called the MOTAC system, which stands for Motion Activated Illumination. 

It basically means that the Sig Romeo 5 will automatically turn off after 120 seconds of non-use, and it will automatically turn on as soon as it senses any motion at all. 

I really love this feature because it saves your battery life, which is already very long, even more, and the motion activation is sensitive enough that it will easily turn on if you simply pick up your rifle.

So it’s saving you battery life, and it turns on automatically if you even touch your firearm. I think that’s pretty cool.  

Now with the Romeo 5, you get 8 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision settings for your reticle. 

The daylight brightness settings get extremely bright on the higher end, and you won’t have any problems seeing the dot in extremely bright conditions. 

For example, I go shooting in the Nevada desert, and the Romeo 5 is very bright even during the summer months.

Also, even though most people won’t use the 2 night vision settings, I do like that they’re included because…

…some people will want to take advantage of them, and they don’t really add any additional cost. 

Vortex SPARC

The battery life on the Vortex SPARC is not as impressive as the battery life on the Sig Romeo 5…

First of all, it uses a triple A battery (AAA), which some people will like because it’s a little more common than the CR2032 battery used by the Sig. 

And it powers the SPARC for 300 hours on the maximum brightness levels and for 5,000 hours on the lowest brightness setting. 

That’s actually very disappointing to me because most red dot sights in this price range offer much longer battery life than that. 

Now the SPARC does turn off after 12 hours of non-use which will help you save your battery life, but it’s not a motion activated red dot like the Romeo 5…

…so you’ll have to manually press the buttons to get your sight working again. Last, just like the Sig Romeo, the Vortex SPARC has 8 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision settings. 

Again, the daylight brightness settings get very bright, and I like that the night vision settings are included at no extra cost. 

Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…

As for the brightness settings, these two micro red dots are very similar, but things change very quickly when we start talking about battery life. 

The Sig uses a CR2032 battery and the SPARC uses an AAA battery.  I prefer the CR2032 battery because it’s lighter and less bulky than the AAA battery used by the Vortex SPARC.  

In addition to that, the battery life on the Sig is 50,000 hours as opposed to 5,000 hours (at best) on the  Vortex SPARC… 

And we can’t forget about the MOTAC system included with a Sig, which will automatically turn the sight off after non-use and automatically turn it on when it senses motion.  

All in all, I think the easy winner in this category is the Sig Romeo 5.

Winner: Sig Romeo 5

Extra Accessories Included With The Optic…

Sig Romeo 5

The Sig Romeo 5 comes with a few pretty cool accessories. First of all, you get a bikini style lens cover which you can use when your rifle is being stored. 

In addition to that, you also get 2 mounts… a low mount and a high mount. 

The high mount is perfect if you intend to use this sight on an AR-15 because it sets you up for a lower 1/3 cowitness with your backup iron sights. 

And the low mount will allow you to use the sight on shotguns, AKs, and even on some pistol caliber carbines. So I really like that you get 2 very useful mounts with this optic. 

Vortex SPARC

Like I mentioned before, the Vortex SPARC comes with a rubber cover that helps protect the body of the optic, but it also has lens covers attached to it. 

I think this is a pretty cool accessory to include with the sight because it offers protection for your lens AND for the sight housing. 

In addition to that, you also get a mount with the Vortex SPARC. Now, this sight is officially called the Vortex SPARC AR which means it’s intended to be used on an AR  platform rifle…

…and the mount that you get sets you up for either an absolute cowitness or a lower 1/3 cowitness with backup iron sights on an AR-15 (the mount can be adjusted for either type of cowitness you prefer).

Extra Accessories Conclusions…

Both sights come with rubber lens covers, but the Sig comes with 2 mounts as opposed to the 1 mount you get with the Vortex SPARC. 

And because having 2 mounts gives you greater flexibility when choosing which firearm to place your sight on, I’m going to give the slight edge in this category to the Sig Romeo 5.

Winner: Sig Romeo 5

Price Comparison…

Unfortunately I won’t be able to give exact numbers in this category because the prices of these optics are changing all the time. 

That being said, in general, you’ll find the Sig Romeo to be 20 to 50 bucks less expensive than the Vortex SPARC. So the winner in this category is, again, the Sig Romeo 5.

Winner: Sig Romeo 5 

Sig Romeo 5 Vs Vortex Sparc AR – Conclusions…

So to sum it all up, in the Durability and Toughness category both of these sights were neck and neck and we had a draw. In the Lens Clarity And Reticle category we also had a draw. 

When we got to the Battery Life And Brightness Settings category the Sig Romeo 5 was the clear winner.  Next, the Romeo 5 edged out a slight win in the Extra Accessories category…

…and last, the Sig Romeo 5 won in the Price Comparison as well. 

So which of these sights do I prefer? I prefer the Sig Romeo 5.

I like the Romeo 5 better because it has much better battery life than the Vortex SPARC and uses a CR2032 battery rather than an AAA battery. 

But in addition to that, it comes with a low mount and a high mount so it can be used on many different firearms platforms, rather than just on ARs…

And it’s also less expensive than the Vortex SPARC by a significant margin.

Additional note: Sig has a version of the Romeo 5 using AAA batteries as well (check it out by clicking the Sig Romeo 5 button above).  

Now some will still prefer the Vortex SPARC for a variety of different reasons, and that’s ok because it’s still a great sight.

Either way, I hope this helped you understand the differences between these two budget-friendly red dot sights!

Let’s face it, we’re in the age of pistol optics, and I think that’s a good thing…

Most people can end up shooting a pistol with an optic more accurately and faster than one with just iron sights…

And the cool thing is, there are a lot of companies offering pistol optics that you can choose from…

Now 2 of my favorites are:

• The Holosun HS507c (Check Price On Amazon – Over 1,670 Reviews)
• The Trijicon RMR (Check Price On Amazon – Over 966 Reviews)

Both of these pistol red dot sights are high quality, and in this Holosun 507c vs RMR comparison, we’re going to see how they stack up against each other in the following categories…

• Toughness And Durability
• Lens Clarity And Reticle
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Accessories Included With The Sight
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll tell you which of these two sights I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine which one of these optics is the best option for you…

Let’s get started!

Durability And Toughness…

Holosun 507c

The Holosun 507c is a pretty durable little pistol red dot sight. To start off with, the sight housing is made from machined 7075 aluminum, and it has an anodized finish on it which helps protect it from the elements. 

The elevation and windage turrets are recessed into the sight housing, which means they can never be snapped off accidentally, and the sight is simply built to be really beefy as far as pistol reflex sights go. 

It’s tough enough to handle the recoil from being mounted on a shotgun, a high powered rifle, or a pistol caliber carbine, but the truth is most people will want to use a sight like this on a pistol. 

That’s definitely where I like to employ sights like this, and I find that it easily handles the abuse of being mounted on a reciprocating pistol slide. All in all, it’s a really rugged little sight. 

Trijicon RMR

The Trijicon RMR is known for being one of the toughest little red dot sights out there. Trijicon makes really rugged optics, and the RMR actually stands for Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sight. 

Now the type 1 RMR’s had problems when being mounted on pistols because the battery connection was not very secure and people had problems with the reticle flashing on and off intermittently. 

The type 2 RMR’s have completely eliminated that problem, and as I mentioned before, they’re extremely tough little optics. 

The sight housing on RMR is a military grade aluminum alloy, and just as with the 507c, the windage and elevation turrets are recessed into the sight housing (which protects them from snapping off). All in all the RMR type 2 is also extremely durable. 

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

Because of the reputation that Trijicon has for making extremely rugged optics, I’m tempted to give the edge to the RMR in this category…

…but to be honest, the Holosun 507c is a tank of a little sight, so I think the right option here is to actually call it a draw.

Winner: DRAW

Lens Clarity And Reticle…

Holosun 507c

The Holosun 507c has an extremely clear lens. I don’t really notice any of the bluish or greenish tint that you sometimes get with some red dot sights and the sight window is really large for a pistol optic.

The clear lens and the large sight window really give you a great view through the optic, and being able to easily see your targets is a huge benefit when trying to shoot accurately.

Now as for the reticle, each 507c has 3 reticle options that you can cycle through. The first reticle option is to have a 32 MOA ring surrounding a 2 MOA dot. 

This is a great reticle especially if you’re going to be taking aim at large targets that are relatively close. Your eye is able to pick up that 32 MOA ring very fast and because there’s not much precision required for large targets up close, you’re able to make hits very quickly. 

At the same time, you do have the precise 2 MOA dot in the center of your sight picture, which is perfect if you need to really bear down and make a clean shot. 

The second reticle option is to simply have a 2 MOA dot. I think this is also a great reticle option because it gives you a very simple and useful sight picture. 

Like I mentioned before, the 2 MOA allows you to aim very precisely, but it’s also really easy for your eye to pick up (you probably won’t find yourself searching for the dot when you’re taking aim). 

The last option you can choose is a 32 MOA ring with no dot in the center. This is kind of a weird reticle choice for me because I would simply choose to have the ring and 2 MOA dot…

…but some people do like this reticle option, so if you’re one of them, it’s there for you. 

Last I want to say that it’s very easy to cycle through these three options because you simply hold down the minus button for 2 seconds and then pick your reticle. All in all, I like the reticle choices on the 507c very much.  

Trijicon RMR

The lens clarity on the Trijicon RMR is also very good. Now when you look through this sight, you do get a slightly blue tint. 

Trijicon says that they add this tint on purpose because it gives you better contrast when looking through the optic.

There is some truth to that, but personally I would prefer having a clear lens to look through and take aim. 

Now as for the reticle on the Trijicon RMR, you can actually get this sight in two different variations. There is a 3.25 MOA dot reticle model and there’s a 6.5 MOA dot reticle model to choose between. 

Personally I think the 6.5 MOA reticle is a bit large even for a pistol red dot sight because it can cover some of your target when you’re trying to make a precise shot, but I do think the 3.25 Moa reticle is a great option.

Lens Clarity And Reticle Conclusions…

With the Holosun 507c you get a crystal clear lens as opposed to the Trijicon RMR where there is a slightly blue tint. 

As I mentioned before, I prefer aiming through a clear lens, so the Holosun gets the win in that area…

In addition to that, with the 507c you can cycle through three different reticle options but with the Trijicon RMR you’re limited to either a 3.25 MOA dot or a 6.5 MOA dot. 

Even though I think the 3.25 MOA dot is a great option, I prefer the choices that the Holosun 507c is able to give you…

…and I really like the 32 MOA ring with the 2 MOA dot in the center. So again the clear winner, in my opinion, is the Holosun 507c.

Winner: Holosun 507c

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Holosun 507c

The battery life on the Holosun 507c is outstanding. It uses one CR2032 battery which gives you 50,000 hours (5 years) of battery life. 

In addition to that, Holosun includes a “shake awake” feature in which the sight will automatically turn off when not being used and automatically turn on when it senses any motion at all. 

This is a great feature in my opinion because it helps save that battery life which is already incredibly long. 

On top of all that, the 507c includes a solar panel on top of it, which allows you to use this sight even if your battery dies as long as you have some sunlight to power it. 

Again, I think this is an awesome feature and it’s something I’ve always liked about Holosun red dots. Now included in the 507c, you get 10 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision settings. 

Most people won’t use the night vision settings, but I still think it’s cool that they’re included. And as for the daylight brightness settings, the higher settings get extremely bright…

So even if you’re in a very sunny environment like me (I live in the Nevada desert) your reticle is going to remain very easily visible to you. 

Trijicon RMR

The battery life on the Trijicon RMR is also very good. It also uses one CR2032 battery and it can power the sight for up to 4 years. 

Ultra long battery life like this is an important feature for me because it basically means you can leave your sight turned on all the time. 

All you really have to remember to do is swap out your battery once a year and you should never have any problems with your optic dying on you. 

Now the RMR includes 8 daylight brightness settings, 2 night vision settings, and 1 super bright setting… 

Again these are all very useful settings, and even if you’re in the brightest conditions, you won’t have any problems seeing the reticle on your sight.

Battery Life And Brightness Settings Conclusions…

In terms of battery life, the Holosun has the advantage because it has 5 years worth of battery life as opposed to the 4 years of the Trijicon…

…and in addition to that, it also has the “shake awake” feature and solar panel which will save your battery life even more. I think it’s pretty clear that in this category, the Holosun 507c is the winner. 

Winner: Holosun 507c 

Extra Goodies Included With The Sight…

Holosun 507c

The Holosun 507c comes with a detachable factory mount which can be used to attach this sight to a picatinny rail. 

Personally, I wouldn’t use a sight like this on a rifle like an AR-15 or a pistol caliber carbine because I think there are better options (I like micro red dot sights) but you could use it as a primary or a secondary sight if you wanted to.  

Additionally, the footprint of the 507c is the exact same as the RMR, and I think this is an important feature because most pistols that you would mount an optic on are set up for use with an RMR. 

The RMR cut is simply the most popular at this time, and I think it was a smart choice by Holosun to incorporate that footprint into the 507c. 

Trijicon RMR

The Trijicon RMR does not come with any included mounts unless you pay for a higher priced package. 

Again for me, that’s not a problem because I wouldn’t use a sight like this on anything other than a pistol which won’t require any additional mount. 

So in the end, you don’t really get any extra accessories with this optic, but for this style of sight, I don’t really think that’s a problem. 

Extra Accessories Included With The Optic Conclusions…

In this category, I have to give the slight edge to the Holosun 507c because it comes with a picatinny rail mount…

That said,  like I mentioned above, I wouldn’t mount these sights on anything other than a pistol. So the included picatinny rail mount isn’t very valuable to me.

Winner: Holosun 507c 

Price Comparison…

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to give you exact prices of these sights because the truth is that their prices are changing all the time…

But, most of the time, the Holosun 507c is about 150 – 200 bucks less than the Trijicon RMR. So, the clear winner on price is, once again, the Holosun 507c. 

Winner: Holosun 507c

Holosun 507c Vs RMR – Conclusions…

So in the end, both up these sights were neck and neck in the Toughness and Durability category and we had a draw…

Then in the Lens Clarity and Reticle category the Holosun was the clear winner. After that, we looked at Battery Life and Brightness Settings and the 507c was the winner again. 

Next, the Holosun edged out the RMR in the Extra Accessories category, and last, in the price comparison the Holosun 507c was once again the clear winner. 

So which of these sights do I prefer? I prefer the Holosun 507c.

This really shouldn’t come as a surprise because I think Holosun hit one out of the park with this optic. As I mentioned before, it’s a super tough little sight…

…But it also has a huge sight window that is crystal clear to look through, and it gives you 3 really cool reticles to choose from. 

And we can’t forget that it’s much less expensive than the RMR as well!

Now, some will still prefer the RMR over the 507c because Trijicon has a track record for producing super reliable and high quality optics…

So, you’re not gonna go wrong by going with the RMR either, again (I would go with the 3.25 MOA version)

But like I said, I think the 507c is superior to the RMR in almost every way, and it’s much less expensive. Check it out on Amazon by clicking the button above, and good luck as you search for a high quality pistol red dot sight.    

Aimpoint makes some really fantastic red dot sights… And that can make it difficult when you’re really trying to focus in on which model is gonna be right for you. 

I understand how annoying it can be to have to hunt down all the information and then come to a decision…

So in this post, we’re going to be comparing the following two red dot sights…

• The Aimpoint Micro H2 (Get Best Pricing Here!)
• The Aimpoint Micro T2 (Get Best Pricing Here!)

We’ll be doing a deep dive comparing the Aimpoint H2 vs the T2, and I’ve tried to break down all the info in an easy-to-follow way.

For example, we’ll be going through and comparing these two Aimpoints in the following categories…

• Durability And Toughness
• Reticle And Lens Clarity
• Battery Life And Brightness Settings
• Extra Goodies Included With The Optic
• Price Comparison

In the end, I’ll tell you which sight I prefer and you should have a really good idea of whether or not either of these Aimpoints is the right optic for you.

Let’s get started! 

Durability And Toughness…

Aimpoint H2

If you don’t know, Aimpoint has a reputation for creating super reliable and super tough red dot sights, and their micro red dot sights are probably the most rugged micro red dots around. 

With that all said, the Aimpoint H2 is an extremely tough little sight. It has a hard-anodized aluminum alloy sight housing, which makes it resistant to the elements and very strong. 

In addition to that, the sight housing covers the windage and elevation turrets preventing them from being able to snap off easily, which is something that can happen with other micro red dots. 

The H2 is also able to be submersed in up to 15 feet of water and still remain completely functional, and it can handle rainy, snowy, or wet conditions without any issues at all. 

Last, it’s tough enough to handle the recoil from pistol caliber carbines, high-powered rifles, and even shotguns very easily. 

Aimpoint T2

The Aimpoint T2 is similar to the H2 but not exactly the same. To start off, the Micro T2 also has a hard-anodized aluminum alloy sight housing which is very rugged. 

In addition to that, it also has a portion of the sight housing that covers the windage and elevation turrets, protecting them from being able to easily snap off…

But instead of only being waterproof up to 15 feet, the Aimpoint T2 micro is submersible in up to 82 feet of water. 

That means it’s strong enough that you could actually take it scuba diving with you if you wanted to! 

Now as a civilian that’s probably something you’ll never need to do, but it does indicate just how tough this little red dot sight actually is.

Durability And Toughness Conclusions…

In conclusion, these two micro red dots are both extremely tough. But because the Aimpoint T2 is submersible in up to 82 feet of water rather than the 15 feet of the H2…

… I give the edge in durability and toughness to the Aimpoint T2.

Winner: Aimpoint T2

Reticle And Lens Clarity…

Aimpoint H2

The lens on the Aimpoint H2 is extremely clear. This is because Aimpoint puts a multi-layered coating on the lens as well as a special anti-reflex coating. 

The result, as I said before, is a crystal clear view through the optic without any of the bluish or greenish tint that you get with some other micro red dot sights. 

Secondly, the reticle on the Aimpoint H2 is a simple 2 MOA dot. This is one of my favorite reticles for a red dot sight for two reasons… 

First, because it’s large enough to easily and quickly pick up the reticle (with your eye) when you need to make a quick shot.

And second, because it allows you to still aim precisely at small targets in the distance (a larger dot can end up covering part of your target and obstructing your view). 

I also just like the fact that it gives you a simple sight picture because sometimes having a BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator) or other stuff on your reticle…

…can make your sight picture cluttered and even be confusing in a high-pressure situation. But the 2 MOA dot is simple, fast, and easy. 

Aimpoint T2

Just as with the Aimpoint H2, the Aimpoint T2 also has an extremely clear lens. In fact, the T2 has the same multi-layered coatings and special anti-reflective coating… so you get the same crystal clear view.

The reticle on the T2 is also exactly the same as the H2. It’s a simple 2 MOA dot…

…and as I already mentioned, I think it’s a great option on a red dot sight because it’s fast, precise, and easy to use.

Reticle And Lens Clarity Conclusions…

In conclusion, the Aimpoint H2 and Aimpoint T2 reticle and clarity are exactly the same. They both have a crystal clear view through the lens, and they both use a 2 MOA dot reticle. So in this category, it’s a draw.

Winner: DRAW

Battery Life And Brightness Settings…

Aimpoint H2

The battery life on the Aimpoint H2 is very impressive… It uses one CR2032 battery, and it can last for  50,000 hours which equals 5 years worth of battery life.  

Ultra long battery life like that is an important feature for me because it means you can simply leave your optic turned on all the time.

That means it will always be ready to go even if you need to use it in an emergency, and you won’t have to worry about spinning the brightness dial from off to on before dealing with the threat.

All you really have to do is swap out the battery once a year, and you’ll never have to worry about turning on your sight or the battery dying on you. That makes things simple which I really like. 

In addition to that, the H2 has 12 daylight brightness settings available, and as I mentioned before, you select them by spinning a dial on the side of the sight housing. 

With 12 brightness settings on hand, no matter what the lighting conditions are outside (whether it be super bright or an overcast day) you can adjust the brightness of the reticle very easily.

There are no night vision settings on the Aimpoint H2 which honestly is a downside because even many red dots with a lower price tag include NV brightness settings…

… but the truth is that most people will never use NV settings. So if that’s the case for you, you’re not really missing too much.

Aimpoint T2

Like the H2 the Aimpoint T2 uses one CR2032 battery which powers the sight for 5 years…

So you get the same ultra long battery life, which as I mentioned before is an extremely important feature to me. 

The difference comes when we start talking about the brightness settings. The Aimpoint T2 includes 8 daylight brightness settings and 4 night vision settings. 

With the 8 daylight brightness settings, you can easily adjust the brightness to match whatever lighting situations you’re dealing with…

…and obviously, the night vision settings are a bonus if you ever intend to use your rifle with NV equipment (most of us civilians won’t, but some will).

Battery Life Conclusions…

Obviously, the battery life on these two sights is exactly the same…  50,000 hours which is awesome. The difference comes when we start talking about the brightness settings…

Even though the T2 only has 8 daylight brightness settings compared to the 12 settings on the H2, I still like the fact that the T2 has 4 night vision settings as well (options are always good!).

So for me, the clear winner in this category is the Aimpoint T2.

Winner: Aimpoint T2

Extra Goodies Included With The Optic…

Aimpoint H2

The Aimpoint H2 comes with some interesting accessories. It does come with a factory Aimpoint micro mount, but it is a low mount, which is a problem for me.

Now, if you’re running this optic on a pistol caliber carbine or a shotgun, the low mount will work out for you just fine, but most people will want to use this red dot on an AR-15, which will require a high mount.

That means you’ll have to get an aftermarket AR-15 mount, and I recommend you check out the American Defense mount (great mount that is quick detach). 

In addition to that, this optic does come with removable lens covers, which I think are useful and pretty high quality.

They stay on the sight pretty well, so you don’t have the annoying experience of them falling off easily all the time.

… and each of the cap ends is actually clear, so you can see through your optic even with the covers closed (great if you lenses are covered and you need to make a quick shot).

Aimpoint T2

With the Aimpoint T2 you also get the same factory Aimpoint mount. Again, if you’re running this sight on a PCC or shotgun that’s great…

…but if you’re using it on an AR-15 you’re going to want a high mount, so you can aim comfortably and co witness it with backup iron sights.  

The lens covers that come with the Aimpoint T2 are also very good. They are a little different from the Aimpoint H2 lens covers because while the rear cover is clear, the front cover is blacked out. 

Aimpoint does this because you can still use the sight even if the front lens is blacked out to make a quick shot. You just have to keep both eyes open when you aim and the dot will still appear over your target.

Personally I would prefer both lens caps to be clear like on the H2, but this is still a system that can work very well and I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.

Extra Accessories Conclusions…

Both of these sights come with removable lens covers and low Aimpoint mount. I think both could be improved by including a high amount in the package, but as it is, I think we have a draw.

Winner: DRAW 

Price Comparison…

Let’s not beat around the bush here, I can’t really get into specific numbers because the prices of these sights are changing all the time.

But at the time I’m writing this review, both of these sights are well over the 700 dollar mark and the Aimpoint T2 is over 100 bucks more than the Aimpoint H2. 

Aimpoint is a premium red dot sight, so I definitely think these optics are worth the amount you’ll pay for them, but because the T2 is more expensive, I have to give the edge in price to the H2.

Winner Aimpoint H2

Aimpoint H2 Vs T2 – Conclusions…

So to break it all down in a nutshell, I gave the durability and toughness edge to the Aimpoint T2. For the reticle and lens clarity category it was a draw… 

Under the battery life and brightness setting category, I gave the edge to the Aimpoint T2. Under the extra accessories category, it was a draw, and last, under the price comparison, the edge went to the H2. 

So which sight do I think is better?  My pick is the Aimpoint T2. 

Click The Button Below To Learn More About The Aimpoint T2:

I prefer the T2 because it’s slightly more durable and it includes NV brightness settings. Because of that and because of that fact that you’re not really saving that much money by going with the H2…

…I just think it makes sense to go all out for the Aimpoint Micro T2 which is pretty much considered the gold standard of all micro red dot sights. 

With all that being said, the H2 is a great sight, and if you want an Aimpoint but want to save a little bit of cash, I don’t really think you can go wrong with it.

Click The Button Below To Learn More About The Aimpoint H2:

Check out each of these sights on amazon by clicking the links above, and I hope this comparison helped you understand the difference between these two awesome red dot sights!