EOTech G45 review: 5x behind a holographic sight, and the eye relief it asks for
Our verdict: 4.5/5. The EOTech G45 is the magnifier to buy if you run an EOTech holographic sight and want real reach, not just a slightly bigger picture. It is a fixed 5x magnifier in a compact aluminum body, rated water resistant to 33 feet, with tool-free adjustments, an adjustable diopter and a 10-year limited warranty. Owners consistently praise the clarity and the build, and several who have used a 3x say they prefer the 5x. The costs are real: 2.6 inches of eye relief with a small eye box that reviewers argue about, extra weight on the rifle, and a premium price. If you mostly shoot inside a hundred yards, a 3x is the easier tool: our EOTech G43 vs G45 comparison and best red dot magnifier guide cover the 3x options.
OpticsPlanet shoppers rate the G45 4.8/5 across 71 reviews. The magnifier alone (G45.NM, black) runs around $550; with EOTech's Switch-to-Side mount (G45.STS, black) it runs around $680. Check price and availability on OpticsPlanet; confirm the current price on the retailer page.
How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from the retailer listing and its specification table, EOTech's own product and warranty pages, and all 71 owner reviews on the listing, including the low ratings. We have not bench-tested the G45 ourselves; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. See how we evaluate.
What the G45 is, and which version you are buying
The G45 is a 5x magnifier that sits behind a 1x sight. With it flipped into line you get a magnified view of the same reticle; flipped out of the way you are back to a both-eyes-open 1x sight. EOTech describes it as compatible with all of its holographic weapon sight (HWS) models, and the reviews on this listing run it behind the EXPS3, EXPS2, XPS2 and XPS3. It is one magnifier sold four ways, and the model code tells you which:
| Model code | Color | What is in the box |
|---|---|---|
| G45.NM | Black | Magnifier only, no mount (the version the listing leads with) |
| G45.STS | Black | Magnifier with EOTech's Switch-to-Side quick-detach mount |
| G45.NMTAN | Tan | Magnifier only, no mount |
| G45.STSTAN | Tan | Magnifier with the Switch-to-Side mount |
All four share one OpticsPlanet listing and one pool of 71 reviews, so the owner record below is for the G45 in general rather than one color or mount. Many reviewers pair it with a third-party mount: at least nine mention a Unity mount, and several of them say they bought the no-mount version for it.
The video is a short animated product showcase of the G45.STS, the version with the Switch-to-Side mount. Its on-screen callouts name the durable rubber armor, the adjustable turrets and the quick-detach mount, and it shows the flip-to-side mount. There is no presenter and no live-fire footage.
Why owners rate it: clarity, build, and the jump from 3x
The owner record is strong: of the 71 reviews, 63 give five stars, 6 give four and 2 give one. Clear glass and a solid build come up in review after review, and one of the two reviews the listing features as most helpful, from a verified owner who rates it best on longer barrels, calls it
“arguably the best magnifier money can buy”
Thomas Haro, verified owner, via OpticsPlanet
The second theme is the magnification itself. Several reviewers who have used a 3x magnifier prefer the 5x, and one who upgraded from the G33 notes the G45 is about the same size, if a little heavier. Reviewers describe using it everywhere from hog hunting at 100 to 200 yards to target identification out to around 500 yards, and one reviewer sums it up as
“Chunky, but for my old eyes it's great”
Always Be Ready (ID), verified owner, via OpticsPlanet
EOTech adds its own claims: that you can flip between close-quarters and magnified views without losing zero, and that a holographic sight's 1 MOA dot stays crisp at 3x or 5x. Both are the maker's statements, not something we tested. Reviewers also credit the flip function and the quick-detach mount on the STS version, and one verified owner answering a shopper question says the mount can be turned around for left-handed shooters.
The honest catch: eye relief, field of view, weight, price
Eye relief is the argument on this listing. EOTech lists 2.6 inches, and in the 71 reviews we could read at least four reviewers find it too little, including both one-star reviews. One returned the magnifier for a refund and concluded a low-power variable scope is the better choice; another, running it behind an EXPS3 on a flip-to-center mount, calls it
“extremely tight eye relief”
Yo Adrian (FL), via OpticsPlanet, 1 star
A third, a verified owner, puts it at “only 2 inches roughly”. Yet at least six other reviewers report no trouble with the eye relief or praise it, one of them noting the G45 needed no riser behind an EXPS3. Our reading: the eye box behind a 5x magnifier is small, and whether it works for you depends on a consistent cheek weld and on your mount height. One reviewer lists “Requires proper cheek weld” as the only con.
The other trade-offs are smaller but real. One four-star reviewer found the field of view very tight and narrow, and another calls it good, not great, although EOTech describes a wide field of view. At least seven reviewers describe it as heavy or chunky; EOTech lists 12.8 ounces with the Switch-to-Side mount. At least nine list the price as a con or a complaint. One owner bumps the adjustment knobs by accident, and three who bought a tan version say its shade does not match their tan sight.
Trade-offs, plainly
- Eye relief is 2.6 inches by EOTech's figure, and at least four reviewers, including both one-star reviews, found it too tight.
- One four-star reviewer calls the field of view very tight and narrow, though EOTech describes it as wide.
- It adds weight: 12.8 ounces with the Switch-to-Side mount, and at least seven reviewers mention the heft or bulk.
- It is expensive, and at least nine reviewers say so; the Switch-to-Side version costs more again than the magnifier alone.
- The tan versions may not match the tan of your sight, per three reviewers.
Key specifications
| Magnification | 5x, fixed |
|---|---|
| Objective lens | 25 mm (retailer table) |
| Eye relief | 2.6 in (66 mm) |
| Exit pupil | 5 mm, derived: 25 mm objective divided by 5x (see note) |
| Weight | 12.8 oz (362.9 g) with the Switch-to-Side mount; 9.5 oz (269.3 g) without it (EOTech) |
| Size (L x W x H) | 3.9 x 2.3 x 3.3 in |
| Rail | 1 in Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 (EOTech) |
| Mount (G45.STS only) | Switch-to-Side flip mount with a locking, adjustable quick-detach lever, ambidextrous (EOTech) |
| Adjustments | Tool-free vertical and horizontal adjustment, adjustable diopter (EOTech) |
| Water resistance | To 33 ft (10 m) depth |
| Operating range | -40 to 140 F |
| Sealing | Fog-resistant internal optics |
| Housing and glass | 6061 aluminum; multi-coated anti-reflection glass (retailer table) |
| In the box | Magnifier, Switch-to-Side mount (not with the G45.NM), warranty card, quick start guide (EOTech) |
| Origin | Assembled in the USA (EOTech) |
| Warranty | 10-year limited Prestige Warranty (North America): free repair or replacement for 5 years, bench-fee repair in years 5 to 10 (EOTech) |
Specifications agree between the retailer table and EOTech's own product page unless marked. Three figures we do not print as published. Field of view: EOTech's page lists 4 degrees and the retailer lists 4.4 degrees, so we print neither. Exit pupil: the retailer lists 6.8 mm, which does not fit a 25 mm objective at 5x; objective divided by magnification gives 5 mm. Weight and length: EOTech's summary bar shows a lighter weight and a shorter length than its own specification table, and we print the table's numbers, which match the retailer.
Which configuration should you buy?
G45.NM: the magnifier alone
The version the listing leads with, and the one to buy if you already own a magnifier mount or want a third-party one. EOTech lists it at 9.5 ounces before you add a mount, and the reviews show many owners pairing it with a Unity mount; one warns that the screws for that setup are sold separately. It runs around $550 in black.
G45.STS: with EOTech's Switch-to-Side mount
The complete package: the same magnifier on EOTech's own flip-to-side mount with a locking quick-detach lever, 12.8 ounces together. Buy it if you want one box that goes straight onto the rail behind an EOTech sight. Reviewers who ran it praise the mechanism, and the video above shows this version. It runs around $680 in black.
What else to consider
- Torn between 3x and 5x? Our EOTech G43 vs G45 comparison puts EOTech's compact 3x G43 next to this magnifier, spec by spec.
- Want a 3x instead? Our best red dot magnifier guide compares three 3x magnifiers, including EOTech's own G33.
- Buying the sight and magnifier together? The EOTech EXPS3 review covers the HHS V kit, which pairs the EXPS3-4 sight with this G45 on a Switch-to-Side mount.
- Weighing a magnifier against an LPVO? See LPVO vs magnifier and our best LPVOs.
- Choosing the sight first? Read best holographic sight and red dot vs holographic sight.
FAQ
What is the difference between the G45.NM and the G45.STS?
The mount. The G45.NM is the magnifier on its own, with no mount, for shooters who already own or plan to buy a separate magnifier mount. The G45.STS adds EOTech's Switch-to-Side mount, which flips the magnifier out of the way and has a quick-detach lever. EOTech lists the magnifier at 9.5 oz on its own and 12.8 oz with the Switch-to-Side mount. Both are also sold in tan as the G45.NMTAN and G45.STSTAN.
How much eye relief does the EOTech G45 have?
EOTech lists 2.6 inches (66 mm). In practice the reviews are split: in the 71 reviews we could read, at least four reviewers fault the eye relief, including both one-star reviews on the listing, while at least six others report no trouble with it or praise it. Expect to need a consistent cheek weld behind it.
Should I buy the G45 (5x) or a 3x magnifier like the G33?
Buy the G45 if you want to identify and hit targets farther out and will shoot mostly from a stable position. Several reviewers who have used a 3x prefer the bigger image. Stay with a 3x if your shooting is mostly close to mid range: one reviewer found the G45 a bit much there and the G33 more forgiving on eye position, and two reviewers who compare it with the G33 note the G45 is heavier.
Can left-handed shooters use the G45?
Yes. EOTech describes the G45 design as ambidextrous, with a locking, adjustable quick-detach lever on the Switch-to-Side mount. A verified owner answering a shopper question on the retailer listing explains that the mount is turned around for left-handed use, the same way as on the G33.
What warranty does the EOTech G45 carry?
In North America EOTech covers its magnifiers with a 10-year limited Prestige Warranty against manufacturing defects. EOTech repairs or replaces the product free of charge for the first five years, then repairs defects for a nominal bench fee from year five to year ten.
More: best red dot magnifiers · EOTech EXPS3 review · best holographic sights · LPVO vs magnifier · best red dot for an AR-15.