EOTech XPS2 review: the compact holographic sight, without night vision
Our verdict: 4.4/5. The EOTech XPS2 is the holographic sight to buy if you want the EOTech speed ring on a daytime rifle or shotgun and do not own night vision. EOTech calls it the non night vision version of its shortest and lightest HWS: 3.8 inches long, 9.0 ounces, one CR123 battery, a cross-bolt rail mount and EOTech's 68 MOA ring with a 1 MOA dot. The costs are specific: 1,000 hours of rated battery life, brightness buttons on the back where a magnifier gets in the way, no night vision settings at all, and a reticle that some reviewers describe as blurry or grainy. If night vision or a magnifier is in your plans, the EXPS3 is the better EOTech.
OpticsPlanet shoppers rate the XPS2 listing 4.7/5 across 265 reviews, a pool shared by all eight colors and reticles on it. The XPS2-0 in black, the version reviewed here, runs around $620. The .300 Blackout version, the XPS2-300, is a separate listing at around $640. 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 two retailer listings and their specification tables, EOTech's own XPS2 page, its XPS2-300 announcement, its warranty page and its terms, and the owner-review record on each listing. On the main listing we read every review rated below five stars and the two reviews the listing marks most helpful; the other five-star reviews are counted in the rating but were not read, so the themes below come from a sample weighted toward critical reviews. We have not bench-tested these units ourselves; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. See how we evaluate.
What the XPS2 is, and which version you are buying
The XPS2 is one holographic weapon sight sold with different reticles and colors. It is not an LED red dot: EOTech says its HWS sights use holography rather than LED projection, and that the reticle is projected at 200 meters to minimize parallax. Every XPS2 shares the same body: 3.8 x 2.1 x 2.5 inches, 9.0 ounces, one CR123 battery, brightness buttons on the back, 20 daylight brightness settings, 0.5 MOA clicks and a cross-bolt mount for a 1 inch Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 rail. The code after the dash tells you the reticle:
| Model | Reticle (EOTech) | Where OpticsPlanet sells it |
|---|---|---|
| XPS2-0 (reviewed here) | 68 MOA speed ring with a 1 MOA dot; three aiming points for .223, 62 gr at 2,900 fps | Main XPS2 listing, in black, olive drab, grey and tan, and in black with a green reticle (XPS2-0GRN) |
| XPS2-1 | 1 MOA dot on its own, for shooters used to red dots | Main XPS2 listing, black |
| XPS2-2 | 68 MOA speed ring with two aiming dots, easily distinguishable with or without magnification | Main XPS2 listing, black |
| XPS2-FN | FN less lethal reticle (retailer's description) | Main XPS2 listing, black |
| XPS2-300 | Two-dot reticle for .300 Blackout, subsonic and supersonic | Its own listing, black |
The main listing's web address says "1moa green dot", but it carries red and green reticle versions; the XPS2-0 reviewed here is red. The green reticle XPS2-0GRN costs noticeably more, and EOTech rates its battery at 600 hours instead of 1,000.
The video is EOTech's zeroing tutorial for its holographic weapon sights in general, presented by an EOTech customer service manager. It does not identify the sight on the rifle as an XPS2, so treat it as a guide to the zeroing process rather than footage of this model.
Why owners rate it: the ring, the size and the build
For many buyers the 68 MOA ring is the point of an EOTech. EOTech says it enables fast target acquisition and that the -0 reticle gives three aiming points for a .223 rifle zeroed with 62 grain ammunition, and that on a shotgun the ring approximates the shot pattern, which varies with choke and shell. The ring also works as a rough range reference: 68 MOA covers about 71 inches at 100 yards by our arithmetic, so an adult standing upright roughly fills it at that distance. Our dot size at distance calculator does the same sum for any range.
The size is the second reason. At 3.8 inches the XPS2 leaves rail space behind it for iron sights or a magnifier, which is EOTech's own pitch for the model. On the main listing the recurring positives in the lower-rated reviews we read are durability, easy mounting, the price and US manufacture; 225 of the 265 ratings are five stars. EOTech also makes two claims about its HWS line that apply here: that the sight keeps working when the window is damaged or obscured, and that it is the Close Combat Optic of choice for USSOCOM. Both are the maker's statements rather than something we tested.
The honest catch: blur for some eyes, battery, buttons, no night vision
The most repeated complaint in the reviews we could read on the main listing is the reticle itself. At least eight of the 40 below-five-star reviews we could read describe it as blurry, grainy, fuzzy or pixelated, and at least one of those reviewers returned the sight. One one-star reviewer puts it bluntly: “The reticle is blurry and not just a little bit”. Eyesight plays a part. The most helpful positive review on the listing is titled “At first I was disappointed... then I figured out the problem!”: the reviewer, who wears a mild prescription, found the ring and dot blurry out of the box and sorted it out after reading the troubleshooting section on EOTech's site. On the .300 Blackout listing, one owner with astigmatism says the ring looks like a blob. If you have astigmatism, look through a holographic sight before you buy, and see our best red dot for astigmatism guide.
“Purchased an XPS 2 awhile ago. Works well as long as your not in bright sunlight. Reticle is barely visible.”
Tracy (VA), reviewer, via OpticsPlanet; the most helpful critical review on the listing
That two-star review also says EOTech told the reviewer an upgrade would have to be paid for; we could not check that exchange. Power is the next catch. EOTech rates the XPS2 at 1,000 continuous hours on one CR123 at setting 12, far shorter than many LED red dots are built to run; one owner of the XPS2-300 lists battery life as the con. Our EOTech vs Aimpoint guide covers the difference.
The buttons sit on the back of the sight. That keeps the body short, but an owner answering a shopper's question on the XPS2-300 listing notes they cannot be reached with a magnifier mounted behind it, and one four-star reviewer on the main listing notes that the retailer's specs did not say where the buttons are. There are no night vision settings either: EOTech lists night vision compatibility as No. Finally, EOTech's own terms say every optical device is affected by temperature, and that its current sights typically shift point of impact by about 1.4 to 1.8 MOA when used at a temperature well away from the one they were zeroed at. Confirm your zero when the season changes.
One handling note: a few reviewers on both listings describe receiving a unit that looked opened or used, from a cut seal to a battery already inside. Inspect the sight when it arrives. EOTech also warns that counterfeit EOTech sights are sold online and at gun shows; its tell-tale signs include small hearing-aid style batteries, highly reflective optics and a visible LED inside the sight. A genuine XPS2 runs on one CR123.
Trade-offs, plainly
- At least eight of the 40 below-five-star reviews we could read on the main listing call the reticle blurry, grainy or fuzzy; eyesight and astigmatism play a part.
- Battery life is rated at 1,000 continuous hours on a CR123, shorter than many LED red dots are built to run.
- The brightness buttons are on the back, where a magnifier behind the sight blocks them.
- No night vision settings; EOTech lists night vision compatibility as No.
- The cross-bolt mount has no quick detach lever, and water resistance is 10 feet against 33 feet on the EXPS3.
Key specifications (XPS2-0)
| Model reviewed | XPS2-0, black, red reticle |
|---|---|
| Reticle | 68 MOA speed ring with a 1 MOA dot |
| Reticle calibration | .223, 62 gr at 2,900 fps; three aiming points (EOTech) |
| Magnification and eye relief | 1x, unlimited eye relief |
| Window | 30.5 x 21.6 mm; front 1/8 in solid glass, rear 3/16 in laminate (retailer) |
| Brightness | 20 daylight settings; night vision compatible: No (EOTech) |
| Controls | Buttons on the back of the sight (EOTech) |
| Adjustments | 0.5 MOA per click |
| Battery | One CR123; 1,000 continuous hours at setting 12, room temperature; 600 for the green reticle (EOTech) |
| Water resistance | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Operating range | -40 to 140 F |
| Mount | Cross-bolt; 1 in Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 rail |
| Size and weight | 3.8 x 2.1 x 2.5 in, 9.0 oz |
| In the box | Sight, CR123 battery, warranty card, quick start guide |
| Origin | Made 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, passes to later owners (EOTech) |
Specifications agree between the retailer table and EOTech's XPS2 page unless marked (EOTech) or (retailer).
XPS2 or EXPS3?
Both are EOTech holographic sights built around the 68 MOA speed ring. The differences are the ones that decide the purchase:
| XPS2 | EXPS3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Night vision settings | None | 10, for Gen I to III+ |
| Button placement | Back | Side |
| Mount | Cross-bolt | Quick detach lever on a 7mm raised base (lower 1/3 co-witness) |
| Water resistance | 10 ft | Submersible to 33 ft |
| Battery | One CR123, 1,000 h | One CR123, 1,000 h |
Pick the XPS2 if you shoot in daylight at 1x and want what EOTech calls its shortest and lightest HWS body, for less money. Pick the EXPS3 if you run night vision or plan to leave a magnifier behind the sight. Our EOTech EXPS3 review covers it, including the HHS kits that pair it with a magnifier.
The other configuration: XPS2-300 for .300 Blackout
The XPS2-300 is the XPS2 built around one cartridge. EOTech's 2021 announcement describes a 68 MOA ring with two 1 MOA aiming dots, calculated for both subsonic and supersonic .300 Blackout so one sight covers both loads, and a laser-etched hood with a 300 BLK logo and ballistic drop data. EOTech's reticle notes say the dots were worked out for a 16 inch barrel with 110 grain supersonic and 220 grain subsonic ammunition, so expect to confirm the holds on a different barrel or load.
OpticsPlanet shoppers rate it 4.9/5 across 35 reviews, 32 of them five stars. The dual-zero reticle is what owners praise most, alongside build quality and the brightness settings; one says there is no need to re-zero when switching between subsonic and supersonic ammunition. The criticisms are the XPS2's plus a few of its own. Three owners dislike the 300 BLK graphics on the hood, one finds the two dots hard to tell apart, one owner who wanted night vision gave it three stars, one lists battery life as the con, and one comparing it with the XPS3 wishes for a quick detach mount. Two owners describe a unit that looked opened or used before it reached them. The most helpful positive review answers the night vision complaint directly:
“This is a great optic and is a good choice for anybody that doesn't own NV gear”
David Tanner (UT), reviewer, via OpticsPlanet
The retailer's table gives the XPS2-300 a different width, height, weight and temperature range. EOTech's 2021 announcement gives it the same 3.8 x 2.1 x 2.5 inches and 9.0 ounces as the standard XPS2, and we go with the maker; the announcement states no operating temperature, so we print none for this version. At around $640 it is the pick if your rifle is a .300 Blackout and you shoot both subsonic and supersonic loads.
An animated product showcase of the XPS2-300 with callouts for the CR123 battery, the cross-bolt mount, the brightness buttons and the ring with two 1 MOA aiming dots.
What else to consider
- Comparing holographic sights? Our best holographic sight guide covers the EOTech 518 and the Vortex Razor AMG UH-1 Gen II.
- Not sure you want holographic at all? Read red dot vs holographic sight and EOTech vs Aimpoint.
- Putting it on a shotgun? See our best red dot for a shotgun picks.
- Adding a magnifier later? Our best red dot magnifier guide covers the options, but remember the XPS2's back buttons.
- Zeroing it? Follow how to sight in a red dot sight.
- Comparing the field? Start at our best red dot sight and best red dot for an AR-15 guides.
FAQ
Is the EOTech XPS2 night vision compatible?
No. EOTech lists night vision compatibility as No for the XPS2, which has 20 daylight brightness settings and no night vision settings. If you run night vision, EOTech puts it in other models such as the EXPS3, which adds 10 night vision settings.
What do XPS2-0, XPS2-1, XPS2-2 and XPS2-300 mean?
The ending names the reticle. The XPS2-0 has a 68 MOA speed ring with a 1 MOA dot, the XPS2-1 is a 1 MOA dot on its own, the XPS2-2 adds a second aiming dot inside the ring, and the XPS2-300 has a two-dot reticle calculated for .300 Blackout. EOTech calibrates the -0 and -2 reticles for .223 with 62 grain bullets at 2,900 fps. The body, battery and mount are the same across the line.
How long does the XPS2 battery last?
EOTech rates it at 1,000 continuous hours on one CR123 battery at brightness setting 12, at room temperature, and 600 hours for the green reticle version. Many LED red dots are built to run far longer, so plan to turn it off after use and carry a spare.
What is the difference between the XPS2 and the EXPS3?
The XPS2 has its brightness buttons on the back, 20 daylight settings only, a cross-bolt rail mount and water resistance to 10 feet. The EXPS3 moves the buttons to the side, adds 10 night vision settings and a quick detach lever on a 7mm raised base, and is rated submersible to 33 feet. EOTech calls the XPS2 the non night vision version of its shortest and lightest HWS.
What warranty does the XPS2 carry?
In North America EOTech covers holographic weapon sights made on or after January 1, 2017 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, and the cover passes to later owners for the remaining term.
More: best red dot sights · best holographic sights · EOTech EXPS3 review · EOTech vs Aimpoint · EOTech EFLX review.