Eotech XPS vs Eotech EXPS

What is the difference between the Eotech XPS vs EXPS?

The EXPS uses a taller quick-detach mount that provides a ⅓ co-witness with iron sights, while the XPS has a standard picatinny rail mount that sits lower, providing an absolute co-witness with iron sights. The EXPS also has side brightness adjustment buttons, while the XPS brightness buttons are on the front.

The mount is the most important difference between the XPS vs the EXPS. We’ll discuss when you might want the EXPS mount and why the button placement doesn’t matter in most cases:

Benefits of the EXPS Quick Detach Mount

The quick-detach mount on the Eotech EXPS series is a definite upgrade over the XPS. Being able to quickly remove (or switch) optics without losing zero is super helpful. Depending on the situation, I’ll pull the EXPS off of my rifle and throw an LPVO on for some longer-range shooting.

Because I use a quick-detach mount on my LPVO too, switching these back and forth only takes a few seconds, and my zero always holds after switching back.

Comparing this to the XPS, I need to make sure I have an Allen wrench anytime I pull the optic off the gun. Truthfully, this is a nice-to-have option that isn’t necessary, but if you plan on switching or moving your optic often, you will want the Eotech EXPS instead of the XPS.

If you purchase an XPS and later decide you want a quick-detach mount like the EXPS, there are plenty of risers and quick-detach adapters you can add to the optic. GG&G makes an aftermarket QD mount that installs directly on the XPS, and Scalarworks also offers some pretty sweet risers that have quick-detach built into them too. If you think you might want the additional height or mount from the EXPS, they can usually be found for the same price as the XPS from online retailers.

EXPS Co-witness vs XPS

The quick detach mount on the EXPS also adds some height to the optic. The added height raises the optic so that your iron sights co-witness with the lower ⅓ of the optic. This means you’ll see your iron sights in the bottom ⅓ of the window when you look through the optic. This keeps them out of the way while using the EXPS, but they can still be used if the optic goes down.

Because the XPS sits lower than the EXPS, the XPS will have an absolute co-witness with your iron sights. The XPS reticle will align perfectly with your iron sights.

Keep in mind this is only a consideration if you are using fixed iron sights. With flip-up, backup iron sights (BUIS), your iron sights will be out of the way (folded down) in which case the co-witness on the EXPS vs XPS doesn’t matter as much.

Button Placement

Lastly, the Eotech EXPS models have brightness adjustment buttons on the side of the optic rather than the front. Eotech did this to make brightness adjustment easier when running a magnifier, but this wasn’t necessarily a problem to begin with.

Using a magnifier with an Eotech on an AR15, you’ll want the optic placed as far forward as possible on the upper receiver (to improve your field of view) while placing the magnifier in the most comfortable position for the magnifier’s eye relief and your cheek weld (see picture above).

Because magnifier eye relief is only about 1-2", the magnifier needs to be placed closer to the rear of the upper receiver. This leaves a large amount of space between the magnifier and the Eotech, which means there will be plenty of room to reach the brightness buttons on the XPS series.

In summary, don’t worry too much about the button placement. The side-brightness adjustment on the EXPS series isn’t a massive improvement over the XPS.

Is the Eotech XPS or EXPS better? 

We think the EXPS is a better option since the quick detach mount provides a lot of utility, and the lower ⅓ co-witness is preferable with fixed iron sights. The EXPS and XPS can also be found for around the same price from most online retailers, so we recommend picking up the EXPS vs the XPS.

Unless you want to lower the optic height intentionally for guns with taller receivers (guns other than AR15s), the QD mount from the EXPS series is a welcome addition. If you decide you’d rather have a standard mount or prefer an absolute co-witness with your irons, the XPS is the better choice.

You really can’t go wrong with either option from Eotech—outside of the mount differences and button placement, everything else about these optics is identical.

Frequently Asked Questions: XPS vs EXPS

What is the height difference between XPS and EXPS?

The overall height of the XPS is 2.5 inches, while the EXPS is 2.9 inches. The height difference comes from the quick-detach mount on the EXPS, while the shorter XPS has a standard mount that attaches directly to a picatinny rail.

Why are the buttons on the side of the EXPS?

Eotech moved the brightness adjustment buttons to the side of the EXPS to make them easier to access when using the optic with a magnifier. With AR15s and most guns, there is still plenty of room to reach the brightness adjustment buttons on the front of the XPS series, so don’t worry too much about the button placement between the XPS and EXPS.

Is the reticle different on the XPS vs EXPS?

The sight picture on the XPS and EXPS is identical. Both optics have the same window size and technology inside. You can find both of these optics with different reticle styles, though. The XPS3 and EXPS3 (night vision models) offer more reticle options to choose from. The XPS2 and EXPS2 (non-night vision) are usually only available with Eotech's signature "ring and dot" reticle. Check out our Ultimate Eotech Buyer's Guide where we cover all reticles, models, and features from Eotech.