EOTech EXPS3 HD: Too Little, Too Late at SHOT Show 2026
EOTech debuts the EXPS3 HD at SHOT Show 2026, finally adding shake-awake and auto-brightness to their holographic platform. But is this too little, too late from a company still dealing with the fallout of their $25.6 million thermal drift settlement and ongoing delamination complaints?
The Bottom Line
- →New features: All-aluminum body, rotary dial, auto-brightness, shake-awake with selectable timers
- →What's missing: No multi-reticle option (just the standard donut), same ~1,000 hour battery life
- →Price: ~$1,000 ($250+ more than standard EXPS3)
- →The elephant in the room: EOTech's troubled history of thermal drift fraud and ongoing delamination issues
What EOTech Changed
The EXPS3 HD represents EOTech's attempt to modernize their aging holographic platform. After years of watching competitors like Holosun eat their lunch with features like shake-awake and solar failsafe, EOTech has finally responded.
EXPS3 HD New Features
- HousingAll-aluminum (no plastic battery compartment)
- ControlsSide-mounted rotary dial
- Auto-BrightnessAdaptive to ambient light
- Shake-Awake10min / 1hr / 12hr / disabled
- Reticle68 MOA ring + 1 MOA dot (fixed)
- Price~$999
The all-aluminum housing addresses the longstanding criticism of the plastic battery compartment that plagued earlier models. The rotary dial replaces the button interface, and auto-brightness finally brings EOTech into the modern era.
The Aesthetic: Polarizing at Best
Let's be blunt: the EXPS3 HD looks weird. The combination of the all-aluminum housing and side-mounted rotary dial creates an awkward, ungainly silhouette that strays far from the classic EOTech look that made the brand iconic.
Whether you describe it as "unconventional," "industrial," or just plain ugly, the EXPS3 HD won't win any beauty contests. EOTech defenders will call it "functional design"—critics will call it a sign that the company has lost its way.
EOTech's Troubled History
You cannot discuss EOTech without addressing the elephant in the room: their history of defective products and the fraud that covered it up.
The Thermal Drift Scandal
In 2015, L-3 Communications (EOTech's then-parent company, since separated) paid $25.6 million to settle a civil fraud lawsuit. The government alleged EOTech knowingly sold defective optics to the U.S. military since 2006.
- •Thermal drift caused ±4 MOA point-of-aim shifts at extreme temperatures (-40°F and 122°F)
- •Cold weather distortion affected accuracy by over 20 inches per 100 yards
- •EOTech knew about the issues for nearly a decade before being forced to disclose them
Ongoing Delamination Issues
Beyond the settled lawsuit, EOTech continues to face reports of delamination problems. Moisture incursion causes the holographic reticle to dim or disappear entirely, forcing users to max out brightness settings just to see the dot.
While L-3 only admitted to thermal drift in the settlement, delamination remains a persistent complaint in forums and user reviews to this day.
Too Little, Too Late?
The features EOTech is touting as innovations in 2026—shake awake, auto-brightness, all-metal construction—have been standard on Holosun optics for years at half the price.
EOTech EXPS3 HD
- • ~$999
- • ~1,000 hour battery
- • Shake-awake (finally)
- • Auto-brightness (finally)
- • Single reticle only
- • 11.5 oz
Holosun AEMS Core X2
- • ~$379
- • 50,000 hour battery
- • Shake-awake (since 2019)
- • Solar failsafe backup
- • Multi-reticle system
- • Enclosed emitter
The EXPS3 HD costs nearly 3x as much as the Holosun AEMS Core X2, has 1/50th the battery life, no solar backup, no reticle options, and comes from a company with documented quality control problems. The holographic reticle is the only technical advantage, and it's a shrinking one as LED technology improves.
What EOTech Didn't Add
Notably absent from the EXPS3 HD are several features that competitors have offered for years:
- ×No multi-reticle system—you're stuck with the 68 MOA ring and 1 MOA dot. No option for dot-only or circle-only like Holosun.
- ×No improved battery life—still ~1,000 hours versus 50,000+ for LED red dots
- ×No solar failsafe—when the battery dies, you're done
- ×No enclosed emitter option—the window is still open to debris
Should You Buy the EXPS3 HD?
Probably not. Unless you:
- • Have severe astigmatism that makes LED dots unusable
- • Specifically need the holographic reticle for nostalgia
- • Are willing to pay a premium for the EOTech name
- • Trust EOTech despite their history
For everyone else, a Holosun AEMS, Sig Romeo 4T Pro, or Aimpoint Duty RDS offers better value, longer battery life, proven reliability, and often more features at the same or lower price.
The EXPS3 HD feels like a company trying to catch up to where the market was five years ago, not leading it into the future. EOTech is charging a premium for finally adding table-stakes features while competitors have already moved on to the next generation.
Check our Best Red Dot for AR-15 Guide for current recommendations.