EOTech G33 vs G43 vs G45: Which Magnifier

Buy the G43 if you want a 3x behind your red dot. Buy the G45 if you want 5x and can live with a narrower view. Skip the G33 unless you find it cheaper, since the G43 beats it on eye relief and size.

The short answer

Most picked: EOTech G45 5x. About half of all G33, G43 and G45 picks on GunPartPicker last quarter, and around $590 with its switch to side mount today.

• What we like: the most eye relief of the three at 2.6 inches, and 5x reaches further than any 3x.
• Watch out for: a 4.4 degree field of view, roughly 40% narrower than the 3x models.

Best 3x: EOTech G43. About four in ten picks among the three, and around $550 with its mount today.

• What we like: the most compact of the three, with better eye relief and a slightly wider view than the G33.
• Watch out for: costs about the same as the G45, so you're paying for size, not savings.

Cheapest: EOTech G33. Around $545 with a mount and about $445 without one.

• What we like: the original EOTech 3x, proven and widely available.
• Watch out for: the shortest eye relief here at 2.2 inches.

EOTech

EOTECH G45 5X Magnifier - Black

In stock

$597.99 at KY Gun CompanyCompare 10 stores+ Add to build

EOTech

EOTECH G43 Micro Magnifier - Black

In stock

$554.06 at KY Gun CompanyCompare 8 stores+ Add to build

EOTech

EOTECH G33 Magnifier - Tan

In stock

$529.00 at KY Gun CompanyCompare 8 stores+ Add to build

What builders pick

Many of those G43 and G45 picks come from bundles. EOTech sells both with its EXPS3 holographic sights, and those combos are among the most picked magnifier listings we track.

The single most picked magnifier overall isn't an EOTech at all. It's SIG's Romeo5 XDR red dot bundled with a Juliet 5 micro magnifier, at well under half the price of an EOTech G45 on its own.

Specs side by side

Eye relief is how far your eye can sit behind the magnifier and still see the full picture. More is easier to use, especially when you're shooting from awkward positions. The G33's 2.2 inches is tight. The G43 and G45 are better.

Field of view is how much you see through it. The two 3x models show you about 7.5 degrees. The G45 shows 4.4. At 5x you see more detail on the target, but you'll find it harder to pick the target up fast.

G43 vs G33

Both are 3x. The G43 is the newer, smaller design. It has a bit more eye relief and a slightly wider field of view, and it takes up less rail.

The G33 is cheaper, especially without a mount. Some G33 listings call it 3.25x, but EOTech and most dealers sell it as a 3x. If the price gap is $100 or more and you're on a budget, the G33 still works. Otherwise we'd buy the G43.

G43 vs G45: 3x or 5x?

Pick 3x if most of your shooting is inside 200 yards. It's faster to get on target and the wider view helps when things move.

Pick 5x if you shoot small targets at 200 to 400 yards or use the magnifier to spot and identify. At that point the G45's extra eye relief helps too. If you need more than 5x regularly, an LPVO is the better tool.

Which dot do they pair with?

All three work behind any 1x red dot or holographic sight. EOTech designed them around its own EXPS and XPS holographics, and that's the most common pairing in our data.

A magnifier enlarges the dot along with the target, so the dot still covers the same amount of target at 3x or 5x. With a holographic, the 68 MOA ring gets big at 5x. Some shooters like that, and some find it busy.

Check heights before you buy. The magnifier has to sit at the same centerline height as your dot. If your dot sits on a tall riser, you may need a riser under the magnifier too. The magnifier guide covers the other brands builders pick.

Mount or no mount?

Each model comes in a version with EOTech's switch to side mount and a no mount version. The switch to side mount lets you flip the magnifier off to the side and shoot through your dot at 1x.

Buy the no mount version only if you already own a flip mount you like. Otherwise the included mount is the cheaper way in.

Magnifier or LPVO?

A dot plus a G43 or G45 weighs about the same as many LPVOs and costs more. What you get is a true 1x dot with both eyes open, and a magnifier you can flip away in a second.

If you mostly shoot close and want the occasional zoom, the dot and magnifier combo wins. If you spend most of your time at 3x or more, buy an LPVO instead and save the money.

How we pick

Picks are the share of G33, G43 and G45 picks on GunPartPicker from July 1 to September 30, 2026, counted once per builder, including dot and magnifier bundles. Prices are the lowest in stock price across our merchant feeds at write time. Specs come from EOTech dealer listings.