Osight R Review: How Does It Compare to the Holosun AEMS?

The Osight R is a new enclosed rifle red dot that packs a surprising amount of features into a roughly $280 optic.

At first glance, the comparison that immediately comes to mind is the Holosun AEMS. The overall shape, large rectangular window, enclosed design, and protective lens covers definitely put the two optics in the same category.

But the Osight R isn't exactly an AEMS clone. It sits somewhere between the Holosun AEMS CORE and AEMS PRO.

You get features like a Multi-Reticle System and protective lens covers that you'd normally associate with the more expensive AEMS PRO, but you don't get some of the PRO's higher-end electronics like Solar Failsafe and automatic brightness adjustment.

Osight also made one particularly interesting decision with the R, instead of creating its own mounting system, it uses the extremely common Micro T1/T2 footprint.

So, let's take a closer look at the Osight R, what it does well, where we think it could be improved, and how it stacks up against the Holosun AEMS.

Starts at $279.99 Buy the Osight R At The Best Price

Starts at $299.99 Buy the Holosun AEMS CORE X2 At The Best Price

Starts at $399.99 Buy the Holosun AEMS PRO X2 At The Best Price

Osight R Window Size

One of the first things you'll notice about the Osight R is the window.

It measures 1.10" × 0.87", which is a pretty generous viewing window for an enclosed rifle red dot.

That larger rectangular window gives you a very open sight picture and makes it easy to pick up the reticle when bringing the rifle up. It should also make transitions between targets feel a little more natural compared to looking through a smaller tubular red dot.

Interestingly, this is the exact same listed window size as both the AEMS CORE and AEMS PRO.

So if one of the things you like about the AEMS is its large, open viewing window, the Osight R gives you a very similar amount of viewing area.

Micro T1/T2 Footprint

This might actually be one of our favorite decisions Osight made with the R.

The Osight R uses the Micro T1/T2 footprint.

If you've been around rifle red dots for a while, you probably already know how common this mounting system is. There are tons of aftermarket mounts available for the Micro footprint from different manufacturers, with different heights, quick-detach systems, and mounting configurations.

The Osight R includes a 1.535" lower 1/3 co-witness mount, and Osight also offers 1.21" and 1.93" mounting options.

But you're not locked into those mounts.

Because Osight went with the Micro T1/T2 footprint, you've got a huge existing aftermarket mounting ecosystem to choose from. That's a big plus if you already have a favorite T1/T2 mount or want to build out a specific rifle setup.

7075-T6 Aluminum Housing

The R is CNC-machined from 7075-T6 aluminum, which is the material we like seeing on optics intended for harder use.

It's also rated IPX8 waterproof and tested to 1000G vibration resistance.

That's a solid combination on paper, especially considering the price point.

The tradeoff is that this isn't an ultra-lightweight Micro-style red dot. The Osight R weighs 6.70 ounces with the standard mount and battery installed.

Some of that extra size and weight is simply the price you pay for the large enclosed housing and oversized window.

Multi-Reticle System

The Osight R is currently available with a red Multi-Reticle System.

You can choose between:

• 2 MOA dot
• 65 MOA circle
• 2 MOA dot + 65 MOA circle

We like having this option on a rifle optic.

The 2 MOA dot gives you a cleaner aiming point when you're trying to be more precise, while the large 65 MOA circle is very easy to pick up quickly at close range. Running both gives you that familiar circle-dot style reticle that a lot of shooters prefer.

This is also one of the features that separates the Osight R from the AEMS CORE.

The AEMS CORE uses a simple 2 MOA dot, while you have to step up to the AEMS PRO to get Holosun's Multi-Reticle System.

One limitation with the Osight R is color selection. Right now, it's red only, while Holosun offers both the AEMS CORE and AEMS PRO in red, green, and gold.

Dedicated Night Vision Button

Another small feature we really like is the dedicated NV button on the side of the optic.

The Osight R has 9 daylight settings and 3 night vision settings, and the separate NV button allows you to quickly switch between daylight and night vision modes instead of scrolling all the way through the brightness range.

The optic also remembers the last brightness setting used in each mode.

For most shooters this probably won't be the deciding factor, but if you're actually running night vision, it's a thoughtful feature that makes the controls much easier to use.

Motion Sensor and Battery Life

The Osight R also includes a motion sensor system.

After approximately three minutes without movement, the optic shuts itself off to conserve battery life. As soon as the optic detects movement again, the reticle turns back on.

It's basically the same concept most shooters know as "shake awake."

That makes a lot more sense for a defensive or general-purpose rifle than manually turning the optic on and off every time you use it.

The R runs on a common CR2032 battery and is rated for up to 83,000 hours of runtime on Mode 5.

It also uses a side-accessible battery system, so routine battery changes don't require removing the optic from the rifle.

Protective Lens Covers

The lens protection system is another area where the Osight R punches above its price.

You get removable protective covers for both the front and rear lenses.

This is useful for an enclosed rifle optic because even though the emitter itself is protected inside the housing, the exterior lens surfaces can still get scratched, dirty, or damaged while the rifle is being transported or stored.

The clear protective covers give you another layer between the actual optic glass and the outside world.

And if you don't want them, they're removable.

The Included ARD Is a Good Idea, But...

Osight also includes an ARD, or Anti-Reflective Device, with the R.

The front protective cover can be removed and replaced with the ARD, which uses a honeycomb-style pattern designed to cut down reflections coming off the front lens.

We like that Osight includes it rather than making it another accessory you have to buy separately.

Unfortunately, the execution could be better.

In our opinion, the honeycomb sections simply aren't deep enough.

A proper honeycomb-style kill flash works because the depth of the individual cells helps block light from hitting and reflecting off the lens at different angles. On the Osight R, the honeycomb is fairly shallow, so it doesn't seem to reduce reflections nearly as much as we'd like.

It's not something we'd consider a dealbreaker with the optic, especially since the ARD is essentially an included extra, but it's an area we'd like to see Osight improve in a future version.

Make the honeycomb deeper and this could be a legitimately useful feature instead of something that's mostly nice to have in the box.

Osight R vs. Holosun AEMS

This is where things get interesting.

It's hard to look at the Osight R without immediately thinking about the Holosun AEMS.

They're both compact enclosed rifle optics with large rectangular windows, and even the window dimensions are identical at 1.10" × 0.87".

But feature-for-feature, the Osight R doesn't line up perfectly with either version of the AEMS.

It's more like a combination of the AEMS CORE and AEMS PRO.

The AEMS CORE is the simpler optic. You get a 2 MOA dot, Shake Awake, long battery life, night vision settings, and the large AEMS window, but you don't get the Multi-Reticle System, solar power, or the full PRO feature package.

The AEMS PRO adds the 2 MOA dot/65 MOA circle Multi-Reticle System, Solar Failsafe, automatic brightness adjustment, a forward-facing light sensor, upgraded 7075-T6 construction, and an ARD.

The Osight R falls somewhere in between.

It gives you the large window, 7075-T6 housing, Multi-Reticle System, protective lens covers, included ARD, motion activation, and a dedicated NV button.

What it doesn't give you are features like the AEMS PRO's Solar Failsafe and automatic brightness system.

And that's reflected in the price.

Osight R vs. AEMS CORE vs. AEMS PRO

Where Does the Osight R Fit?

At around $280, it's actually slightly less expensive than the red AEMS CORE, but it gives you some features that you'd normally have to move up to the AEMS PRO to get.

Most notably, you're getting the Multi-Reticle System, 7075-T6 housing, protective lens covers, and dedicated NV button.

You're also getting the Micro T1/T2 footprint, which may actually be an advantage for shooters who already own Micro mounts or want access to the huge aftermarket selection available for that footprint.

But the R doesn't completely replace what you're getting with the AEMS PRO.

The PRO adds Solar Failsafe, automatic brightness adjustment, a forward-facing light sensor, and a more developed overall feature package. We also think Holosun did a better job with the functional ARD design.

So if you're comparing the R directly against the $400 AEMS PRO, the Holosun is still the more complete optic in our opinion.

The question is whether those additional features are worth roughly another $120 to you.

That's where the Osight R starts making a lot of sense.

Who Is the Osight R For?

The Osight R makes the most sense for someone who wants a large-window enclosed rifle optic with a lot of features without jumping into the $400+ price range.

It's especially interesting if you want a circle-dot reticle but don't necessarily care about solar power or automatic brightness.

We also think the Micro T1/T2 footprint is going to make the R appealing to people who already have rifles set up around that mounting system. Instead of being tied to one manufacturer's mounts, you can choose from a massive range of aftermarket options.

If you simply want a basic 2 MOA dot and prefer the established AEMS platform, the AEMS CORE is still going to be worth considering.

And if you want the most feature-rich option of these three and don't mind paying more for it, the AEMS PRO gives you additional technology that the Osight R doesn't have.

But there's definitely a place for the R between those two options.

Starts at $279.99 Buy the Osight R At The Best Price

Starts at $299.99 Buy the Holosun AEMS CORE X2 At The Best Price

Starts at $399.99 Buy the Holosun AEMS PRO X2 At The Best Price

Final Thoughts

Overall, we think Osight did a lot right with the Osight R.

The 1.10" × 0.87" window is large and easy to use, the Micro T1/T2 footprint was a smart choice, and we're happy to see a 7075-T6 housing, Multi-Reticle System, dedicated NV control, motion activation, IPX8 waterproofing, and removable lens protection at this price.

The ARD is probably our biggest criticism. We like the concept, but we'd like to see much deeper honeycomb cells so it actually cuts reflections more effectively.

And while there are obvious similarities to the Holosun AEMS, we don't think the Osight R completely replaces it.

If price weren't part of the equation, we'd still lean toward the Holosun AEMS PRO as the more complete optic. Holosun gives you features like Solar Failsafe and automatic brightness adjustment, and the AEMS platform has more going for it at the higher end.

But price is part of the equation.

At around $280, the Osight R packs a lot into the box. You're getting many of the features that make the AEMS PRO attractive for considerably less money, while also getting the versatility of a Micro T1/T2 mounting footprint.

That's what makes the Osight R interesting.

It isn't necessarily trying to beat the AEMS PRO at everything. Instead, it gives shooters another option that lands between the AEMS CORE and PRO in features while coming in below both of them in starting price.

For a first look at the R, that's a pretty compelling place for it to be.