Weapon performance inRainbow Six Siegeis based on many factors, such as grips and barrel attachments, but optics are arguably the most influential. Choosing sights (also called optics) often comes down to personal preference, though many offer objective advantages — and disadvantages — as well.
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There are four elements on each optic to consider: thereticle, housing, window, and zoom. A sight with bulky housing, for instance, can obstruct the player’s view — like a blind spot. This list breaks down the 12 best optics inRainbow Six Siege, based on ease of use, public opinion, and availability (sights must be available to two or more operators). They’re sorted from most common to least common.
12NATO Holographic
The NATO Holographic Sight is an iconic attachment inthe tactical shooter subgenreand a fan favorite amongSiegeplayers. It’s the most widely available sight, alongside the NATO Reflex, offering a simple but highly-precise reticle within a large window.
Its housing, however, is only mediocre in comparison to other optics, obstructing a fair amount of the player’s vision. Still, it’s a well-rounded sight that suits almost any situation.
11NATO Reflex
Another easily-attainable sight, the NATO Reflex is ideal for an aggressive playstyle at close-range. It sacrifices the size of its window in exchange for smaller housing, and it’s a fair trade-off. The frame around this optic is quite thin and doesn’t create much of a blind spot, though enemies in the prone position may still go unseen.
Unfortunately, the NATO Reflex’s reticle (a green triangle)tends to confuse most newcomers. The top of the triangle is where bullets will land, not at the center of it.
101.5x Scope
The most common scope with a zoomed-in view, and one of the best choices for spawn-peeking defenders, is the 1.5x Scope. Its housing is slightly bulky on the right-hand side, but is very clean overall and obstructs very little.
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Much like the NATO Holographic, its reticle is extremely precise for shots at any range and is easy to get used to. Players can comfortably practice with this scope on a regular basis, as it’s widely accessible to both attackers and defenders.
92.0x Scope
In terms of housing, the 2.0x Scope is near flawless with its paper-thin frame and large window. The knob on the top-left may seem protruding, though it rarely inhibits vision during actual combat. The reticle, on the other hand, can feel slightly cluttered when compared against other sights, depending on the player’s preferences.
The 2.0x Scope is ideal for mid-to-long-range engagements with support-based attackers, like Thatcher and Flores. On defense, it’s only compatible with slug-firing shotguns andRook’s MP5 — one ofSiege’s best weapons.
82.5x Scope (ACOG)
Excluding marksman rifle scopes, the ACOG features the highest magnification of any optic — alongside the .44 Mag Semi-Auto’s unique scope. It’s been nerfed and removed from many weapons over the years but continues to be a popular choice amongst the community. Its chevron reticle, for instance, is small, simple, and exceedingly reliable.
The ACOG’s enormous housing hasn’t aged well in comparison to other optics, blocking a substantial portion of the player’s visibility. Its window, however, features an extensive view for holding long-range angles. Players should also note that controlling recoil becomes increasingly difficult on higher magnification scopes, like the ACOG.
7M4S Red Dot
Two issues that plague the traditional NATO Red Dot are obtrusive housing and a large reticle, but the M4S Red Dot remedies those flaws. It introduces a major blind spot along the optic’s bottom-right side, but — like the 2.0x Scope — it’s not as troublesome as it may seem,as long as players lean accordingly.
Its tiny dot reticle is also a significant improvement over its predecessor, blocking less of the sight’s window and allowing for more precise shots.
6Pistol Red Dot
The Pistol Red Dot Sight is one of several optics available to handguns, such as Ela’s RG15 and Maestro’s Bailiff 410. This sight is an integrated attachment and cannot be changed, but there’s no reason to change it anyway. Its thin housing and minuscule reticle are far superior to traditional iron sights, offering increased accuracy for close-quarters combat.
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Given the Pistol Red Dot’s low availability amongst operators, its plethora of benefits often go unutilized, unfortunately. Many players hope to seeoptic customization akin toCall of Duty: Warzonein the future.
5Razor Holographic
Bearing similarities to the NATO variant, the Razor Holographic provides an all-around clean design. Its housing exhibits a vast improvement on the traditional, bulky version, though its bottom portion remains moderately obstructive. The simple, circular reticle is also mostly unchanged within a large window.
Unfortunately, the Razor Holographic Sight is only accessible to small submachine guns, like Nøkk and Smoke’s FMG-9, but it’s still one of the best optics available.
4Russian Reflex
A fan favorite amongst Russian-styled optics, the Russian Reflex is superb for close-range combat with one of the thinnest frames of any sight.Finka (who appears frequently inRainbow Six Extraction)and all four Spetsnaz operators can make use of this optic’s minimalistic reticle and impressive visibility.
There’s a moderately large obstruction along the bottom-left side, but it’s truly one of this sight’s only drawbacks — along with its small window.
3Russian Red Dot (Kobra)
Another highly-acclaimed Russian sight featuring small housing is the Russian Red Dot (or Kobra), with a holographic-styled circular reticle and great visibility overall. What costs this optic some of its popularity, however, is the hefty bottom section. Floor-based traps and enemies may be missed by players who use this sight, unfortunately.
The Kobra Red Dot can be accessed by Finka and all Spetsnaz operators, like Fuze and Kapkan, whose weapons accommodate this sight perfectly.
