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FARO vs. Leica vs. Trimble: Where FARO Makes the Difference
FARO is our platform of choice for AEC and industrial reality capture because its capture options and SCENE processing workflow align with how our trained team plans, checks and delivers project information. The new Focus i.1 X strengthens that platform with a published 400 m range on highly reflective surfaces, up to 2 million points per second and an approximately 20-second accelerated color capture cycle. The comparison below shows exactly where those specifications exceed Leica RTC700 and Trimble X9 Premium, where they match, and which environmental tradeoffs matter.
Our Approach
How we help your team
For your project, the value of a scanner is the information it helps your team use. We explain where FARO offers an advantage and match the capture method to your site, schedule and required deliverables.
Our FARO-certified technicians and FARO Authorized Instructor bring practical expertise to scope planning, field capture, SCENE registration and deliverable review. You work with one coordinated technical team that selects equipment and settings for the assignment and prepares the point cloud, CAD, BIM or documentation output agreed with you.
Part 1 of 7
Compare complete workflows, not isolated specifications
For an architect documenting a renovation or an industrial team planning a retrofit, scanner selection is ultimately about usable existing-condition information. Can the team see the required surfaces, capture the necessary detail, connect the measurements to the project coordinates and deliver files that support the next decision?
FARO gives us a flexible platform for that work. Its long-range configurations, rapid capture options and SCENE registration tools support different site conditions within a familiar workflow. The interactive comparison focuses on Focus i.1 X, Leica RTC700 and Trimble X9 Premium. These named models provide a useful comparison; other scanners in each manufacturer’s portfolio have different capabilities.
Part 2 of 7
Current published platform comparison
Explore the published strengths and limitations below. Choose range, capture speed or site conditions to narrow the chart and table, or keep all specifications visible. Each figure is paired with its stated conditions so you can see what applies to your project.
All specifications: showing 8 specification rows. Comparison results follow.
Three platforms. Different strengths.
FARO combines the longest headline range in this group with a maximum rate of 2 million points per second and a rapid color capture option. Leica matches that maximum point rate. Leica and Trimble offer IP55 protection. Explore a priority to see what those differences mean for your site.
FARO Focus i.1 X
400 m
Maximum range at 90% reflectivity
- Strength
- Extended reach, fast color capture and a SCENE workflow supported by our FARO-trained team.
- Tradeoff
- IP54; the 400 m figure falls to 150 m on 10% reflective surfaces.
Leica RTC700
270 m
Maximum range at ≥32% albedo
- Strength
- 2 million points/second, IP55 and automatic self-calibration.
- Tradeoff
- A lower published maximum range than i.1 X; range conditions differ.
Trimble X9 Premium
150 m
Maximum range in Trimble’s web specifications
- Strength
- Automatic calibration, self-leveling and integrated Trimble field software.
- Tradeoff
- Lower maximum range and half the maximum point rate of i.1 X.
Use the left and right arrow keys to scroll the table when needed.
| Specification | FARO Focus i.1 X | Leica RTC700 | Trimble X9 Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum published range | 400 m at 90% reflectivity; 150 m at 10%; 50 m at 2% | 270 m at ≥32% albedo; 130 m at ≥8%; 85 m at ≥3.5% | 150 m; reflectivity condition not stated in the cited web comparison |
| Published 3D accuracy | 2 mm at 10 m; 3.5 mm at 25 m. Beyond 25 m, add 0.1 mm/m uncertainty. | 1.5 mm at 10 m; 3.8 mm at 50 m, at 89% albedo and 68% confidence. | 3.0 mm at 20 m. A different test distance from the other listed values. |
| Maximum point rate | 2 million points/second | 2 million points/second | 1 million points/second |
| Published capture cycle | Approximately 20 seconds until the scanner can move, using Accelerated Profile and the included PanoCam. | Approximately 1 minute 40 seconds for a full dome scan and HDR image at 6 mm at 10 m resolution. | 1–6 minute scans; imaging listed separately at 1–2 minutes standard or 2–6 minutes HDR. |
| Field positioning and review | Stream with LiDAR localizer tracking; mountable GNSS/RTK receiver for outdoor georeferencing. | VIS tracking, automatic self-calibration, FIELD 360 and Livelink; survey setup and target workflows. | Automatic calibration and self-leveling; in-field registration and review in Perspective. |
| Office workflow | FARO SCENE: target, cloud-to-cloud and hybrid registration, local processing and exports. | Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS and the Hexagon software ecosystem. | Trimble RealWorks or Business Center for registration, analysis and delivery. |
| Ingress protection | IP54 | IP55 upright within ±15°; inverted within ±15° with protection cover. | IP55 |
| Operating temperature | −10°C to +40°C; up to +55°C with the additional thermal cover. | −20°C to +50°C | −20°C to +50°C |
These are selected models, not every scanner sold by each brand. Figures reflect manufacturer publications available September 2026. Range and accuracy conditions differ; no overall performance score is implied.
Part 3 of 7
Where FARO Focus is especially strong
Long-range reach is a concrete FARO advantage in this group. Focus i.1 X reaches a published 400 m on a 90% reflective surface, compared with RTC700’s 270 m maximum at a minimum 32% albedo and X9 Premium’s 150 m maximum. For open sites with distant, reflective structures, that additional reach can expand capture options from accessible positions. It does not eliminate closer stations where fine detail, obstructions or darker materials require them.
FARO’s capture flexibility is just as relevant to occupied buildings and constrained access windows. The i.1 series combines a maximum rate of 2 million points per second with an approximately 20-second accelerated cycle using the included PanoCam. A rapid color overview and a detailed scan serve different needs; selecting the right profile lets a field plan allocate time to the surfaces that matter.
SCENE carries the workflow into registration and review. Target-based, cloud-to-cloud and hybrid methods let our team work with the geometry and control available on site. Local processing and export options support an agreed handoff into the customer’s design environment. Our FARO experience adds value in choosing the method, diagnosing weak connections and checking the resulting dataset.
Part 4 of 7
FARO vs. Leica RTC: reach, speed and environmental protection
The RTC700 has a lower published maximum range than the i.1 X’s 400 m, but matches FARO’s maximum rate of 2 million points per second. Leica’s published full dome scan with HDR imagery takes approximately 1 minute 40 seconds at 6 mm resolution at 10 m. FARO’s shorter accelerated cycle uses a different capture profile, so these timings do not compare scans at the same level of detail.
Leica brings automatic self-calibration, VIS tracking and IP55 protection. Its RTC700 sheet also states 1.5 mm 3D point accuracy at 10 m under its test conditions, versus FARO’s 2 mm at 10 m. For customers, the case for FARO rests on its reach, capture flexibility and our established delivery process. Site exposure and the required measurement tolerance help determine how much weight to give Leica’s protection and accuracy specifications.
Part 5 of 7
FARO vs. Trimble X9: acquisition capacity and workflow fit
X9 Premium reaches a published 150 m and 1 million points per second. Focus i.1 X offers a higher maximum range and twice that maximum acquisition rate. These are meaningful specification differences when reach and data capture capacity influence the plan; they do not mean a completed FARO project will take half the time.
Trimble’s advantages include automatic calibration, self-leveling, IP55 protection and familiar Perspective, RealWorks and Business Center workflows for teams already using that ecosystem. Its Core and Core LT packages have lower range and speed ceilings than Premium. Our FARO-based service connects capture to coordinated processing and delivery, so your team can request the required output without managing a separate scanner and registration workflow.
Part 6 of 7
Why published accuracy values require context
The table preserves each manufacturer’s measurement distance and stated conditions. FARO’s 0.9 mm object scanning figure, for example, uses a reduced 90° × 90° field of view at 20 m. That figure describes a different measurement from general 3D point accuracy; use the specification that matches the feature and capture method your project requires.
A project also introduces registration, coordinate control and modeling requirements. We define the intended use and review criteria before capture, then evaluate coverage, scan alignment and the agreed output. For a demanding fit or clearance decision, a representative area and independent checks are more informative than a single headline number.
Part 7 of 7
What choosing Certified Laser Scanning adds to your project
The practical reason to choose us is the connection between the equipment and the people responsible for the result. Our FARO-certified technicians, trainers and Authorized Instructor expertise support a coordinated service: define the scope, plan access and coverage, capture the site, register and review the scans, and prepare the agreed deliverables.
Tell us whether you need the data for renovation planning, MEP coordination, a plant retrofit or existing-condition documentation. We will align the capture method, coordinate requirements and delivery format with that purpose. Current product specifications explain the technology; the proposal identifies the equipment and workflow for your assignment.
- A defined scope: surfaces, access limits, required detail and areas that may remain concealed.
- A coordinated capture and registration plan, including control and review requirements.
- Point cloud, CAD, BIM or documentation deliverables matched to the agreed software and use.
- Clear handoff information so your team understands the coordinates, files and capture limits.
FARO offers compelling reach and capture flexibility, and our team knows how to put those capabilities to work. Choose Certified Laser Scanning for a coordinated approach that connects site planning, FARO capture, SCENE processing and reviewed deliverables to the decision your project needs to make.
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