American Technologies Network (ATN) is a leading thermal imaging products manufacturer, and it is an established brand in the hunting world.
While ATN thermal rifle scopes have been gaining popularity over the years, most people find it challenging to choose among the various products with different configurations.
This post will first give a quick overview on the varying options within ATN ThOR 4, LT, and ThOR HD product series –
then we’ll compare the differences across these products and give recommendations, so that you’ll have good understanding on which thermal scope is the best fit for you.
This post contains affiliate links that we may earn a small commission from your purchases.
ATN ThOR 4 640 vs 384 Thermal Rifle Scopes
The main difference is the resolution of thermal sensor. ATN ThOR 4 640 comes with 640×480 resolution, vs 384×288 resolution of ATN ThOR 4 384. Both are 4th generation sensors with 60Hz frame rate and 17 µm pixel pitch.
Additionally, both scopes have different magnification range, detection range, and battery life:
- ATN ThOR 4 640 is available in four magnification options of 4-40x, 2.5-25x, 1.5-15x, and 1-10x. Each of this magnification option offers different detection range of 3300m / 1950m / 1050m / 830m respectively. Battery life is 16+ hours.
- ATN ThOR 4 384 is available in four different magnifications of 7-28x, 4.5-18x, 2-8x, and 1.25-5x. Each of this magnification option offers different detection range of 3000m / 1800m / 960m / 750m respectively. Battery life is 18+ hours.
Different configurations lead to different cost; You can check out their latest price and user reviews here >> ATN ThOR 4 640 and ATN ThOR 4 384 to learn more.
Watch the video below for side-by-side image quality comparison of ATN ThOR 4 640 (4.0x) vs ThOR 4 384 (4.5x), starting at 50 yards out to 350 yards:
The other configurations and features of ATN ThOR 4 640 and 384 scopes are the same:
All ATN ThOR 4 thermal rifle scopes are equipped with ATN Obsidian IV Dual Core, 1280×720 HD Display, 90 mm eye relief, video record resolution of 1280×960 @ 60 fps, ballistic calculator, 3D Gyroscope, 3D accelerometer, E-Barometer, and electronic compass.
The other common features of ATN ThOR 4 thermal scopes include Recoil Activated Video (RAV), One Shot Zero, smooth zoom, reticles with multiple patterns and color options, smart range finder, WiFi and bluetooth.
All ATN ThOR 4 thermal scopes are designed to be mounted on 30 mm standard rings.
ThOR 4 - Video #1
ThOR 4 - Video #2
ThOR 4 - Video #3
ATN ThOR LT 160 vs 320 Ultra Light Thermal Scope
The main differences between ATN ThOR LT 160 vs 320 are thermal sensor resolution and pixel pitch size. ThOR LT-160 comes with 17-micron 160×120 sensor, whilst ThOR LT-320 comes with 12-micron 320×240 sensor. LT-320 with smaller sensor pixel pitch and higher sensor resolution offers better picture quality than LT-160.
Additionally, both scopes have different magnification level and detection range:
- ATN ThOR LT 160 is available in two magnification options of 4-8x (with 625m detection range), and 3-6x (with 475m detection range).
- ATN ThOR LT 320 is available in three different magnifications of 5-10x, 4.5-18x, and 2-4x. Each of this magnification option offers different detection range of 1620m, 910m, and 715m respectively.
Different specifications lead to different pricing; You can check out their latest price and user reviews here >> ATN ThOR LT 160 and ATN ThOR LT 320 to learn more.
ThOR LT - Video 1
ThOR LT - Video 2
ThOR LT - Video 3
ATN ThOR HD 640 vs 384 Smart Thermal Scopes
The main difference between ATN ThOR HD 640 vs 384 is the resolution of the sensor. ThOR HD 640 and 384 come with 640×480 resolutions, and 384×288 respectively. Both sensors have the same 17 µm pixel pitch, alongside the same ATN Obsidian “T” II core.
Additionally, both scopes have different magnification options and detection range:
- ATN ThOR HD 640 was available in different magnification options of 5-50x, 2.5-25x, 1.5-15x, and 1-10x. Each of this magnification option offers different detection range of 2500m / 1500m / 800m / 625m respectively.
- ATN ThOR HD 384 was available in different magnification options of 9-36x, 4.5-18x, 2-8x, and 1.25-5x. Each of this magnification option offers different detection range of 2500m / 1500m / 800m / 625m respectively.
While both ThOR HD 640 and 384 thermal scopes have been discontinued by ATN –
you can try your luck to see if there is any stock here >> ThOR HD 640 and Thor HD 384.
ATN ThOR 4 vs LT and ThOR HD 384 | 640: Differences?
The first main difference between ATN ThOR 4 and LT is the thermal sensor. ThOR 4 comes with Gen 4 sensor in high resolutions of 640×480 or 384×288, which is far superior than ThOR LT that comes with Lite Thermal sensor at lower resolutions of 320×240 or 160×120.
The 16+ hours battery life of ATN ThOR 4 is also significantly longer than the 10+ hours battery life of ThOR LT.
Most notably, ThOR LT is a basic entry level thermal scope that do NOT have all the following advanced features that ThOR 4 offers:
- Video recording function and Recoil Activated Video (RAV) feature: ThOR 4 not only allows you to capture images and record HD videos so that you can share your life moments with your friends and family, its RAV feature automatically records the video of the shot. You don’t have to worry about pressing the start button; The moment you pull the trigger, the RAV will record the image before – during and after the shot for you.
- WiFi and Bluetooth that allow you to connect the ATN ThOR 4 with your smartphones and tablets, with the help of Obsidian Core and app. Live stream your experience with your friends and family, and view your saved media files with the ATN app.
- Ballistic Calculator and Profile Manager: ATN Thor 4 provides a smart shooting solution that makes calculating ballistics much easier than before. Just put in your wind readings and let the shooting solution to the rest – you don’t have to indulge in complex charts and reticles to get a perfect shot. It also allows you to create multiple profiles for different weapons so that you don’t have to reset the data every time you use the ThOR 4 on a new weapon. This means you can save all the ballistic and zeroing-in data for each and every weapon that you use.
- Smart Range Finder that automatically adjusts the point of impact once the target is ranged in your reticle. With just two simple clicks and a shift in the scope, you can get the perfect shot with the help of the patent pending Smart Range Finder, without complex calculations or guessing.
- Smooth Zoom that helps you to get a close-up look of your target, so that you can gather all the Intel of surroundings and make the shot with utmost accuracy.
- Smart Mil Dot Reticle, Electronic Compass, E-Barometer, 3D Accelerometer, 3D Gyroscope, Dual Stream Video, microphone, etc.
ATN ThOR 4
640x480, 4-40x
640x480 Gen 4 sensor
60 Hz Frame Rate
1280 x 720 HD Display
Obsidian IV Dual Core T
4 - 40x Zoom
90mm eye relief
8.3×6.2 degrees FOV
3300m Detection Range
16+ hours Battery Life
Video Recording function
Recoil Activated Video
WiFi and Bluetooth
One Shot Zero
Smart Mil Dot Reticle
Ballistic Calculator
Smart Range Finder
... etc
ATN ThOR 4
384x288, 1.25-5x
384x288 Gen 4 sensor
60 Hz Frame Rate
1280 x 720 HD Display
Obsidian IV Dual Core T
1.25 - 5x Zoom
90mm eye relief
16×12.5 degrees FOV
750m Detection Range
18+ hours Battery Life
Video Recording function
Recoil Activated Video
WiFi and Bluetooth
One Shot Zero
Smart Mil Dot Reticle
Ballistic Calculator
Smart Range Finder
... etc
ATN ThOR LT
160x120, 3-6x
160 x 120 sensor
60 Hz Frame Rate
1280 x 720 HD Display
Obsidian Core LT
3 - 6x Zoom
90mm eye relief
11×8.3 degrees FOV
475m Detection Range
10+ hours Battery Life
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One Shot Zero
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On the other hand, ATN ThOR 4 is an upgrade version of ThOR HD.
The main differences of ATN ThOR 4 vs ThOR HD are: ThOR 4 adopts the more advanced Obsidian IV Dual Core and 4th generation thermal sensor, while ThOR 4 offers 16+ hours battery life that is significantly longer than the 8+ hours battery life of ThOR HD. ThOR-4 also features better video record frame rate at 60 fps (frames per second), vs 30 fps of ThOR-HD.
Furthermore, ThOR HD is not equipped with some of the advanced features that ThOR 4 offers – such as One Shot Zero, Smart Mil Dot Reticle, and Dual Stream Video that can streams video at HD resolution while simultaneously record to the SD card.
The Verdict: Which Thermal Imaging Scope to Buy?
Selecting a thermal rifle scope can be a daunting task, especially when there are so many options with different configurations to choose from.
Here are the recommendations – depending on your preference, usage, and budget:
Top Pick: ATN ThOR 4, 640×480, 4-40x.
Equipped with advanced 4th generation thermal sensor in high resolutions of 640×480 (307,200 pixels) and 60 Hz frame rate, this ThOR 4 model produces high quality image and show them on its 1280×720 HD display.
Combined with its 4-40x magnification capabilities, 8.3×6.2 degrees field of view, and long detection range of 3300m (3609 yards) – this top notch thermal scope with long 16+ hours battery life will take your hunting game to next level.
You can also enjoy its video recording function with Recoil Activated Video (RAV) feature, streams video at HD resolution, or share your best hunting moments with your family and friends through WiFi.
Best Value: ATN ThOR 4, 384×288, 1.25-5x.
If you are looking for the best thermal rifle scope under/around $2000, then this is for you.
Compared to high-end ThOR 4 640, the main differences of this mid-range ThOR 4 384 scope are its thermal sensor resolutions of 384×288 (110,592 pixels), 1.25-5x magnification, 16×12.5 degrees field of view, and shorter detection range of 750m (820 yards).
Other than that, ThOR 4 384 is equipped with the same features that ThOR 4 640 offers – including video recording onto a MicroSD card, Recoil Activated Video, Wifi, One Shot Zero, Ballistic calculator, profile manager, Smart Range Finder, smooth zoom, etc.
Best Budget: ATN THOR LT 160 3-6x
If you are looking to buy an entry level thermal scope without burning a hole in your pocket, then ATN THOR LT 160 powered by Obsidian Core LT is an excellent choice, and it is one of the cheapest thermal rifle scope on the market.
Comes with 160×120 thermal sensor at 60 Hz frame rate, this ATN THOR LT scope features 3-6x magnification, 11×8.3 degrees field of view, and detection range of 475m (519 yards).
It is equipped with the same 1280×720 HD display and 90 mm eye relief just like ATN ThOR 4, but with relatively lower battery life of 10+ hours.
ATN ThOR LT 160 is a basic model without the bells and whistles. It is suitable for hunter who just wants a simple thermal rifle scope that can get the job done, and does not mind to do it without most of the extra functions that ATN ThOR 4 have (such as video recording function).