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XGRIDS L3 vs K2 vs PortalCam: Which is best?
Compare the XGRIDS Lixel L3, K2 and PortalCam to discover the best solution for you, from precision surveying to photorealistic 3DGS.
XGRIDS has updated its spatial-capture range with three distinct solutions: the flagship Lixel L3, the lightweight Lixel K2 and the 3DGS-focused PortalCam. We compare their capabilities and explain which is best suited to different workflows.
Key takeaways
New ecosystem lineup: XGRIDS now has a refreshed line-up, featuring the L3, K2, and PortalCam. This guide profiles these three solutions. The K2 replaces the K1, while the L3 replaces the L2 Pro; PortalCam remains the dedicated visual-capture option. View all XGRIDS hardware, here.
Lixel L3: Choose the flagship scanner for validated 5 mm post-processed relative accuracy, 120 m LiDAR range, 4K HDR colour, and ideal for demanding survey or engineering work.
Lixel K2: Choose the lightweight, ready-to-go scanner for portable engineering-grade capture, 1 cm measurement accuracy and multiple spatial outputs.
PortalCam: Choose the specialist spatial camera for fast, photorealistic 3DGS capture, immersive walkthroughs and visually-led content. Ideal for when the deliverable is reality-capture-driven.
Different output priorities: L3 and K2 support measurement-led point-cloud workflows, while PortalCam is purpose-built around LCC 3DGS models.
Expert support: heliguy™ can help match accuracy, site scale, portability and final deliverables to the right XGRIDS solution.
XGRIDS L3 vs K2 vs PortalCam key specification comparison
The table below provides an at-a-glance overview of the XGRIDS L3, K2, and PortalCam.
Lixel L3 | Lixel K2 | PortalCam | |
|---|---|---|---|
Primary role | Flagship high-accuracy spatial scanner | Lightweight, ready-to-go spatial scanner | 3DGS-focused spatial camera |
Product succession | Replaces Lixel L2 Pro | Replaces Lixel K1 | Dedicated PortalCam product line |
Operating weight | 2.5 kg including battery | 1.2 kg including battery and base | 870 g without tripod |
Operating time | 100 minutes | 90 minutes | 60 minutes |
LiDAR | Class 1 (905nm) 16-channel · 320,000 pts/s 32-channel · 640,000 pts/s | Class 1 (905nm) 200,000 pts/s | 940 nm Class 1 LiDAR 856,000 pts/s |
Scanning range | Up to 120 m | At least 40 m at 10% reflectivity; 100 m maximum | 0.1-30 m at 10% reflectivity |
Relative accuracy | 5 mm post-processed | 1 cm | Not positioned as a survey-accuracy scanner |
Absolute accuracy | 2 cm post-processed; 2.5 cm real-time | 3 cm horizontal and elevation RMSE | Not positioned as a survey-accuracy scanner |
Camera system | 3 x 50 MP; 1/1.3-inch sensor | 3 cameras: 2 fisheye and 1 forward-facing; 1/2-inch sensor | 4 x 12 MP: 2 fisheye and 2 front cameras |
Image output | 4096 x 3072; 4K HDR | 4000 x 3000 | 48 MP total camera resolution |
Integrated RTK | Yes | Yes | No |
Integrated screen | Yes | No | No |
Internal storage | 1 TB | 512 GB | 512 GB |
Core outputs | True-colour point cloud, mesh, and 3DGS | True-colour point cloud, mesh, and 3DGS | 3DGS |
Software focus | LixelStudio (point cloud) and Lixel CyberColor (3DGS) | LixelStudio (point cloud) and Lixel CyberColor (3DGS) | Lixel CyberColor (3DGS) |
Price (correct as of L3 launch, September 15, 2026) | 16-channel: £25,199 (inc VAT) 32-channel: £35,999 (inc VAT) | £6,499 (inc VAT) | Standard Kit: £3,960 (inc VAT) Premium Kit: £5,679 (inc VAT) |
Best for | Precision surveying, BIM, infrastructure, complex environments, and large sites | Portable engineering capture and small-to-medium reconstruction | Property, film, tourism and immersive visual content |
Understanding the new XGRIDS product lineup
XGRIDS now separates its hardware range around three clear priorities: flagship scanning performance, lightweight engineering capture, and specialist 3DGS content creation.
In a nutshell, the best place to start is with the output you need.
Lixel L3 replaces the L2 Pro as its flagship handheld scanner. Ideal for when measurement confidence and complex-site performance come first. Perfect for larger, more open areas, ie under a bridge, or industrial sites.
Lixel K2 succeeds the K1 as XGRIDS' lightweight, portable scanner. Ideal for when a lighter scanner can meet the brief. Perfect for smaller-scale, more built-up areas.
PortalCam sits alongside them as a spatial camera designed specifically to turn real spaces into photo-realistic, navigable 3D worlds. Ideal for when the priority is a compelling, photo-realistic environment rather than a survey point cloud.
XGRIDS Lixel L3 - the flagship scanner for accuracy and demanding sites
The Lixel L3 is the most capable measurement-led system in the new lineup.
Its headline specification is 5 mm post-processed relative accuracy, validated by XGRIDS in a dedicated 500 m² test environment with figures stated at 1 sigma. It also provides 2 cm post-processed absolute accuracy, 2.5 cm real-time absolute accuracy, and 5 mm point-cloud thickness.
Choose between a 16-channel (320,000 pts/s) or 32-channel (640,000 pts/s) LiDAR configuration, both with a range of up to 120 m, and equipped with a built-in screen. Integrated RTK, a high-accuracy IMU and real-time loop-closure optimisation help constrain long trajectories where GNSS is obstructed or the environment contains weak, repetitive or reflective features.
The L3 also leads the range for scanner imaging. Three 50 MP cameras, a 1/1.3-inch sensor, and 4K HDR retain richer colour and tonal detail across its true-colour point cloud, mesh and 3DGS outputs.
Local enhancement can prioritise objects such as pipework, railings and nameplates without upsampling the whole scene.
Lixel L3 key features:
Best for high-accuracy surveying, CAD drafting, Scan-to-BIM and engineering decisions.
Suited to infrastructure, construction, mining, forestry and larger or complex sites.
Built-in 4.3-inch, 1000-nit display shows point cloud, trajectory and coverage without a phone.
Real-time filtering removes moving people, vehicles and noise while levelness and loop closure improve the live cloud.
Support rig, integrated control-point tip and standard RTK survey-pole compatibility improve field operation.
Compatible with LixelStudio and CyberColor Studio. Also supports third-party plugins.
XGRIDS Lixel K2 - The lightweight scanner that is ready to go.
The Lixel K2 replaces the K1 and is designed to make engineering-grade spatial capture easier to deploy.
At 1.2 kg including its battery and base, it is less than half the operating weight of the L3, making it attractive for walking surveys, repeat capture and teams that move frequently between sites.
XGRIDS positions the K2 around measurement accuracy within 1 cm and point-cloud thickness as thin as 1 cm. Its multi-SLAM spatial-perception system combines a 200,000 pts/s LiDAR, two fisheye cameras, a forward-facing camera, and integrated RTK.
One scan can support a real-time point cloud for on-site assurance, a post-processed point cloud for engineering deliverables, a mesh, and a 3DGS reconstruction.
This gives the K2 a useful balance of measurement, modelling and visualisation capability without moving up to the flagship platform.
Lixel K2 key features
Best for portable, engineering-grade capture across small-to-medium projects.
Suitable for interiors, façades, stockpiles, construction documentation and asset capture.
Integrated RTK supports spatial positioning without a separate module.
True-colour capture remains usable in low light, supported by XGRIDS colourisation and processing.
Connects to LixelStudio and Lixel CyberColor for point-cloud, mesh and 3DGS workflows. Also supports third-party plug-ins.
XGRIDS PortalCam - the specialist choice for operators requiring photorealistic 3DGS.
PortalCam is not a lighter alternative to the L3 or K2; it solves a different issue.
This award-winning spatial camera captures real locations as photorealistic 3D worlds. Its focus is visual realism, natural navigation and simple content creation through 3D Gaussian Splatting. While PortalCam data can produce accurate models, its primary goal is not the same level of geometric precision - as per the L3 or K2 - required for professional survey work.
The device combines LiDAR with two fisheye and two forward-facing cameras. The fisheye cameras provide broad environmental coverage, while the front cameras retain fine detail such as readable text. Proprietary processing and multi-SLAM fuse these inputs into a 3DGS model.
The workflow is deliberately simple: walk through the space while monitoring capture through the LCC Scan app, process the dataset automatically in LCC Studio, then edit, publish, share or integrate the finished spatial model.
PortalCam key features
Best for real estate, virtual tours, film production, location scouting and previsualisation.
Ideal when photorealism and immersive navigation matter more than survey point-cloud delivery.
Supports interiors and exteriors, including large visual environments.
Models can be edited, shared and integrated with Unreal Engine, Unity, web, VR and AR workflows.
At 870 g without its tripod, PortalCam is the lightest device in the comparison.
XGRIDS L3 vs K2 vs PortalCam: Accuracy or visual realism
The most important distinction is the intended deliverable.
L3 and K2 are spatial scanners: both can produce point clouds for measurement and downstream engineering work, as well as mesh and 3DGS outputs. They offer the best of both worlds - and their 3DGS outputs are not to be sniffed at.
PortalCam is a spatial camera: its LiDAR supports spatial structure and registration, but the product is centred on photorealistic 3DGS scenes. If visual data is the sole purpose, then the PortalCam is the optimal XGRIDS solution.
Choose the L3: Where small differences in accuracy affect design, quantity, fabrication or engineering decisions.
Choose the K2: Where 1 cm measurement accuracy meets the brief and lower weight improves field productivity.
Choose PortalCam: Where the audience needs to experience a space rather than interrogate a survey dataset.
Portability and field workflow
PortalCam is the lightest at 870 g without a tripod, followed by the K2 at 1.2 kg including battery and base. The L3 weighs 2.5 kg including battery, but its support rig transfers much of that load to the operator’s torso and shoulders.
The L3 offers the most integrated survey interface through its built-in display, RTK and control-point tip. The K2 prioritises straightforward handheld deployment and includes a phone mount. PortalCam uses the LCC Scan app to monitor its capture-led workflow.
XGRIDS Lixel L3 vs K2 vs PortalCam: Which XGRIDS solution is best for you?
The table below provides an overview showcasing which XGRIDS solution is best for you.
Lixel L3 | Lixel K2 | PortalCam |
|---|---|---|
Choose the L3 if: • You need XGRIDS' flagship accuracy and data quality. • Your deliverables include survey measurements, CAD, BIM or engineering outputs. • You scan large, complex, or low-feature environments. • You want high geometric accuracy and imaging-grade 4K HDR colour in one capture. | Choose the K2 if: • You want a lightweight scanner that can be deployed quickly. • Your projects need engineering-grade point clouds but not the L3’s 5 mm relative accuracy. • You want point cloud, mesh and 3DGS flexibility in a compact system. • Most jobs involve small-to-medium sites, interiors or individual assets. | Choose PortalCam if: • Your priority is photo-realistic 3DGS rather than a survey point cloud. • You create virtual tours, property content, digital locations or immersive experiences. • You need a simple capture-process-share workflow for visual content. • Your models will feed film, Unreal Engine, Unity, web, VR or AR applications. |
How heliguy™ can support your XGRIDS workflow
heliguy™ is an official XGRIDS partner with an in-house survey team that understands both the hardware and the final deliverable.
Our specialists can assess site conditions, accuracy requirements, operator needs and software workflows to recommend the most appropriate solution.
Support includes product selection, onboarding, capture planning, data processing and integration with CAD, BIM, digital-twin, and 3GS pipelines.
Whether you are replacing an L2 Pro or K1, introducing specialist spatial content through PortalCam, or are new to the XGRIDS ecosystem, heliguy™ can help build the workflow around the outcome you need.
Summary
The updated XGRIDS lineup gives buyers three clearly differentiated routes into spatial capture.
The Lixel L3 is the flagship scanner for high-accuracy survey and engineering workflows.
The Lixel K2 is the lightweight, ready-to-go scanner for portable engineering-grade capture.
PortalCam is the specialist spatial camera for photorealistic 3DGS and immersive content.
There is no single best device across every use case. The right choice depends on whether your priority is measurement confidence, mobile productivity, or purely visual realism.
Defining the final deliverable first makes the decision straightforward.
Contact heliguy™ to start or scale your operations with XGRIDS solutions.
