What's the Difference Between the Epoc X and EPOC X PRO Sensors?

Epoc X uses saline-soaked felt pads. They're simple and effective, but they need to be re-wetted before each session and can dry out during extended recordings.

The EPOC X PRO's sensors are dry by default, interchangeable, with a non-polarizable coating for research-level signal fidelity.

Flat sensors sit on bare skin, like the mastoid reference sites and forehead, while comb sensors, available in two lengths, reach through hair. All sensor types clip into any headset socket and can be mixed and matched by site, so a researcher can put a comb sensor where there's hair and a flat sensor where there isn't, rather than compromising with one geometry across the whole scalp.

Because the sensors don't rely on saline, sessions aren't limited by how long a pad stays wet, which is crucial for extended workload research, and other long or repeated protocols.

In addition, setup is faster because there is nothing to prepare and no cleanup between participants, which saves valuable time across studies with large participant groups.

EPOC X PRO sensor sockets are also fully compatible with the standard saline-soaked felt pads used with Epoc X.

How Does EPOC X PRO Improve Signal Quality?

Epoc X uses a system-level active noise rejection design. EPOC X PRO instead amplifies the signal at every individual sensor and records at 24-bit resolution instead of 14- or 16-bit.

Amplifying signals at the sensor level minimizes interference from cable movement and electrode impedance, enabling EPOC X PRO's dry sensors to deliver signal quality comparable to wet sensors.

Although the Epoc X's 16-bit mode resolves signals well below the noise floor of a scalp recording, 24-bit acquisition provides significantly greater dynamic range. This extra headroom allows low-frequency drift, electrode offset, and sudden movement artifacts to be captured without clipping, resulting in fewer rejected trials and greater flexibility for software filtering.

Additionally, the EPOC X PRO includes an integrated contact quality indicator light within each sensor housing. When activated, this feature provides immediate, real-time feedback directly at the sensor location without switching attention to a remote screen, helping maintain consistent fit quality across different operators and study sessions, including on-board recordings where a host device may not be connected.

Epoc X vs EPOC X PRO Channel Layout

Epoc X and EPOC X PRO share the same 14 core recording sites (AF3, F7, F3, FC5, T7, P7, O1, O2, P8, T8, FC6, F4, F8, AF4). EPOC X PRO adds two more: P3 and P4.

For Epoc X, those two positions are used for the reference pair, CMS and DRL, with the mastoids as an alternative. EPOC X PRO moves the references permanently to the mastoids, CMS on the left and DRL on the right. That frees P3 and P4 to record EEG signals instead, extending coverage into the parietal and visual regions of the scalp.

The extra coverage is useful for SSVEP and VEP paradigms, for attention and working memory research grounded in parietal activity, and for any study that benefits from denser spatial sampling. Source localisation studies benefit from support for two additional sources.

How They Handle Connectivity and Recording

Epoc X connects over Bluetooth or a proprietary USB receiver. EPOC X PRO adds Wi-Fi 6, which holds up better in the busy 2.4 GHz conditions common in real-world research settings. EPOC X PRO no longer supports the proprietary USB receiver.

Timestamps on EPOC X PRO sync to within about 1 millisecond, which protects timing precision in event-related research and makes it easier to align EEG with other data streams like eye tracking or behavioral logs even during offline recording.

EPOC X PRO can record more than 8 hours at 256 Hz without a connected computer. That makes field recording, ambulatory studies, and long sessions possible without a laptop in tow, and keeps the recording going if the wireless connection drops.

How Much Do Epoc X and EPOC X PRO Cost?

Epoc X is a research-grade EEG headset priced at \$1,199, and it has built the largest body of published research behind any wireless EEG system on the market.

On the other hand, the EPOC X PRO is priced at \$15,000, with a limited pre-order price of \$10,000. This device is built for researchers whose primary bottlenecks are data fidelity and testing logistics rather than hardware limitations.

By combining per-sensor amplification, 24-bit acquisition, dry-and-wet sensor flexibility, onboard recording, Wi-Fi 6, and precise millisecond timing, it delivers the high-performance capabilities required for demanding, complex experimental setups.

Compare Epoc X and EPOC X PRO

How to Choose Between Epoc X and EPOC X PRO

Choose Epoc X if:

• Budget is the deciding factor, or you need several headsets for parallel data collection.

• Your sessions are short enough that saline prep isn't a burden.

• You're doing BCI development, classroom demonstrations, or exploratory work where 14 channels is enough.

• You want the headset with the largest body of published research behind it.

• You're new to EEG and want a lower-risk starting point.

Choose EPOC X PRO if:

• Long sessions make saline rehydration impractical, like extended workload or all-day studies.

• You need to run many participants quickly, in the field, across sites, or with rotating staff.

• Your analysis depends on precise timing, like ERP latency or multimodal synchronization.

• You need to record without a connected computer.

• P3 and P4 sensing would meaningfully improve your visual or parietal coverage.

• You need more headroom for artifacts in mobile or real-world recording.

Choose both if:

• A small number of core recordings justify EPOC X PRO, but the rest of your data collection doesn't.

• You need to pilot, train, or run parallel sessions without using EPOC X PRO time for all of it.

• You want to control cost without giving up the ability to combine everything into one dataset.

• You're running a multi-site study and need consistent data across all locations.

Because the two headsets share a base montage and software, the data holds together regardless of which one collected it.

The Bottom Line

For a large share of research questions, the Epoc X is still the right EEG device for the job, backed by a body of published research that no comparable wireless headset can match.

In contrast, the EPOC X PRO is built for research that runs longer, involves more participants, or depends on precise timing to hold up under scrutiny.

Pick the one that matches what your research needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Epoc X being discontinued now that EPOC X PRO exists?

No. Epoc X stays in the lineup as Emotiv's accessible 14-channel wireless headset. EPOC X PRO is a separate, premium option, not a replacement.

Can I compare data from Epoc X with data from EPOC X PRO?

Yes, on the 14 channels they share. Just account for the differences in sensor type, resolution, and amplification when you pool the data, and report which headset collected which dataset, the same way you would in any multi-device study.

Do both headsets work with EmotivPRO and the Cortex API?

Yes. Software licensing is the same for both. Both work with EmotivPRO for recording and analysis, and the Cortex API and SDK for real-time data, with support for MATLAB, Python, Unity, and custom pipelines.

Which one is better for BCI development?

The Epoc X is the more common starting point, mostly because of cost and the volume of prior work built on it. The EPOC X PRO is the stronger choice for closed-loop BCI where long wear times are anticipated, where timing matters, and for paradigms like SSVEP that benefit from greater parietal or visual-cortex coverage.