Which is better FLIR ONE Pro or Seek Compact Pro?

     A thermal imager is one of the must-have tools for mobile phone repairs, but how do we choose a thermal imager? Below we compare the FLIR ONE Pro and the Seek Compact Pro to see the differences.

    Both the FLIR ONE Pro and the Seek Thermal Compact Pro are extremely compact thermal imaging cameras designed for smartphones.

    Each is a smartphone accessory that turns your phone into a powerful infrared camera and provides high-resolution thermal images at a very affordable price. That said, there are some important differences between the two that may influence your buying decision.

    The whole point of these thermal cameras is to capture the range of temperatures within a given view. Surprisingly, the temperature ranges for the two cameras are very similar. The FLIR ONE Pro can detect temperatures between -4°F and 752°F. The Seek CompactPRO can detect lower temperatures down to -40°F, but only up to 626°F.

    FLIR ONE Pro includes FLIR's patented MSX technology that overlays visual detail on your thermal images. This gives you unparalleled clarity as you can actually see the fine details of labels, wires, switches, etc. in the scene. 

    While the ONE Pro can still capture pure thermal images, it's different from the MSX's day and night. Seek Compact Pro does not contain any image blending or overlay technology.

    One of the main differences between these cameras is the use of internal batteries. The FLIR ONE Pro includes a built-in battery that must be charged separately from the smartphone - which may be better or worse depending on your application. 

    Since the FLIR ONE Pro battery only lasts about 1 hour, this may be a limiting factor. However, this means that the ONE Pro doesn't overly drain your phone's battery. The Seek Compact Pro does not include a built-in battery - the device runs on a smartphone battery. 

    This is one of the main reasons why the Compact Pro is so much smaller than the ONE Pro, but it can cause excessive drain on the iPhone's battery.

     The FLIR ONE Pro also has an edge over the Seek Compact Pro, thanks to FLIR's free FLIR Tools reporting software. 

    With this software, you can import radiometric infrared images, make adjustments, and create and send professional reports directly within the program. If you need a report, this might be your better option. Seek has no proprietary reporting software available for its cameras.

    That said, the Seek Compact Pro does outperform the FLIR ONE Pro in a few key specs, the main one being the IR resolution. The Compact Pro has a 320-by-240-pixel IR sensor, while the ONE Pro has a 160-by-120-pixel IR sensor — which allows the Compact Pro to target four times as many pixels and produce higher-quality thermal images. 

    However, the FLIR MSX makes up a large part of this difference by adding incredible sharpness to the infrared image on the ONE Pro. But FLIR automatically watermarks all images.

    Choosing between these two cameras is tricky. The decision comes down to deciding which features are most important to us. 

    We found a reliable connection between the Seek camera and its app, as well as the ability to remove watermarks, to be the deciding factors. This was followed by the smaller form factor of the Seek camera and the use of phone batteries.

    The above two thermal imaging cameras are displayed on our Phonefix website, which one do you prefer? Welcome to comment in the comment area.