XFIX EX30 vs Leica iCON iXE3: both are aftermarket 3D excavator systems, which makes this the closest of the machine control comparisons. The iXE3 runs Leica’s MC1 software on the MCP80 panel, takes a long list of design formats directly, and syncs projects and as-builts through ConX, all sold by dealer quote. The EX30 shows the bucket tip against the design on a 10.1-inch tablet, takes designs we build and load for you, has no cloud, and costs $14,499 CAD for the hardware on this page. If your office needs ConX and you load your own files in nine formats, the Leica earns its quote. If you want the result in the cab and someone else to handle the files, the EX30 is what we sell and what we run.
Side by side
| Leica iCON iXE3 | XFIX EX30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price in Canada | Dealer quote only. No published price. | $14,499 CAD hardware: EX30 instrument, BS05 bucket unit, EX30B base, AT85 tablet. Installation quoted for your machine before you pay. |
| What it does | 3D excavator system on Leica MC1, aftermarket | 3D guidance: the screen shows the bucket tip against the design; the operator works the levers |
| Fits | Aftermarket, per dealer | Any excavator brand, aftermarket, magnetic mounts, no drilling for the bucket unit |
| Bucket tip accuracy, published | See Leica’s current documentation | Under 3 cm; instrument RTK ±(8 mm + 1 ppm); bucket unit ±0.2° inclination, ±1° heading |
| Corrections | Per configuration | EX30B base included, radio to about 5 km; or a network over the tablet’s 4G/5G |
| Design files | LandXML, DXF, GEO, KOF, L3D, LMD, LIN, MBS and TRM (product page) | Built and loaded by us from your DWG, Civil 3D or PDF plans; see what we work with |
| In-cab display | Leica MCP80 panel | AT85: 10.1-inch, 750 cd/m², IP65, −30 °C to +70 °C, Android 11 |
| Cloud | Leica ConX syncs projects and as-built surfaces | None; files load by USB or by us |
| Software subscription | Per dealer | None |
| Installation | Dealer | Fitted and calibrated on your machine by us, in Ontario, operator trained before we leave |
| Rental | Per dealer | By the week, priced to your job, fitting and removal in the quote |
| Warranty | Per dealer | 12 months hardware, 90 days on our installation work |
Where the files come from
The real difference between these two is who prepares the design. With the iXE3 the operator or the office loads one of nine formats and ConX keeps the cab and the office in step. With the EX30 you send us the DWG, the Civil 3D model or the PDF plans, we build the surface and the linework, test them, and load them; see machine control data prep. For a contractor with a modelling department the Leica way is quicker. For an owner-operator who does not want to learn a file pipeline, ours is.
What you give up leaving the iXE3
- ConX. Leica’s cloud ties the office, the cab and as-built logging together. The EX30 has no cloud.
- Nine formats loaded directly, and the MC1 software family shared with Leica’s other machines.
- Dealer coverage. Leica’s channel is nationwide. We are one company in North York that travels.
What you do not give up
- 3D in the cab, on any excavator brand, with a base included and no subscription.
- Your drawings, built and tested by us before install.
- A price you can see, with the install quoted before you pay and the rental priced to the job.
- Someone to call. Three months of online training and emergency calls answered 24 hours a day. See hands-on support.
Switching from an iXE3
Leica iCON office and Infinity export LandXML and DXF, and those are what we build EX30 designs from. Site calibration is redone from your control points. The operator learns the XFIX screen in an afternoon. If you keep a Leica base, tell us the model and we will confirm the correction path before you buy.
See the XFIX EX30 page for the kit, the install and the rental, the Leica alternative page for the GS18 side, or tell us the machine and the job and we will say honestly whether the iXE3 is the better buy for you.
Sources, checked November 6, 2026: Leica iCON iXE3 product page; XFIX EX30, EX30B, BS05 and AT85 product information. Stratus Positioning & Automation is not an authorized Leica Geosystems dealer. Leica, iCON, MC1 and ConX are trademarks of Leica Geosystems AG, used here to compare equipment and describe compatibility.