Planet Eclipse Emek 100 vs Etha 3: Which Should You Buy?

I’ve spent a lot of time behind both of these markers, and honestly, this is one of the most common questions I get asked: should I buy the Planet Eclipse Emek 100 or the Etha 3?

It’s a fair question. Both are made by Planet Eclipse, one of the most respected names in paintball. Both share the legendary Gamma Core drivetrain. And both sit in that sweet spot where serious recreational players and competitive newcomers tend to shop. But they’re fundamentally different markers built for different kinds of players, and picking the wrong one could mean spending money on features you don’t need, or missing out on ones you do.

If you’re upgrading from a rental or a budget starter marker, this is probably the decision point you’ve landed on. Let me break it down based on my experience running both of these on the field.

The Emek 100 at a Glance

The Emek 100 is Planet Eclipse’s flagship mechanical marker, and it’s earned that reputation for good reason. It runs on the same Gamma Core bolt system found in markers costing two or three times as much, which means you’re getting buttery smooth shots without any of the electronic complexity.

Here’s what you need to know up front:

• Type: Mechanical (semi-auto only)
• Drivetrain: Gamma Core
• Weight: 1.87 lbs
• Battery: None required
• Price: ~$230
• Body: Glass-reinforced nylon (GRN)

The Emek 100 is the marker I hand to friends who are getting into the sport. You pull it out of the box, air it up, and start shooting. No programming, no charging, no fiddling with boards. It just works, and it works beautifully. The Gamma Core drivetrain makes it shoot smoother than any mechanical marker has a right to at this price point. If you’ve only ever shot a Tippmann Cronus or a rental Spyder, the Emek will genuinely surprise you.

The Etha 3 at a Glance

The Etha 3 is Planet Eclipse’s answer for players who want Gamma Core performance with electronic versatility. It takes everything that makes the Emek great and layers on a full electronic package with multiple firing modes and a programmable board.

The key specs:

• Type: Electronic (multiple firing modes)
• Drivetrain: Gamma Core
• Weight: 2.2 lbs
• Battery: Rechargeable Li-Po battery pack
• Price: ~$400-450
• Board: OLED display with programmable settings
• Firing modes: Semi-auto, ramping, burst, full-auto

The Etha 3 is where things get interesting. It’s essentially an Emek that went to college. You still get that silky Gamma Core shot, but now you can ramp up to competition-level rates of fire. The OLED board lets you dial in your settings, switch modes on the fly, and fine-tune things like dwell and debounce. For players stepping into tournament play or competitive speedball, this is the entry ticket that won’t break the bank. Check out our full Planet Eclipse Etha 3 Review for a deeper dive.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Now let’s get into the details. I’ve run both of these markers through woodsball sessions, speedball drills, and casual weekend games. Here’s how they stack up across the categories that actually matter.

Build Quality

Both markers come from Planet Eclipse, so you’re starting from a high baseline. PE doesn’t cut corners, and it shows.

The Emek 100 uses a glass-reinforced nylon (GRN) body. Some people hear “nylon” and think cheap, but that’s a mistake. GRN is incredibly tough. I’ve dropped my Emek on concrete, dragged it through mud, and left it bouncing around in the back of my truck. It shrugs off abuse that would crack an aluminum body. The trade-off is that it doesn’t have the premium feel of metal, but that’s a cosmetic complaint, not a functional one.

The Etha 3 steps things up with improved materials and a more refined feel overall. The grip frame, foregrip, and body integration feel tighter and more polished. It’s still a composite-bodied marker, but the fit and finish are noticeably better. The quick-release bolt assembly and low-rise aluminum feed neck give it a more high-end touch.

Winner: Etha 3 by a slim margin, but neither will let you down.

Shooting Performance

Here’s where things get interesting, and where the Gamma Core drivetrain earns its legendary status.

Both markers shoot incredibly smoothly. The Gamma Core spool-valve design operates at around 135 PSI, which means gentle ball handling and very few barrel breaks. When I switch between the Emek and the Etha 3 in semi-auto mode, the shot quality is nearly identical. Same smooth push, same satisfying consistency, same accuracy. If all you care about is how a single shot feels, there’s barely any daylight between them.

But the Etha 3 pulls ahead when you unlock its electronic modes. Ramping lets you sustain high rates of fire with less finger effort. Burst mode gives you controlled three-round bursts. And full-auto, well, full-auto is full-auto. Whether your field or league allows these modes is another conversation, but having them available transforms the marker’s versatility.

Winner: Tie in semi-auto. Etha 3 wins overall thanks to electronic modes.

Weight and Ergonomics

The Emek 100 comes in at 1.87 lbs, making it one of the lightest markers in its class. The Etha 3 is 2.2 lbs, still light by any reasonable standard, but that third-of-a-pound difference is noticeable during a long day of play.

Ergonomically, both markers feel good in the hands. The Emek’s simplicity means there’s less on the marker to get in your way. The Etha 3’s slightly bulkier profile accommodates its electronics and board, but PE has done a good job keeping it streamlined. The Etha 3’s aluminum trigger with adjustable backstop does feel nicer than the Emek’s stock trigger, I’ll give it that.

For woodsball players who spend hours trekking through the woods, that weight difference adds up. For speedball players running short, intense points, it’s irrelevant.

Winner: Emek 100 for weight. Etha 3 for trigger feel. Call it a draw.

Maintenance

This is where the Emek 100 really shines, and it’s the category I think a lot of people underestimate.

The Emek has no electronics. No battery. No board. No solenoid. That means fewer failure points, fewer things to troubleshoot, and fewer reasons to panic at the chrono station. You can strip it down, grease the bolt, reassemble it, and be back on the field in minutes. I’ve seen Emeks run for entire seasons with nothing more than basic o-ring maintenance and the occasional barrel swab.

The Etha 3 isn’t high-maintenance by electronic marker standards. PE has made it quite user-friendly with tool-less bolt removal and easy access to internals. But you still have a circuit board, wiring, a solenoid, and a battery to manage. Batteries die at inconvenient times. Connectors can corrode if you’re not careful. And if the board goes bad, you’re looking at a repair that’s beyond most players’ kitchen-table skills.

If you’re the kind of player who wants to focus on playing and not tinkering, the Emek’s simplicity is a genuine advantage. For a deeper look at electronic vs mechanical paintball guns, I’ve written a full breakdown.

Winner: Emek 100, and it’s not close.

Price and Value

The Emek 100 runs around $230, which makes it one of the best values in paintball, period. You’re getting a Gamma Core drivetrain, the same technology that powers markers costing $500, $800, even $1,000+, in a package that costs less than some hoppers and tanks combined. Dollar for dollar, the Emek 100 might be the single best purchase you can make in this sport.

The Etha 3 sits around $400-450. That’s nearly double the Emek’s price, and you have to ask yourself: are electronic firing modes, an OLED board, and improved materials worth the extra $170-220? For some players, absolutely. For others, that money is better spent on a quality mask, hopper, or tank to pair with the Emek.

Both markers appear on our list of the best paintball guns, and for good reason. They’re both outstanding at their respective price points.

Winner: Emek 100 on pure value. Etha 3 is fairly priced for what it offers, but the Emek’s price-to-performance ratio is hard to beat.

Firing Modes

This one is straightforward. The Emek 100 is mechanical, so you get semi-auto and that’s it. One trigger pull, one shot. You can walk the trigger pretty fast with practice, but you’re never going to match electronic speeds with finger work alone.

The Etha 3 gives you semi-auto, ramping, burst, and full-auto. In tournament ramping mode, you can sustain rates of fire that keep up with markers costing twice as much. This is the single biggest functional difference between the two markers, and for competitive players, it’s the deciding factor.

If you’re playing at fields or in leagues that run NXL or PSP ramping rules, you need an electronic marker. The Emek simply cannot compete in that environment, no matter how fast your trigger finger is. On the other hand, if your field is mechanical-only or you play in mech leagues, the Emek is all you need. Check out our roundups of the best mechanical paintball guns and best electronic paintball guns for more options in each category.

Winner: Etha 3 for versatility. Emek 100 if you play mech-only.

Which Should You Buy?

Alright, here’s where I stop sitting on the fence and give you my actual opinion.

If you’re a beginner on a budget, buy the Emek 100. It’s not even a debate. The Emek gives you professional-grade shot quality at a price that leaves room in your budget for the rest of your gear. You’ll learn good fundamentals, you won’t be wrestling with electronics, and you’ll own a marker that will last for years. I’ve seen people play with Emeks for three, four, five seasons without a single major issue.

If you’re primarily a woodsball player, buy the Emek 100. The lighter weight, zero battery dependency, and inherent paint conservation (you can’t mag-dump as easily) make it ideal for longer games in the woods. It’s the marker I grab when I’m heading out for a scenario game or a casual woodsball day.

If you’re a speedball player, buy the Etha 3. You need those electronic firing modes to compete. Running an Emek in speedball is like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight, you’ll have fun, but you won’t win many points. The Etha 3 gives you tournament-capable performance without the tournament-level price tag.

If you’re ready to compete in tournaments, buy the Etha 3. Ramping mode is essentially a requirement for modern tournament play. The Etha 3 gets you there at the lowest possible price point from a top-tier manufacturer.

If you hate maintenance and just want to play, buy the Emek 100. No batteries to charge, no boards to program, no solenoids to troubleshoot. Air up and go. There’s something genuinely freeing about a marker that demands nothing from you except paint and air.

Here’s my honest bottom line: if I could only own one marker and I played a mix of everything, I’d lean toward the Emek 100. The simplicity, reliability, and value are just too good to ignore. But if I were playing competitive speedball even once a month, the Etha 3 would be in my bag without question. They’re both exceptional markers, and the best choice just depends on how you play.