Geometrical Accuracy Investigations of Handheld 3D Scanners in Comparison: Low-Cost vs. High-End

Abstract. Handheld 3D scanners have gained increasing importance in recent years due to their flexibility and declining acquisition costs. While high-end systems provide standardized accuracy specifications, affordable devices often lack reliable and comparable benchmarks. This paper evaluates the geometric accuracy of three low-cost handheld 3D scanners (Revopoint Pop 3 Plus, Revopoint MetroX, 3DMakerPro Moose 3D scanner) compared to two high-end systems (Hexagon MARVELSCAN, Hexagon Absolute Arm with AS1 scanner), using the ZEISS Atos 5 structured light system as reference. Five different test objects with varying material and geometric properties were used for practical assessment. Results reveal significant differences regarding flatness, detail fidelity, and robustness: while some low-cost scanners achieve remarkable accuracies, their performance is less stable under varying conditions. The accuracy of both Revopoint scanners is low, and they exhibit systematic deviations. In some cases, however, the Moose scanner achieves accuracy levels close to those of high-end scanners. High-end systems, in contrast, consistently provide high precision and reproducibility. This study provides a well-founded classification of current handheld 3D scanners and practical guidance for their application in science, industry, and education.