How do the imaging specs compare?

The XNB-6003 uses a 1/2.8" progressive CMOS sensor, while the XNB-6005 uses a physically larger 1/2" CMOS sensor. A larger sensor captures more light per pixel, and this advantage is borne out in the minimum illumination figures: the XNB-6005 reaches 0.006 Lux color / 0.0006 Lux B&W, edging out the XNB-6003's 0.007 Lux color / 0.0007 Lux B&W. Both cameras deliver 150 dB WDR, so high-contrast scene handling is equivalent. The XNB-6003 brands its WDR implementation as "extremeWDR," but no independent test data is provided in the specifications to differentiate performance beyond the identical 150 dB rating.

Frame rate is a clear differentiator: the XNB-6003 is rated to 120 fps at 1920×1080, whereas the XNB-6005 tops out at 60 fps. Both cameras support H.265, H.264 (Main/Baseline/High), and MJPEG compression with CBR/VBR bitrate control. The XNB-6003 supports WiseStream II and III plus manual mode smart codec; the XNB-6005 supports WiseStream II and a 5-area manual mode only. Digital noise reduction on the XNB-6003 uses the AI-assisted WiseNR II engine in addition to SSNR V; the XNB-6005 relies on SSNR V alone. Both support digital image stabilization via built-in gyro sensor, LDC, defog, flip/mirror, and hallway view (90°/270°).

What about installation and environment?

Both cameras are rated for indoor use only; neither specification lists an IP or IK ingress/impact rating, so neither should be considered for exposed or outdoor installations without a separate housing. Operating temperature range is identical: -10°C to +55°C. Storage temperature differs: the XNB-6003 is rated -50°C to +60°C, while the XNB-6005 is rated -30°C to +60°C, giving the XNB-6003 a broader cold-storage tolerance. Both are powered by PoE IEEE 802.3af Class 3, but the XNB-6005 additionally accepts 24VAC and 12VDC, while the XNB-6003 accepts only PoE and 12VDC — an installer wiring a legacy 24VAC transformer run should note this difference.

Maximum power draw also differs significantly: the XNB-6003 draws up to 12.95W versus 8.5W for the XNB-6005 — relevant for PoE switch budget planning. The XNB-6003 is heavier and larger (880g, 81×67×165mm) compared to the XNB-6005 (420g, 73.1×66.6×147.8mm), which may matter in tight pan-tilt head or arm-mount installations. Housing material is aluminum on the XNB-6003 versus plastic on the XNB-6005. Both share the same C-mount and CS-mount compatibility. Ethernet on the XNB-6003 is a metal-shielded RJ-45 at 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit), while the XNB-6005 is 10/100BASE-T (Fast Ethernet) only.

Which fits your VMS and analytics better?

Both cameras declare ONVIF Profile S/G/T and Hanwha SUNAPI compatibility. The XNB-6003 adds ONVIF Profile M, which covers metadata streaming for AI-generated events — relevant when integrating with ONVIF-M-capable VMSs for structured analytics data. The XNB-6003's on-board AI engine classifies object types (Person, Face, Vehicle, License Plate), detects vehicle subtypes (car, bus, truck, motorcycle, bicycle), supports business intelligence functions (people counting, queue management, heatmap), and includes DetectionShot. The XNB-6005's analytics list covers defocus detection, directional detection, fog detection, face detection, motion detection, digital auto tracking, appear/disappear, enter/exit, loitering, tampering, virtual line, audio detection, and sound classification — a different, non-AI-classified ruleset without vehicle subtype or business intelligence functions.

Cybersecurity posture differs: the XNB-6003 includes a TPM 2.0 module (FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certified), device certificate pre-installed from Hanwha Techwin Root CA, 802.1X EAP-TLS/EAP-LEAP/EAP-PEAP MSCHAPv2, and MQTT support for both alarm triggers and alarm events. The XNB-6005 supports 802.1X EAP-TLS and EAP-LEAP but does not list TPM, a pre-installed device certificate, EAP-PEAP MSCHAPv2, or MQTT. On-board storage: the XNB-6003 provides two microSD/SDHC/SDXC slots with a combined maximum of 1TB (512GB × 2); the XNB-6005 provides two slots with a maximum of 512GB total. The XNB-6003 also lists 2GB RAM / 512MB Flash versus 1GB RAM / 256MB Flash on the XNB-6005. Alarm I/O: the XNB-6003 has 2 configurable I/O ports; the XNB-6005 has 1 input and 1 output (fixed, not configurable). The XNB-6003 also supports virtual channel streaming (3 virtual channels) in addition to the 10-profile multiple streaming both cameras share.

Which should you choose: the XNB-6003 or the XNB-6005?

Our take: The XNB-6003 is the stronger choice when AI-driven analytics, cybersecurity compliance, high frame rates, or Gigabit network infrastructure are requirements. Concretely: it delivers 120 fps versus the XNB-6005's 60 fps; it carries TPM 2.0 (FIPS 140-2 Level 2) and ONVIF Profile M where the XNB-6005 has neither; and its dual-slot edge storage supports up to 1TB versus 512GB. The XNB-6005 is the better fit when the priority is marginal low-light sensitivity (0.006 Lux color versus 0.007 Lux), lower PoE power budget (8.5W versus 12.95W), 24VAC legacy wiring compatibility, a lighter and smaller form factor (420g / 147.8mm depth versus 880g / 165mm depth), or a plastic housing is acceptable. Both cameras share the same 2MP resolution, 150 dB WDR rating, C/CS-mount flexibility, gyro-based digital stabilization, and 3-year warranty.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Spec-for-spec, from manufacturer data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources

• Hanwha XNB-6003 product page — full specs and to add to a quote
• Hanwha XNB-6005 product page — full specs and to add to a quote