Proxmark3 easy or Proxmark3 rdv4?

Hi all, I’m new in the world of NFC and RFID and decided to purchase a pro mark for my next implant; after some research, I decided to get the Promark 3 rdv4, but now I see that the proxmark3 easy is in the dangerous things store and it already has the iceman software. does anyone have any advice? should I return the proxamrk3 rdv4 and order the pm3 easy or keep what I already got?

RDV4 is a pro tool $300 aimed at RFID pentesters and researchers.

Easy would be easily good enough for most implant related stuff. $70

The only real thing the RDV4 has over the easy is the DT LF antenna, which is optimised for DT xSeries LF Implants.
NExT ,xEM, xHT, xBT.

Not to say you can’t read and write with the standard antennas, but just a little more finicky.

You just need to decide which one suits your needs better, if it is worth the price difference, your future plans.

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If it was my decision, I would return the RDV4, Buy the Easy, use the remaining freed up cash to buy more implants.
~$230
Any of the bundles would be a good option

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awesome thanks so much for the advice ill definitely do that!

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Does the Proxmark3 easy not do LF? I can’t find that detail on the product page. Would I need to buy the LF antenna for my NExT if I get the proxmark3?


Thats what I was referring to.

LF antenna optimised for xSeries implants on RDV4

AND :arrow_double_down:

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The normal PM3 easy comes with a standard LF antenna as well, but the antenna is not optimized for implant use. It’s harder to get a good coupling. It’s not incredibly hard to get good reads and writes with the standard antenna, but you have to be very careful to hold everything super still, and even then, you’re at a greater risk of bricking the LF side of your implant. I’ve been able to use mine just fine, but with an abundance of caution. Basically, if you can only afford the PM3 easy, you’ll likely be fine, but you’ve gotta be a lot more careful. The RDV4 is more expensive, but if you can swing it, it can support the aforementioned Dangerous Things antenna, which is overall less finicky, and therefore less risky.

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I assume it’s all about holding your hand very still in an awkward position?

Scold me if it’s out of place to think, but do you think it’d be possible to make shift that LF antenna onto the PM3? Or is that a little too advanced for the inexperienced?

Yep, the positioning is very awkward. The biggest thing is, due to the way the PM3 command line works, you have to be able to at the very least hit the Enter key while either holding the entire PM3 easy on top of your implant, or if your placement allows for it, holding your hand super still on top of the PM3. If you have a second person who is willing to follow good instructions, that would help a lot.

You can’t use the ProxLF on the Easy, no. It’s a bit complicated, but on the RDV4 the tuning capacitors for the antenna are on the antenna module, rather than the mainboard. There’s been talk of modifying the Easy’s tuning caps to match it to the antenna, but AFAIK it hasn’t been done, and it definitely isn’t for the inexperienced. However, you can make a DIY version of the ProxLF that will work for the Easy (you’ll need a decent amount of supplies, though). There’s an excellent topic here:

It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s also not incredibly bad. I plan on making one in the next few months (when my university goes on break). You could always pick up an Easy to mess around with, and then when you feel up to it, try and make the antenna further down the line.

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Is this the case with implants like the flexNExT, too? Because since the read range is better, compared to xSeries, I thought the risk of bricking would be lower, too - but I honestly don’t have the least bit of a clue about those things, yet :wink:

I don’t have a flex so I can’t speak from personal experience, but the normal PM3 Easy antenna should be just fine with flex implants, due to the antenna design (in fact the DIY LF would likely give worse reads). Shouldn’t really be different than writing to a normal card. AFAIK, an easy way of understanding it is that matching antenna shapes = good coupling, due to the field they create. Most readers along with the normal PM3 Easy antenna have a flat circular antenna. The flat design couples well with the similar antennas in most keycards, along with implants like the flexNExT. However, those don’t couple well with the cylindrical coils in x series implants. As far as I’m aware that’s why flex implants have better read performance in the first place, but there might be more factors as well. Cylindrical coils couple better with x series implants, hence the DT ProxLF antenna, but couple slightly worse with normal flat antennas (not nearly as big of a difference as the other way around, though).

(Sorry for any bad formatting, on mobile and very tired atm :slight_smile:)
EDIT: I’m also really bad at actually doing proper replies apparently, sorry. Since I didn’t reply to the right person, I’ll tag. @Coma

Thanks for the info!
I have little to no idea about electronics and stuff, but that was just what I thought :wink:

Guess I’ll get a PM3 easy with my next order :smiley:

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I’ve read through this but have one question.
Is the danger to brick the implant such high with the easy? Or is it a good start for a newbie?

I have an easy not RDV4 and have no problems with it

If you have a HF (13.56mhz) device then the proxmark3 easy is fine and not much different from the proxmark3 rdv4

For the LF (125khz) chips like the NExT/xEM then the positioning of the implant on the supplied, large, LF coil is going to be fiddly but should be manageable with some trial and error as others report. The stock RDV4 antenna will probably give you similar problems but there is an aftermarket DT LF antenna that is more appropriately shaped.

Proxmarks regardless of model are not very beginner friendly if you don’t have much CLI/Linux experience, but there are good guides available and is the most capable tool for reading/writing these implants

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How do i know which side of my NExT implant is LF/HF? XD

Unless you removed it from the needle prior to installation, you won’t really know…well, not super easily.

You could mark out the outline of your NExT and use your phone or Proxmark3 to read it.

For example, on your phone, you should be able to map out your antenna location, the, if you approach your NExT perpendicular to the antenna from either end, by reading your NExT, you should be able to work out which end is your HF and therefore your LF end.

Does that make sense?

Yea, after i post the comment į wached dngrtings video about prox3 and How to clone, do i got it.

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