Exploring high-resolution cryo-ET and subtomogram averaging capabilities of contemporary DEDs

•We demonstrate the capabilities of two cryo-EM systems equipped with contemporary direct-electron detectors and energy filters for high-resolution cryo-electron tomography.•Two established subtomogram averaging pipelines are used for processing cryo-ET data of retrovirus VLPs.•The presented structures at sub 4 Å resolution serve as examples for data acquisition strategies for high-resolution subtomogram averaging.•We present a structure of the EIAV CA hexamer at 2.9 Å.