Oscilloscopes or also known as O-scopes are the type of electronic device which can measure waveforms of electricity through its screen. This device comes in different sizes in which you can choose from large to medium. There is also the compact type of O-scopes which have big screens.
In this list, we are going to present the 12 best digital oscilloscopes for hobbyist. You may suit yourself and find the best choice.
Quick Comparison: Top 12 Best Digital Oscilloscopes
| Digital Oscilloscopes | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| #1. Rigol DS1054Z |  | - Has many features - Affordable price - Highly portable - Works well |
| #2. Siglent SDS1202X-E |  | - Good performing - Record up to 14 Mpts - Triggering and Decode |
| #3. Tektronix TBS1052B |  | - Has advanced features - High quality - Works well |
| #4. SainSmart Mini DS0203 |  | - Worth the price - Portable - Highly functional |
| #5. Siglent SDS1052DL |  | - Lightweight - Decent screen size - Easy to use - Great price |
| #6. DW Instek GDS-1054B |  | - Comes with four probes - Super intuitive - Great price - Highly portable |
| #7. SainSmart DSO |  | - Well built - Has many features - Highly portable |
| #8. Hantek DS05072P |  | - Affordable price - Well-built - Useful features - Great value |
| #9. Signstek DS0211 |  | - Highly portable - Functional - Good price |
| #10. Siglent SDS1102X |  | - Large display - Works well - Has many features |
| #11. Makerfocus DS0211 |  | - Highly reliable - Affordable price - Decent battery life - Compact |
| #12. Tektronix TBS1064 |  | - High quality - Great price - Works well |
#1. Rigol DS1054Z Digital Oscilloscopes
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Comes in 4 channels and bandwidth of about 50 MHz, Rigol DS1054Z Digital Oscilloscopes is one of the best choices of O-scopes in the market. This unit comes in grey color and has a body Benchtop body style and weighs about 6.6 pounds. Looking at its style color, and size, this unit might suit anyone.
When it comes to its performance, this Rigol O-scope is loaded with innovative technologies as well as leading specifications to meet the needs of most users. In fact, it has powerful functions and ability for broader analysis which one of the most important features an o-scope must have.
Featuring the innovative “ultravision” technology of about 7 inches, this o-scope provides you various displays in multiple levels. Added to that, its capture rate reaches up to 30,000 wfms/s waveform contribute to its overall efficiency. On the other hand, when it comes to capacity in decoding, analysis, deep memory, and integrated channel, this unit is highly able to give you an exceptional performance. Most of all, all of these offers come at reasonable price.
Conclusion: If you are looking for an o-scope which is highly capable of meeting all your needs, then you can consider this recommendation as part of your top choices.
- Has many features
- Affordable price
- Highly portable
- Works well
- High noise floor
- Low count of FFT
#2. Siglent Technologies SDS1202X-E Digital Oscilloscope
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Siglent SDS1202X-E comes in grey color with a weight of about 16.53 pounds and dimension of 12.3 x 5.3 x 5.9 inches, this o-scope is a good choice for hobbyists who are looking for units with high bandwidths.
Having a total bandwidth of 200 MHz, this o-scope is able to provide a record length of about 14 Mpts. This will allow you to have a higher rate of sampling in order for you to catch better signal. This will also let you zoom out and focus the area of your interest for a more precise result.
Siglent is one of the most trusted makers of high-quality oscilloscopes. Siglent SDS1202X-E has added to all its features, this o-scope has history waveforms mode and segmented acquisition which will help you triggered events. As a great choice of o-scope, this unit provides quick and accurate results in every use plus it also offers high performance in every use.
Conclusion: Silent Technologies SDS1202X-E Digital Oscilloscope is totally capable of providing great results in each every use. More than that, despite all its features, this o-scope has come at a low price which makes even more valuable by most hobbyists.
- Good performing for 2 channels scope
- Record length up to 14 Mpts
- Standard serial bus Triggering and Decode
- Not suitable for logic analysis
#3. Tektronix TBS1052B Digital Storage Oscilloscope
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The third spot in this list is the Tektronix 1052B 50 MHz, 2 Channel Digital Oscilloscope. Weighing about 6.85 pounds with an overall dimension of 17.1 x 12.2 x 8.4 inches, this o-scope for hobbyist offers up to 50 MHz with overall 2 channels. This unit is designed well for increases portability since aside from its lightweight feature; it also comes with a handle which offers a comfortable grip.
Featuring an active TFT color display of 7” WV GA (800×480), this o-scope can help you a lot with your waveforms monitoring activities. In addition to its performance, this device also offers you a service that will enable you to acquire detailed waveforms. Thanks to its maximum record length of about 2.5 kpts per channel.
On the other hand, when it comes to the overall quality and safety, this unit has also something to boast. This is because Tektronix 1052B 50 MHz, 2 Channel Digital Oscilloscope is UL certified, CE approved, and CAT II 300V safety rated. With no cooling fan included, this o-scope is reliably noise-free which some hobbyists are more preferred with.
Conclusion: Tektronix 1052B 50 MHz, 2 Channel Digital Oscilloscope is another O-scope that suited for most hobbyists. Just like other units in this list, this one offers many features that provide a better performance for its users. Aside from that, the fact that this o-scope is safe to use, it is also a suitable choice for beginners. You can check out more on other Tektronix models for your comparison.
- The scope has advanced features
- High quality
- Works well
- Does not display min./max. range of voltage
#4. SainSmart Mini DS0203 Handheld Pocket-Sized Digital Storage Oscilloscope
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This o-scope from SainSmart has a lightweight feature since it only weighs about 2.08 ounces yet it has an overall measurement of 4.2 x 0.4 x 2.2 inches. More than that, despite the lightness of this o-scope, when it comes to performance and features, it is a heavy duty one which is an ideal choice for everyone.
Offering 72 MHz of analog channels and two digital channels, this o-scope is a great choice for many hobbyists out there. Added to its performance is its ability to provide a reliable converted result of analog channels from 35MS to 72MS. These features help you come with come up with reliable results of waveforms.
On the other side, other features you can enjoy in this o-scope are its signal generator, auto measurement, various triggering options, easy waveform storage, Firmware upgrade, user application, and Open source. All these options and features are highly needed even if you are just a hobbyist. They are playing an important role with the overall efficiency of an o-scope.
Conclusion: SainSmart Mini DS0203 Handheld Pocket-Sized Digital Storage Oscilloscope may be light in weight but when it comes to good performance as well as reliability, this unit is highly able to provide what you need.
SainSmart Mini DS0203 Pocket-Sized Oscilloscope – Review and Test
- Worth the price
- Portable
- Highly functional
- Old version
- Quality is not that high
#5. Siglent Technologies SDS1052DL + 50 MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope
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With a dimension of 6.2 x 12.7 inches, this o-scope is highly portable as well. Featuring a bandwidth of 50-150 MHz, this device is highly able to provide you great results in every use. In fact, this o-scope also features a total of 6 digits of hardware frequency as well as real-time counting display which contribute a lot to the capacity of this unit to read waveforms. Added to its features is its embedded 12 languages, online help, as well as one key storing and one key printing that make the job for your becomes easier.
Packed with different applications like electrical circuit function test, electronic circuit design and debugging industrial control and measuring, and many more, this o-scope is highly able to help your different jobs easily and conveniently.
Conclusion: Siglent Technologies SDS1052DL + 50 MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope has many features that you can enjoy and use easily. Though it is not the most powerful o-scope, it is suited to use for hobby users plus its price is quietly affordable as well.
- Lightweight
- Decent screen size
- Easy to use
- Great price
- Its scope is a bit noisy
#6. DW Instek GDS-1054B Digital Storage Oscilloscope
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Another affordable o-scope for a hobbyist like you is the DW Instek GDS-1054B Digital Storage Oscilloscope. It comes in 6.17 pounds with an overall measurement of 20.8 x 12.73 x 38.0 cm.
This o-scope has a bandwidth of 50MHz with 4 channels input which helps you work out well in your waveforms checking. Despite its small size, this unit offers high functionality at an affordable price which makes it a hobbyist-friendly o-scope. It features a gradient display with 256 colors that help in strengthening the performance of a waveform.
On the other hand, this o-scope has included different features which are highly useful for any hobbyist like parameter measurement, cursor indication, digital voltage meter and many more.
Conclusion: This o-scope is another good choice for any hobbyist like you. The fact that it comes at an affordable price; it is a good choice since it works well for your convenience.
- Comes with four probes
- Super intuitive
- Great price
- Highly portable
- The fan is noisy
#7. SainSmart DSO Pocket Size Portable Handheld Mini Digital Storage Oscilloscope
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If you are looking for a highly portable o-scope, then this handheld mini digital storage o-scope from SainSmart might be what you are looking for. This pocket-sized device has a weight of 5.6 ounces and overall measurement of 5.9 x 3.6 x 2 inches. With its small size, this o-scope is easy to use too. In fact, you can use it easily through its one button in the touch area as well as gestures of one-click, double-click, press, and slide.
Featuring 320×240 displays with 8M of memory card, this o-scope is suitable to use for academic experiments, electronics maintenance and engineering and many more. With its small size, this device is easy and convenient to use as well as SD card, USB flash, and USB charging. Other than that, since it uses a chargeable battery, this o-scope is suitable for use everyday and everywhere.
Conclusion: This pocket-sized o-scope is a good choice for student and hobbyist who want to bring their device anywhere. Though it has a small size, its performance can still compete with those o-scopes with bigger size.
- Well built
- Has many features
- Highly portable
- Has only one probe
#8. Hantek DS05072P Digital Oscilloscope
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Hantek DS05072P Digital Oscilloscope is the 8th rank in this list which might be the answer of what you are looking for. Having an overall size of 11.8 x 15.8 x 7.9 inches and weight of 4.59 pounds, this o-scope also offers portability in order to give you comfort in every use.
This o-scope offers a total bandwidth of 70 MHz together with two channels; it is a device which is ideal for serious and real hobbyist since it can really help them a lot. Added to its features are its trigger modes which will let you come up with precise result of edge/pulse, width/line selectable, video, slop, overtime, and etc. with 7 inches display, this device is able to provide you reliable results without any hassle.
Conclusion: Hantek DS05072P Digital Oscilloscope is a better choice for serious hobbyists. This is because it comes with many features which can help you a lot but has a price which any hobbyist can afford.
- Affordable price
- Well-built
- Packed with useful features
- Great value
- Some scopes are low quality
#9. Signstek Upgrade Portable Mini Nano ARM DS0211 Pocket-Sized Handheld Digital Storage Oscilloscope
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Another highly portable o-scope is here is note; it is an upgraded one. This unit from Signstek has super light in weight yet it has many features which will help you a lot with your waveforms evaluations. In fact, this o-scope is complete with measurement markers like, signal characteristic, as well as trigger modes in which all of these are really important that a certain o-scope must have.
Added to that, this device also features a built-in signal tester to enable you to evaluate signals easily anywhere and anytime. More than that, together with its high portability property, this device is open source and has a chargeable battery. Basically, since its battery can survive up to two hours of operation, this meant that you can use this o-scope anywhere and anytime.
Conclusion: Designed to be used anywhere and anytime, Signstek Upgrade Portable Mini Nano ARM DS0211 Pocket-Sized Handheld Digital Storage Oscilloscope is a good choice for any hobbyist. With all its features as well as its good performance, this o-scope deserves to be part of your choices.
- Highly portable
- Functional
- Good price
- Does not come with a user manual
#10. Siglent Technologies SDS1102X LCD Digital Oscilloscope
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This o-scope offers a total bandwidth of about 100 MHz which makes it a good choice for most hobbyists. This grey colored device comes in a weight of 2.2 pounds and overall dimension of 13.4 x 7.3 x 4.85 inches.
On the other hand, this device features the New Generation SPO technology which increases its sensitivity of up to 500 UV /div. In order to help you with complex measurements, this o-scope also offers its 10 types of one button shortcut. It makes the job easier and is good enough for any hobbyist. More than that, this o-scope provides different color temperature modes as well as intensity grading of up to 256 levels which contributes to its ability in providing a precise result in every use. With capture rate of about 60,000 wfs/use, this o-scope is one of the most suited devices for a hobbyist like you.
Conclusion: This o-scope has many excellent functions which make it one of the best choices in the market today. It is a device which is worth with the price plus it comes with good quality. All in all, choosing this device is also a wise choice.
- Large display
- Works well
- Has many features
- Problem with the USB port
- Some users have problem with software for scope control and capture
#11. Makerfocus DS0211 ARM Nano Mini Storage Pocket Portable Handheld Digital Oscilloscope
(New Version Update Base on DS201)
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This recommendation is another good choice for hobbyists who are looking for o-scopes which are highly portable. Comes in weight of 2.4 ounces and overall dimension of 4.2 x 2.2 x 0.5 inches, this device is suitable to use anywhere and anytime. Aside from its lightweight feature, this o-scope is easy to use as well. It has buttons on each side for its settings while its compact and rectangular shape offers a clear and decent display.
The fact that this device is an updated type, you can be confident that it has many features and properties that will work together in helping you get the job done easily.
Conclusion: With its lightweight and easy to use features, this o-scope is a good choice for any hobbyist.
- Highly reliable
- Affordable price
- Decent battery life
- Compact
- The interface is not totally great
- A bit fragile
#12. Tektronix TBS1064, 60 MHz, 4 Channel Digital Oscilloscope
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The last recommendation on this list comes from Tektronix. However, despite being the last, this o-scope remains to be part of the top choices in the market because of its great performance.
Giving you a total bandwidth of 60 MHz, this o-scope provides a total of 4 channels for your convenience. Added to that, this unit is designed to provide detailed waveforms and has the capacity to record up to 2.5 kpts per channel. Since it features a vertical sensitivity of about 2mV per division, this o-scope is highly suited even for low levels of signals.
Conclusion: Tektronix TBS1064, 60 MHz, 4 Channel Digital Oscilloscope comes in good quality as well as different features and properties which make it a good choice for everyone.
Tektronix Oscilloscope Operating Guide
- High quality
- Great price
- Works well
- Low memory per channel
* How to Use an Oscilloscope
How to Use an Oscilloscope
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Can you please further explain your cons-point on Nr. 10 Siglent Technologies SDS1102X: “Uses software for scope control and capture”? I don’t understand what you mean by that and what that means for me in contrast to other oscilloscopes. Also, doesn’t this affect Nr. 2 Siglent SDS1202X-E, too, as its also a Siglent SDS1xxxx-Series?
some users have problem with software for scope control and capture.