The World of Oscilloscopes

World of oscilloscopes

How do I find the right oscilloscope?

Modern bench oscilloscopes with displays are becoming increasingly similar in terms of technology, so that many devices are hardly distinguishable at first glance. Even their appearance and housing colors are converging. For a long time, white was the preferred color across the industry, but nowadays black/anthracite is more common.

Recommendation: Traditional selection criteria such as number of channels, bandwidth, sample rate, or memory depth remain important, but are often no longer sufficient to fully assess actual performance. Therefore, depending on the requirements of your specific application, it is worth taking a closer look at the details.

Some examples: One key factor can be the waveform capture rate (specified in Wfm/s, “waveforms per second”). While a few manufacturers guarantee this rate consistently and independently of enabled functions, it may drop significantly for others as soon as additional features are activated. Such differences can be critical in practical use, depending on the application, and should definitely be considered when making a selection. When comparing sample rates, memory depth, etc., it is also important to check whether the specified maximum values apply per channel or only to a single channel. If resolution is important for your application, you should look not only at the stated value (8-bit, 12-bit, 14-bit, 16-bit), but also at the ENOB (Effective Number of Bits). This describes the actual usable resolution of an oscilloscope under real-world conditions, including noise and distortion. It is typically lower than the nominal bit resolution of the A/D converter and indicates how accurately a signal is truly captured. A higher ENOB means better signal quality and more precise measurements.

To be on the safe side, you have two very simple and convenient options: Get advice from our specialists. And arrange a demonstration or ask whether a demo unit is available. This allows you to test the oscilloscope directly in your own environment and according to your specific requirements.

Low-cost Starter-Oscilloscopes - Extract

The low-cost step into the world of oscilloscopes! Ideal for students and hobbyists, for large quantities in training/internships or for service fleets as well as embedded devices.

Affordable Oscilloscope All-rounders - Extract

Oscilloscopes for versatile applications in laboratory and industry, for troubleshooting in service/repair and for debugging in development.

"Mid-range" Oscilloscopes, High-end and Special Functions - Extract

Oscilloscopes with high bandwidths and high-end features for highly professional applications in science, research and development, industry and engineering.

Handheld, Portable, and Tablet Oscilloscopes - Extract

Modular and PC Oscilloscopes - Extract

Special Oscilloscopes for Automotive, Car Workshop, etc.

Oscilloscope Sorted by Bandwidth

Oscilloscopes up to 100MHz

Oscilloscopes up to 100MHz

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Oscilloscopes up to 500MHz

Oscilloscopes up to 500MHz

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Oscilloscopes bis 1GHz und mehr

Oscilloscopes bis 1GHz und mehr

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Oscilloscope Probes

Oscilloscope Probes

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Oscilloscopes Sorted by Design/Function

Benchtop-Oscilloscopes with Display

Benchtop-Oscilloscopes with Display

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Modular Oscilloscopes USB, LAN, SoC

Modular Oscilloscopes USB, LAN, SoC

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Logic Analysis, Mixed-Signal

Logic Analysis, Mixed-Signal

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Handheld Oscilloscopes

Handheld Oscilloscopes

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