OWON XDS3064AE vs Rigol DS1054Z
Head-to-head spec comparison to help you pick the right scope for your bench.
OWON
$850
Rigol
$349
Verdict
It's a Tie
The OWON XDS3064AE and Rigol DS1054Z are evenly matched — your choice depends on which features matter most to you.
Spec-by-Spec Comparison
| Spec | OWON XDS3064AE | Rigol DS1054Z |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | 60 MHz | 50 MHz |
| Sample Rate | 1 GSa/s | 1 GSa/s |
| Channels | 4 | 4 |
| Memory Depth | 40 Mpts | 12 Mpts |
| Display Size | 8" | 7" |
| Weight | 3.5 kg | 3.2 kg |
| Price | $850 | $349 |
| Rating | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Protocol Decoder | Yes | Yes |
| Function Gen | No | No |
| WiFi | Yes | No |
| Battery | No | No |
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Pros & Cons
OWON XDS3064AE
Pros
- 40Mpt memory depth is exceptional for long serial transaction capture
- 14-bit ADC resolution — doubles the vertical resolution of standard 8-bit scopes
- 8-inch touchscreen display feels modern and responsive
- 4 channels with protocol decoding including CAN
- Built-in WiFi for remote viewing and data export
Cons
- 60MHz bandwidth is very limiting at the ~$800 price point
- At $799, the Siglent SDS1104X-U offers 100MHz and CAN/LIN for $380 less
- OWON software ecosystem is less mature than Rigol or Siglent
- Touchscreen can lag — not as responsive as Rigol's DHO series
- Smaller community means fewer tutorials and troubleshooting resources
Rigol DS1054Z
Pros
- 4 channels for $349 — nearly every competitor at this price is 2-channel, making it the go-to pick when you need clock, data, enable, and ground all visible at once
- 12Mpt memory depth captures long protocol bursts that 1–2Mpt scopes miss — a full UART session at 115200 baud across hundreds of milliseconds stays in buffer without retriggering
- A well-documented firmware procedure unlocks 100MHz bandwidth from the stock 50MHz — the community has published step-by-step guides since 2015 and it takes under 10 minutes
- SPI, I2C, UART, and RS232 protocol decoding included with no upsell — some competitors charge extra license fees for the same decoders
- Ten years of community answers: searching 'DS1054Z + [your problem]' returns solved threads on EEVblog, r/AskElectronics, and YouTube before you finish typing
Cons
- 50MHz stock bandwidth can't cleanly capture SPI clocks above ~10MHz or RF signals — the firmware unlock helps, but it's still a soft ceiling
- Menu navigation is physical-button-only — no touchscreen, no scroll wheel; takes a few sessions to get fluent
- Interface looks dated next to modern touchscreen scopes; not a functional problem, but noticeable
- Anyone doing daily professional bench work should budget for the DHO924S — the touchscreen and 250MHz bandwidth are genuinely worth the extra $550 at that usage level
Our Verdicts
OWON XDS3064AE
The OWON XDS3064AE is a niche instrument that earns its place for a specific buyer. At ~$800, the 14-bit ADC is its genuine differentiator — that extra vertical resolution matters for precision analog measurements and signal integrity work where standard 8-bit ADCs fall short. The 40Mpt memory depth is also excellent for capturing very long serial transactions. The problem is 60MHz bandwidth at $800 — that's genuinely hard to justify for most hobbyists. The Siglent SDS1104X-U at $419 gives you 100MHz, 4 channels, and CAN/LIN decoding for $380 less. The XDS3064AE only makes sense if you specifically need 14-bit resolution or very deep memory captures — for general-purpose work, better options exist at this price.
Rigol DS1054Z
If you're buying your first oscilloscope to learn embedded systems, debug Arduino or ESP32 projects, or study signals at school, buy the DS1054Z — 4 channels, full protocol decoders, and a decade of community support for $349 is a package that still has no real competition at this price. Don't buy it if you do professional bench work daily or need clean capture above 50MHz; for that, the DHO924S at $899 is the right tool. The honest tradeoff: DS1054Z gives you 4 channels and the largest hobbyist knowledge base on the internet; DHO924S gives you 250MHz and a touchscreen for $550 more. For a first scope for a hobbyist, student, or maker, this is the buy.