Rigol DHO814 vs Rigol DS1054Z
Head-to-head spec comparison to help you pick the right scope for your bench.
Rigol
$549
Rigol
$349
Spec-by-Spec Comparison
| Spec | Rigol DHO814 | Rigol DS1054Z |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | 100 MHz | 50 MHz |
| Sample Rate | 1.25 GSa/s | 1 GSa/s |
| Channels | 4 | 4 |
| Memory Depth | 25 Mpts | 12 Mpts |
| Display Size | 7" | 7" |
| Weight | 1.78 kg | 3.2 kg |
| Price | $549 | $349 |
| Rating | 7.5/10 | 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
Rigol DHO814
Pros
- 12-bit ADC — the Reddit community now considers this mandatory for new scope purchases
- Compact form factor is noticeably smaller and lighter than the DHO900 series
- Same modern touchscreen interface as the DHO924S — intuitive and responsive
- 100MHz bandwidth handles most hobbyist and embedded signals comfortably
- USB-C power input means you can run it from a power bank in the field
- CAN decoding included — Rigol doesn't always include this on lower-tier models
Cons
- Fan noise is a known complaint in the DHO800 series — audible in quiet rooms
- At ~$549, you're only $10 below the DHO924S which has 250MHz bandwidth
- 25Mpt memory is half the DHO924S's 50Mpts
- No built-in function generator
- The Siglent SDS804X HD offers similar 12-bit performance for $100 less at 70MHz
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
Rigol DHO814
The Rigol DHO814 is the mid-tier entry in Rigol's 12-bit DHO800 lineup, offering 100MHz bandwidth and 4 channels in a compact, USB-C-powered package. The 12-bit ADC is the real story here — the Reddit community has essentially made 12-bit resolution the new baseline for oscilloscope recommendations, and the DHO814 delivers. The compact form factor and power bank compatibility are genuine advantages over the larger DHO900 series. The uncomfortable truth is pricing: at ~$549, you're within striking distance of the DHO924S at $449 which gives you 250MHz bandwidth and 50Mpt memory. The DHO814 only makes sense if you specifically value the smaller size or find it on sale significantly below MSRP.
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.