Rigol DS1054Z vs Siglent SDS804X HD
Head-to-head spec comparison to help you pick the right scope for your bench.
Rigol
$349
Siglent
$461
Spec-by-Spec Comparison
| Spec | Rigol DS1054Z | Siglent SDS804X HD |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | 50 MHz | 70 MHz |
| Sample Rate | 1 GSa/s | 2 GSa/s |
| Channels | 4 | 4 |
| Memory Depth | 12 Mpts | 50 Mpts |
| Display Size | 7" | 7" |
| Weight | 3.2 kg | 2.6 kg |
| Price | $349 | $461 |
| Rating | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Protocol Decoder | Yes | Yes |
| Function Gen | No | No |
| WiFi | No | Yes |
| Battery | No | No |
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Pros & Cons
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
Siglent SDS804X HD
Pros
- 12-bit ADC with what Reddit considers a cleaner analog front-end than Rigol — LeCroy heritage shows
- 2GSa/s sample rate is genuinely faster than the DHO804's 1.25GSa/s
- 50Mpt memory depth matches the DHO924S and doubles the DHO804
- CAN and LIN decoding included free — Siglent's standard generosity on protocols
- 70MHz bandwidth is unlockable to 200MHz via software license — massive upgrade path
- 7-inch capacitive touchscreen with responsive multi-touch gestures
Cons
- 70MHz stock bandwidth is limiting — you're paying for the upgrade path, not the base spec
- No built-in function generator (optional add-on)
- Siglent's community is smaller than Rigol's — fewer tutorials and forum answers
- At ~$438, you're close to the DHO924S at $449 which has 250MHz stock bandwidth
Our Verdicts
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.
Siglent SDS804X HD
The Siglent SDS804X HD is THE competitor to the Rigol DHO804 that Reddit can't stop debating. On paper, 70MHz for $438 looks underwhelming — but the real story is Siglent's 12-bit ADC implementation, which the community consistently praises as having a cleaner noise floor than Rigol's, thanks to Siglent's LeCroy heritage in analog front-end design. The 2GSa/s sample rate and 50Mpt memory depth are both better than the DHO804. The bandwidth unlock to 200MHz via software license is the ace up its sleeve — it turns a $438 scope into a legitimate 200MHz instrument for an additional fee. If you value measurement quality over raw bandwidth numbers, this is the 12-bit scope to buy. If you just want the most bandwidth per dollar, the DHO924S at $449 with 250MHz is hard to argue against.