Rigol DS1054Z vs Siglent SDS814X HD
Head-to-head spec comparison to help you pick the right scope for your bench.
Rigol
$349
Siglent
$587
Spec-by-Spec Comparison
| Spec | Rigol DS1054Z | Siglent SDS814X HD |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | 50 MHz | 100 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 | $587 |
| Rating | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 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 SDS814X HD
Pros
- 12-bit ADC with Siglent's clean analog front-end — LeCroy lineage in the signal path
- 100MHz bandwidth with the option to unlock higher via software license
- 2GSa/s sample rate outperforms the competing Rigol DHO814's 1.25GSa/s
- 50Mpt memory depth for extended capture sessions
- CAN and LIN decoding included free — Siglent's consistent protocol advantage
- 16 digital channels available with optional logic probe for mixed-signal work
Cons
- At ~$587, you're paying a premium over the DHO924S ($449) which has 250MHz
- Siglent's smaller community means fewer tutorials and troubleshooting resources
- No built-in function generator without the optional add-on
- The SDS804X HD at $438 offers 70MHz (unlockable to 200MHz) for $150 less
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 SDS814X HD
The Siglent SDS814X HD steps up to 100MHz from the SDS804X HD's 70MHz, keeping the same excellent 12-bit ADC, 2GSa/s sample rate, and 50Mpt memory. It competes directly with the Rigol DHO814 at a similar price point, and wins on sample rate and memory depth. The free CAN/LIN decoding is Siglent's consistent advantage over Rigol for automotive work. At ~$587 though, the value proposition gets complicated — the DHO924S offers 250MHz and a function generator for $449, and the SDS804X HD below it at $438 can be unlocked to 200MHz. The SDS814X HD makes the most sense if you need that clean 12-bit Siglent ADC at 100MHz and want CAN/LIN decoding without additional license fees, particularly for automotive or precision analog work.