I'm in the market for a new oscilloscope in the $500 range. Minimum requirements 100 MHz bandwidth, 2 channels, with 1 MByte memory depth. I've looked at Rigol, Siglent, Hantek, GW instek and Tenma. Please recommend a brand and model that you prefer.

 

Have a good look at the SDS1202X-E.

 

I remember buying an Owon SDS7021V for about $400. It has an adjustable memory depth um to 10MB, besides having two channels, 100MHz bandwidth, 1GSa/s total. However, this is an older model. It it actually my daily driver and works OK. Owon has other models like the SDE7102E (seems to be a cutdown version in regards of memory depth).

However, the XDS2102A from Owon has good reviews and the 12bit precision caught my eye. Only Dave Jones from EEVblog seems not to like it, but he dislikes anything chinesium besides Rigol or his multimeters. He also disliked the SDS7021V but, of course, I took his review with a grain of salt based on my own experience. I would expect the XDS2102A to be the same. In fact, learnelectronics did a very good review of it.

 

I have the Rigol DS1054Z with the (easily) upgraded firmware and the capabilities easily exceed my needs.

 

Have a good look at the SDS1202X-E.

Or its Rigol equivalent. Either is affordable.

 

Have a good look at the SDS1202X-E.

A newly released addition in the marketplace: SDS1104X-U 100MHz 4ch 14 Mpts memory $ 399

 

A newly released addition in the marketplace: SDS1104X-U 100MHz 4ch 14 Mpts memory $ 399

Wow, that's a nice entry scope! I may have to buy that and replace my Rigol DS1052E.

 

I am very satisfied with the Rigol DS1104Z Plus. Description here.

 

A newly released addition in the marketplace: SDS1104X-U 100MHz 4ch 14 Mpts memory $ 399

Very nice.

http://www.saelig.com/supplier/siglent/sds1000x-u-datasheet-saelig.pdf

 

Very nice.

http://www.saelig.com/supplier/siglent/sds1000x-u-datasheet-saelig.pdf

Yeah these are hot off the press and few are out in the wild yet. Dave Jones on EEVblog has one AFAIK for a review and teardown and mine arrive in a couple of weeks. Capability will be quite similar to the $499 SDS1104X-E however a few features have been removed in the new X-U like the webserver, Bode plot, and 500uV/div sensitivity. Only a single ADC in X-U also therefore only this model in the range whereas X-E has a 200 MHz version.
IMO X-U will be popular.

 

I just picked up a 1104X-E a week ago and I am blown away. I use a $6k Fluke scope at work and my new $500 scope runs circles around it, especially with the software features and memory depth. The Fluke only had 10k sample memory per channel so the 2.5Gs/s rating really meant nothing if you were not working in the nanosecond timebase.

I do not think I am going to outgrow it anytime soon, and having the MSO option card really opens up a lot of options if you do digital design.

To me, I'd rather have the 4 channels of the 1104X-E than the increased BW of the 1202X-E. EEVBlog has some interesting discussions on the BW limitations of the 1104X-E but I shall not say more.