Rigol vs Siglent 2026: My Honest Verdict After Testing Both

Rigol and Siglent are the AMD and Intel of hobbyist oscilloscopes. Both are Chinese manufacturers that deliver professional-grade features at hobbyist prices, both have dedicated communities, and forum debates about which is better can get surprisingly heated.

The short answer: both make excellent scopes, and the best choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and which features matter most to you. This guide breaks down the real differences so you can make an informed decision without wading through brand tribalism.

I've used both brands extensively and I'll give you the honest picture, including where each brand falls short.

Rigol's new DHO series (DHO804, DHO924S) runs a modern phone-like touchscreen interface. It's intuitive, responsive, and has almost no learning curve. Pinch to zoom on a waveform, tap to place a cursor, swipe to scroll — if you can use a smartphone, you can navigate the DHO interface.

Siglent's interface is more traditional and button-focused. It's functional and logical once you learn it, but it feels more like laboratory equipment than consumer electronics. Power users often prefer Siglent's physical buttons because they're faster once you know the layout. Beginners tend to prefer Rigol's touchscreen.

The older Rigol DS1000Z series (DS1054Z, DS1104Z-S Plus) uses the same traditional button interface as Siglent — so if you're comparing DS1054Z vs SDS1202X-E, the interface difference is much smaller.

For remote control and automation, both support SCPI commands via USB or LAN. Siglent's EasyScope software provides decent remote viewing. Rigol's Ultra Sigma is adequate. Neither is exceptional for programmatic control at the hobbyist price tier.

This is where Siglent has a meaningful edge. Siglent includes SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, and LIN decoding standard on most models — no license fees, no activation codes, no upselling.

Rigol's story is more complicated. The DHO series includes SPI, I2C, and UART, but CAN and LIN decoding are paid license options on most Rigol models. On the older DS1000Z series, basic decoding is included, but CAN requires a paid license that can cost $30-100.

If you need CAN bus decoding for automotive work or industrial protocol analysis, Siglent wins this category cleanly. The SDS1104X-U at $419 includes CAN and LIN free — the equivalent Rigol capability costs noticeably more once you add the license.

For general hobbyist use (SPI, I2C, UART), both brands are equivalent.

Under $450 (mid-range):

Rigol is the easier recommendation here. The DHO804 has a 7-inch IPS touchscreen and 25Mpt memory at $439 — nothing from Siglent comes close for interface comfort at this price. The DS1054Z vs SDS1202X-E comparison is close: DS1054Z wins on channels (4 vs 2) and community; SDS1202X-E wins on bandwidth (200 vs 50MHz) and CAN/LIN decoding.

$400-$900 (premium hobbyist):

The DHO924S vs SDS1104X-U comparison depends on the job. DHO924S wins on bandwidth (250 vs 100MHz), display, and modern workflow. SDS1104X-U wins on CAN/LIN decoding at no extra cost and a much lower price. If you need automotive protocol support, the SDS1104X-U at $419 is the better value choice. If you can pay the premium and know you need bandwidth, the DHO924S is the stronger scope.

$1,000+ (prosumer):

Siglent wins clearly with the SDS2104X Plus — 200Mpt memory, IPS touchscreen, comprehensive protocol decoding, built-in AWG. Rigol doesn't compete at this tier in the hobbyist market.

Rigol has the larger hobbyist community, primarily because the DS1054Z has been the default recommendation for years. EEVblog threads, countless YouTube tutorials, and active r/AskElectronics posts mean that virtually every Rigol question has already been answered.

Siglent's community is smaller but growing and tends to attract a slightly more technical audience — engineers who prioritize specs and features over community buzz. Siglent users are often more self-sufficient with documentation.

Both Rigol NA and Siglent NA provide English-language support, documentation, and firmware updates. Customer service quality is roughly equivalent in my experience. Siglent's firmware update history is generally considered more consistent — they've had fewer controversial firmware changes than Rigol.

For most first-time hobbyists in 2026: Buy the Rigol DHO804 ($439) if you want a modern touchscreen workflow, or the Rigol DS1054Z ($349) if you want the safest community-proven value. Both keep the budget sane and cover normal Arduino, ESP32, audio, and general bench work.

If you need CAN/LIN decoding included: Buy the Siglent SDS1104X-U ($419). It's the most cost-effective path to automotive protocol support without paying Rigol's license fees.

If you do precision analog work: Consider the Siglent SDS804X HD ($461). Rigol wins on interface polish, but Siglent's analog front end and 12-bit capture make sense when low-level signal quality matters more than touch controls.

If you know you need premium bandwidth: Buy the Rigol DHO924S ($899). The 250MHz bandwidth, 4 channels, and modern workflow make it the stronger premium hobbyist scope, but it is no longer the default answer for every buyer.

If you want maximum specs at the prosumer level: The Siglent SDS2104X Plus ($1,399) is the clear choice with its 200Mpt memory and comprehensive protocol decoding.

Is Rigol or Siglent more reliable long-term?
Both brands have good long-term reliability track records in the hobbyist community. The DS1054Z has been in the field for over a decade with very few reported hardware failures. Siglent's newer platforms have similarly solid reputations. I wouldn't choose based on reliability concerns — both are fine.

Which has better software and firmware updates?
Siglent has generally been praised for more consistent firmware updates with fewer controversial changes. Rigol's DHO series firmware has improved significantly since launch. The DS1000Z series is essentially stable at this point.

Does Siglent have better protocol decoding?
For CAN and LIN specifically, yes — it's included free while Rigol charges for it. For SPI, I2C, and UART, they're comparable.

Rigol DHO924S vs Siglent SDS1104X-U — which should I buy?
If you don't need CAN/LIN decoding and can pay the premium: DHO924S — better display, much more bandwidth, and a more modern workflow. If you need CAN/LIN at the lowest cost: SDS1104X-U saves serious money and delivers solid 4-channel performance.

Are Rigol and Siglent the same company?
No. They're separate Chinese companies and direct competitors, though both emerged from the same generation of Chinese test equipment manufacturers that disrupted the market in the 2000s-2010s.