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Rohde & Schwarz Oscilloscopes vs Tektronix Oscilloscopes comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Rohde & Schwarz Oscilloscopes
Ranking in Oscilloscopes
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Tektronix Oscilloscopes
Ranking in Oscilloscopes
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Oscilloscopes category, the mindshare of Rohde & Schwarz Oscilloscopes is 6.7%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tektronix Oscilloscopes is 14.7%, down from 19.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Oscilloscopes
 

Featured Reviews

AM
The ability to have both the time domain and frequency domain, where the frequency domain is a very broad spectral plot, is extremely valuable
There is certainly a learning curve. Finally, watching YouTube videos on using the instrument got me over the hump, as well as a sit down session with one of the oscilloscope experts. The Rohde & Schwarz user interface is very oriented towards drop and drag functions on the screen. Some of those are just not obvious how to use. You have to have somebody get you over the hump. My understanding is they have a newer user interface, but I haven't gotten around to upgrading the firmware on my scope in some time, so I'm not familiar with it yet. In comparison, I love the LeCroy interface. Recently, I've learned that there are ways to adapt these instruments to become a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), which is of interest to me. If I can use probes that are not in the 50 ohm domain, which is what you would have with a normal Vector Network Analyzer, then doing power applications for me, this would be a lot safer. Using a traditional communications type Vector Network Analyzer in the 50 ohm domain and having these high DC potentials (adding the DC blocks is adding air to the test method), then having an oscilloscope type front-end which is lot more tolerant of overload, it is a lot safer. The vector network analysis that I need to do is well under a gigahertz, and the other instruments that I have sort of stop at 40 megahertz. Trying to get past 40 megahertz into the mid-hundreds of megahertz and have high impedance probes that will tolerate DC, that is really of interest to me.
RO
Because it does a smart software trigger in the PAM-4 GUI, it's very easy to hook up
We are using the full bandwidth of the product. 70 gigahertz bandwidth for real-time scope is important. To get the step response, we need that excess bandwidth. If I wanted to get a 33 gigahertz bandwidth with a good step function, I would need that excess bandwidth so I can apply appropriate vessel filters. They do have optical front-ends which are optional. We are taking advantage of that. In certain, very specific ways, it's field upgradable. I would imagine when they have the next product that it goes to a higher sample rate, and that'll be a whole new product.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The instrument has a wide bandwidth. You can sweep across a wide range of frequencies."
"The most valuable features are the accuracy and repeatability."
"The user interface is pretty good. Right now, it is more than what we expected. It's easy and fast to use."
"The characterization of RF channels was helpful... The user interface was very simple to operate and there were a lot of tutorials."
"It is easy to connect with, accurate, reliable, and hardly fails."
"It is a more efficient, easier way to do measurements."
"The ability to have both the time domain and frequency domain, where the frequency domain is a very broad spectral plot, is extremely valuable."
"It has a very low noise floor."
"Tektronix is robust and reliable. It's a hammer-resistant machine, a fact which is most important on our manufacturing floor."
"The most valuable features are everything they do. We primarily use the O-scopes and they help us figure out what's going wrong with our scope out signals."
"The user interface is good."
"Being able to monitor data from a CAN bus while the vehicle is running will cut down a lot of the feedback for the design mode."
"B-scan is its most valuable feature."
"The sensitivity of the trigger and the reliability are the most valuable features."
"When I was looking for a scope for that lab, that five subdivisions per division was important."
"I haven't seen anything similar where it has a spectrum analyzer and regular scope together."
 

Cons

"The depth the the user GUI could be improved. It is a bit deep for new users. During the first two weeks we spent a lot of time finding the tabs."
"The user interface could be improved, e.g., the documentation on the menus. I have to open a separate document to figure out the functionality sometimes."
"They could use an RDA interface."
"It would be good if they would try to automate most things because it has more pressing buttons and repetitive work. If there were automation scripts that they could provide, that would improve things."
"Sometimes, it's difficult to find menus on the user interface."
"There was a learning curve. Their use interface and the way that their products work are not intuitive to somebody who switches from other vendors."
"The size of the unit is too big, too heavy. It has to be made more portable and smaller."
"In the next release, I would like to see report generation. It would make it a lot easier to refer back to and, when doing final testing, seeing what went on during the pre-test would help."
"There was a learning curve, which was a little tricky at times. Getting used to the GUI took time because we had to learn the different features."
"I know you can get the Bit Masks but it's generally really expensive to get the eye diagrams and Bit Masks with it. I wish they were included or cheaper."
"The power of the computer inside is weak. Sometimes I send a lot of data and I'll feel the lag... I would like to see them improve the processing power."
"They need to add more memory to this machine."
"If you are dealing with time domain measurement, I strongly recommend using a vendor other than this company."
"I want the system to have a wider bandwidth because high-speed continues to move faster, so there is more bandwidth to cover."
"I would like to see some WiFi capabilities. I would like to upgrade equipment, and if I was in the U.S., I could do that with WiFi capabilities."
"We are looking for an Intel platform with the newest chipset."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"When we chose this, the price was really reasonable, and it is a high-end product. It had a high price, but we understood that because it has 8 port, the same noise floor (as the competition) with double the measurement capabilities and a cheaper price."
"If we are looking to purchase a product, we ask for a loaner for a month or so to test it out. Then, we will make a decision."
"The pricing is way too expensive."
"Buying Rohde & Schwarz gear is like buying a Mercedes. It raises eyebrows when you're asking for that level of performance."
"The pricing is very expensive."
"The pricing is very competitive."
"The pricing is expensive, but very fair when you look at the technology that you are getting. These are higher-end pieces which have a ton of engineering in them that is not evident on the package. However, you could imagine the amount of time that the vendor has spent on the firmware, optimizing the internal layout, developing custom ICs, etc. They're releasing a mass produced product, but these things are built to last."
"The pricing is too high."
"I would like to see a lower price."
"The prices are compatible with what they offer. Going forward, I would like them to become more competitive and dominant with their pricing in the market."
"The pricing is not too high and not too low."
"They have academic pricing which is helpful."
"The pricing is very expensive."
"It's cost-effective... It might cost a lot of money, but if we need it we buy it."
"It is a great price for a great product."
"Pricing could be lower. I would want to buy it for an extremely, low price, but Tektronix is a high-end product."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
20%
Government
10%
University
8%
Computer Software Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
17%
University
12%
Educational Organization
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Also Known As

RT Series
TBS Series, TDS Series, MDO Series, MSO Series
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Rohde & Schwarz Oscilloscopes vs. Tektronix Oscilloscopes and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.