Perhaps but the GW Instek MSO2104E costs less than half (including logic probes) compared to the SDS5k 4 channel entry model so it is logical there are differences. And no, the math on the GW Instek isn't basic. Again, it has freefrom math as well with a formula editor (or set the formula remotely). You should check it out because it is a very nice general purpose oscilloscope for R&D lab use. The UI is very productive as well . I used to own an Agilent MSO7104A but the GW Instek GDS2204E I bought later on turned out to be much easier to use so it quickly replaced the MSO7104A. Meanwhile I have an R&S RTM3004 on my bench but I'm still holding on to the GDS2204E because it can do a few useful things the RTM3004 can't.
I had to go for from what I could find on the GWI homepage and in the (very short and limited) spec sheets and manuals as I don't have access to any GWI scope around here.
I'm not doubting the GWI scopes are good scopes and worth their money but the matter of fact is that GWI has nothing in the 350MHz and above BW class so there's no point comparing it to the SDS5kX. Apples vs oranges.
If GWI ever makes anything in the 500MHz+ class then I'm sure I'll have a closer look, but right now anything below 500MHz (or 1GHz, really) is pretty much useless for us. Having said that, I still have the DS1054z I bought a while ago but that's essentially a toy I bought because I wanted to see how much scope I can get new for <$400 (although I have to say I have grown rather fond of this little thing!)
And I'm not convinced there is nothing out there which can match the SDS5k.
As I said, I'm open for suggestions of comparable(!) scopes which offer a similar feature set. So far I haven't seen one.
On paper and at first glance the specs may look great but you'd have to put some actual use on it (drill down deep) to see if everything holds up and works well in actual usage scenarios.
True, but this is no longer the SDS2000 of back then. Siglent has learnt so much that a product can't be released if the basic functionality doesn't work.
Don't forget that the SDS5kX is the result of work stemming from experienced engineers like Performa01 who contributed massively to the feature set of the scope and the technology shared with Siglent by LeCroy.
The SDS5104X that's currently sitting here (not bought by me) isn't bug free but it's core functionality works and works reliably, and better than many big brand scopes. There are things I would implement differently (especially regarding the UI) but at the end of the day it's a perfectly usable debugging scope with features that at this point in time can't be found in other comparable scopes. It's as simple as that.
@Wuerstchenhund : there is a lot of contradiction in what you are writing. My own experience with Chinese engineers is that while being clever they have very little understanding of the purpose of a product. Just do as being told but in that process the little details that make or break a product are lost.
This is certainly true but not different from a Western engineer starting to work on a product for a field he doesn't really know well.
That is my experience as well, with the difference that the root cause is not always lack of experience but also resource allocation and pressure to meet deadlines. In other words, you may be totally immersed in a large design facility but only a few are capable of having an overall understanding of the whole product.
Indeed, and especially on large projects this is often not avoidable.
My only comment on the whole China-US relations is that none of the players in this game are the "oppressed". Neither "First world" countries being squeezed out of markets they deliberately allowed the race to the bottom to happen, nor China being squeezed out of the high end market after deliberately leaving copycats roam freely and use state power to keep major technological companies afloat at any cost. It is a commercial and innovation war like any other - perhaps the new "cold war".
How true!
Ahhh... the old 'scope battles... It's 2015 again, with the difference that Wuerst has banded with the Siglent team.
Yes, but then technology has moved on. I'm not sure I'd buy any scope with Siglent badge in 2015.
Also, just imagine how empty the test equipment forum would be if all the scope battle threads were removed