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I have a DS2000 and I use it two arm lengths away, without issues. My vision is decent though. However the measurements are really small and I can see some people having issues reading it even on the DS2000. I think it's better than DS1000 but your mileage might vary. Maybe look at some of the other manufacturers.
Your answer seems to confirm all my fears, screen reading wise DS2000 is a little better, not the best around and sure not a certain solution, of course i should have to see one "live".
My vision was VERY good till forty years old, then started to slowly decrease, now that i'm almost fifty i need +3.25 diopters to look at 30cm, +2.5 diopters for 50-60cm, +1.25 diopters for far vision.
Normally i keep +2.5D lens for bench work & PC use, soldering of course requires additional correction
Considering that i started with electronic hobby when i was i child, to deal with computer when i was 14 (Sinclair ZX80 & 12" Mivar TV set) and spent gazzilions of hours with electronic bench activity, probably this is the unavoidable bill to pay.
My old DS1022C has the opposite problem, very LARGE dot pixel, i can read its screen in any condition, like the other toy that i used at home, the ATTEN ADS1102CAL (Siglent SDS1102CNL).
The DS1074Z was a shock at first run, fonts seems like a joke to me and the fact that the lateral menus are fixed does not help at all, obviously ten years ago It would be a complete different experience, but here we are, the clock says fifty.
The other scope models that i took in consideration (within 1K euro) are :
SIGLENT SDS1102X
SIGLENT SDS2072/4X
RIGOL DS1072A
I do not like at all OWON scopes for their huge plastic feeling, i do not want to consider any Hantek product after the purchase of the HDG2002B (the Firmware is a joke) and SIGLENT ones have quite limited math, capture and decoding functional capabilities compared to Rigol.
I'm not able to find SDS2000x reviews on the web, but reading the user manual and watching brand's ADs seems quite similar to SDS1102x, memory size/MSO option apart, with the very same LCD panel, but i may be wrong, of course.
Sincerely i was expecting a bit more on this front with the last Siglent scope X series, it's like they do not take in account what people find as plus in competitor equip. on the same segment, like the Rigol DS2000 series (that is on the market from a while), it would be only matter to add some basic functionality in scope SW.