Finally got my hands on one of these - here's what I found after a month of use
https://computeraidedautomation.com/infusions/weblinks/weblinks.php?weblink_id=88
I picked up the FNIRSI 2C53T handheld oscilloscope after watching a bunch of YouTube reviews on budget oscilloscopes. Been doing electronics repair and Arduino projects for about 3 years now, mostly relying on my old multimeter and guessing at signal issues. This thing has been a game changer for the price point.
What I actually use it for:
Debugging my ESP32 and Arduino projects (checking PWM signals, I2C communication)
Fixing old guitar amps and testing audio circuits
Checking power supply ripple on my bench PSU
Basic automotive work (tested my car's O2 sensor signals last weekend)
The 50MHz bandwidth is plenty for most hobby stuff. I mostly work with signals under 10MHz anyway. The sampling rate at 250MS/s isn't going to impress anyone coming from a real Rigol or Siglent, but for $120ish it does the job.
The good stuff: The multimeter function is surprisingly accurate. I tested it against my Fluke 87V and it was within acceptable range for voltage and resistance. The 19999 count display is nice - gives you decent resolution. Capacitance measurement has been really handy for sorting through unmarked caps.
Signal generator works well for basic testing. I've used it to inject test signals into audio circuits and generate clock signals for digital projects. The 50kHz max frequency is limiting but covers most of what I need.
Battery life is legit around 5-6 hours with moderate use. I can take it to the garage without worrying about finding an outlet.
The not-so-good: The screen is small at 2.8". If you've got bad eyes, this might be annoying. I'm 32 and it's fine for me but my dad struggled with it.
The probes that come with it are honestly garbage. I immediately ordered some decent 100MHz probes off Amazon for like $25. Made a huge difference in noise and accuracy.
Menu navigation takes some getting used to. It's not intuitive at first - plan on spending an hour just clicking through everything to figure out where features are hidden.
Projects I've used it on:
Built a variable bench power supply and used this to check output ripple
Repaired a switching power supply in an old LCD monitor
Debugged SPI communication issues on a Raspberry Pi project
Tested frequency response on a DIY guitar pedal circuit
Checked ignition coil signals on my motorcycle
Compared to alternatives: I almost bought the older 2C23T but the math functions and cursor measurements on this 2C53T are actually useful. The XY mode is cool for looking at phase relationships though I don't use it much.
It's not a Siglent SDS1104X-E or anything professional, but it's 1/4 the price and fits in my toolbag. For hobbyists and students this hits a sweet spot.
Bottom line: If you're doing Arduino/ESP32 projects, basic repair work, or learning electronics, this is solid. Don't expect lab-grade performance. Buy better probes immediately. Maybe watch a tutorial video on the menus before you get frustrated.
For the money, it's hard to beat having an oscilloscope, multimeter, and signal generator in one portable package. I've already recommended it to two friends in my local maker space.
Note: Mine came with firmware 1.08 installed. Updating was easy following the instructions but make sure you download from the official FNIRSI site.
