Thoughts on an entry level scope?

Electronics gear is driven by price sensitivity, everyone strives for bang for buck.  If money were never a key parameter you'd get the top of the line of everything, and thus, not worry about whether it will ever meet your needs; as likely there aren't any other gear above it.

While I love the new Agilent Infinivision?? series scopes with the very high waveform/s rate, you're talking about a factor or 3x more cost, to start.  There is always a better tool above what you intend to buy, if you are willing to pay more.  So, its prudent to buy precisely for what you need, then upgrade as the time comes.  Otherwise, the ceiling for costs can be fairly high.

Over at eevblog.com, we discussed these 2 scopes at length, if you wish to read the details.  The Instek 1062A sustains a higher sampling rate when both channels are used, and it has more memory for its memory length, compared to the Rigol.  There are a lot of posts there from owners of both scopes.    If I could do it again, I would buy the Instek, its far better a 60 MHz scope than the Rigol.  The Rigol is infamous for the 100 MHz hack, but this is misleading, since the sampling rate remains unchanged, and using Nyquist limits as a criteria, will only be adequate for 100MHz on single channel usage, using its lowest memory length of 6k.  Reports of folks with scope problems have shown mix results with Rigol's tech support, whereas Instek is more established and has a better reputation for support.

As for other competitors from Chinese makers: Hantek, Tekway, Silgent aka Atten, etc., their price is too close to Rigol to consider, if there are no direct sales vendors in your country, should there be a product defect, returning it would be difficult.

Electronics gear is driven by price sensitivity, everyone strives for bang for buck.  If money were never a key parameter you'd get the top of the line of everything, and thus, not worry about whether it will ever meet your needs; as likely there aren't any other gear above it.

While I love the new Agilent Infinivision?? series scopes with the very high waveform/s rate, you're talking about a factor or 3x more cost, to start.  There is always a better tool above what you intend to buy, if you are willing to pay more.  So, its prudent to buy precisely for what you need, then upgrade as the time comes.  Otherwise, the ceiling for costs can be fairly high.

Over at eevblog.com, we discussed these 2 scopes at length, if you wish to read the details.  The Instek 1062A sustains a higher sampling rate when both channels are used, and it has more memory for its memory length, compared to the Rigol.  There are a lot of posts there from owners of both scopes.    If I could do it again, I would buy the Instek, its far better a 60 MHz scope than the Rigol.  The Rigol is infamous for the 100 MHz hack, but this is misleading, since the sampling rate remains unchanged, and using Nyquist limits as a criteria, will only be adequate for 100MHz on single channel usage, using its lowest memory length of 6k.  Reports of folks with scope problems have shown mix results with Rigol's tech support, whereas Instek is more established and has a better reputation for support.

As for other competitors from Chinese makers: Hantek, Tekway, Silgent aka Atten, etc., their price is too close to Rigol to consider, if there are no direct sales vendors in your country, should there be a product defect, returning it would be difficult.