Comparison of Advantages and Disadvantages of Analog and Digital Multimeters
An analog multimeter is an average‑value meter with visual and intuitive pointer‑based readings. (The measured reading is closely related to the deflection angle of the pointer, hence its high intuitiveness.)
A digital multimeter is a sampling‑type instrument that takes a sample roughly every 0.3 seconds to display measurement results. Sometimes successive sampling results are only approximate rather than identical, which makes reading less convenient compared with analog multimeters.
Generally, analog multimeters contain no built‑in amplifiers and therefore feature low internal resistance. For instance, the MF‑10 model offers a DC voltage sensitivity of 100 kΩ/V, while the MF‑500 model provides 20 kΩ/V.
Benefiting from internal operational‑amplifier circuits, digital multimeters achieve very high internal resistance, often 1 MΩ or higher, which delivers superior sensitivity. Consequently, they exert minimal influence on the circuit under test and provide higher measurement accuracy.
With low internal resistance and shunt‑divider circuits built mostly from discrete components, analog multimeters exhibit non‑uniform‑frequency response relative to digital ones.
Analog multimeters have simple internal structures, resulting in low cost, fewer functions, easy maintenance and strong resistance against over‑current and over‑voltage conditions.
Digital multimeters integrate various circuits for oscillation, amplification, frequency division and protection, supporting abundant functions such as temperature measurement, low‑range frequency measurement, capacitance and inductance measurement, continuity testing, and more.
Since digital multimeters largely adopt integrated circuits, their overload tolerance is relatively poor. (Some modern models feature auto‑ranging and automatic protection, yet they are more complicated to operate.) Once damaged, they are usually difficult to repair.
Digital multimeters produce low output voltage, normally below 1 V, which creates inconveniences when testing components with special voltage characteristics such as silicon‑controlled rectifiers and light‑emitting diodes.
By contrast, analog multimeters deliver higher output voltages (such as 10.5 V and 12 V) and larger output currents. For example, the MF‑500 can supply approximately 100 mA maximum on the ×1 Ω range. This makes it convenient to test silicon‑controlled rectifiers, LEDs and similar components.
