Function & Arbitrary Waveform Generators

A bench function/AWG generates the stimulus you measure with the Oscilloscope. Together they form the canonical analog-debug pair. Use AWGs to inject test signals, sweep filter responses, replay captured waveforms, or simulate sensor outputs against a real MCU — and cross-check what your Circuit Simulation predicted. For sourcing the generator's voltage rails see Power Supplies.

Hobby benchtop FGen / AWG

• ★ Siglent SDG1032X / SDG2042X / SDG2122X — the go-to mid-tier AWG line. 30–120 MHz, 14-bit, dual-channel, modulation, AWG up to 16 Mpts. SCPI. SDG1032X is the value sweet spot.
• ★ Rigol DG1022Z / DG1032Z / DG1062Z / DG800 / DG900 series — Rigol's parallel offering. DG1062Z is a common pick; DG900 series is the modern flagship hobbyist tier.
• Hantek HDG2000 / HDG6000 series — cheaper Chinese AWGs; OK if you're under $300.
• Owon AG / XDG series — Owon's value AWGs; usable, weaker UI than Rigol/Siglent.

Cheap dual-channel — the Feeltech tier

• ★ Feeltech FY6900 / FY6800 / FY3200 — sub-$100 dual-channel AWGs that punch wildly above their weight. 60 MHz on the FY6900. Build quality is "Chinese hobby," documentation is rough, but specs are real and they're hackable. Several FOSS PC apps on GitHub.
• JDS6600 — older Feeltech-tier; same ballpark, slightly worse.
• Koolertron sig gens — rebadged Feeltech-class; same caveats.

"AWG bundled with another instrument"

• ★ Digilent Analog Discovery 3 — its onboard 2-channel ±5 V AWG is genuinely good (14-bit, 125 MS/s) and pairs natively with the bundled scope. The right answer for a tiny bench. WaveForms is free and the SDK is open.
• FNIRSI 1014D — handheld scope with a built-in 25 MHz AWG; toy-grade but portable.
• Many MSO scopes have an AWG option — Rigol MSO5000 / DHO4000 with the AWG license adds a built-in generator. Convenient if you already own the scope.

Premium / RF AWGs

• Keysight 33500 / 33600 series — the premium bench AWG; 14–16 bit, deep memory, immaculate output. Expensive.
• Tektronix AFG31000 / AWG5200 — Tek's bench AWG and high-end arb.
• R&S SMA / SMC RF generators — for true RF (>1 GHz) you need a signal generator, not a function generator.
• NI PXI AWG modules — for production / ATE.

DIY / OSS

• EEZ Bench Box AWG module — open-hardware, see OSS Bench Instruments.
• AD9833 / AD9851 DDS modules — $5 single-chip DDS boards on Amazon; great for teaching and one-off projects, not for measurement-grade stimulus.
• STM32 + DAC + PulseView — a common student project; results are fine into low-MHz.

License / pricing notes

• All bench AWGs above speak SCPI — control with pyvisa (see Instrument Software). Vendor PC software is free.
• Feeltech protocol is reverse-engineered; FOSS Python libs (e.g., pyfygen) exist.
• Watch the output amplitude into 50 Ω vs. high-Z — many cheap AWGs spec into high-Z and halve the amplitude when terminated. This trips up beginners constantly.
• AWG memory depth is the spec to compare; "16 Mpts" vs. "1 Mpts" determines whether you can replay long captured waveforms.

Pick this if…

• Default hobby bench AWG, 2026: Siglent SDG1032X or Rigol DG1032Z.
• Cheapest credible dual-channel: Feeltech FY6900.
• One-instrument bench that already includes an AWG: Digilent Analog Discovery 3.
• Already own a Rigol/Siglent MSO: add the AWG option to that scope.
• Premium / production / arb-replay: Keysight 33600.
• Just need a DDS for a project: AD9833 module on Amazon.