Andonstar AN249 vs Linkmicro LM249 vs TOMLOV DM602 - Digital Microscope Comparison Episode 2

The Microscope Giveaway has ended, thanks for participating! Please see the pinned comment on the video for the winner.

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Digital Microscope Comparison Round 2
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This is the second installment in the Digital Microscope Comparison Series.

After the first video, Linkmicro ( @linkmicro_official5139 )reached out to send one of their microscopes to me for a review. I let them know I would be tearing down the microscope and giving it the same level of scrutiny as the first video, and they still agreed to send it. I purchased the other two microscopes from Amazon for this comparison.

Linkmicro sent their LM249MS Digital microscope, a microscope with a built-in 10-inch monitor and three interchangeable lenses for different types of microscope work. I purchased the Andonstar AD249S-M and the TOMLOV DM602 for comparison, since they all looked very similar to me. I wanted to know if they are all essentially the same inside, or if they are differences.

Watch the video to see what I found out!

Timestamps to help you navigate the video:
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0:00 - Introduction to video
0:40 - Linkmicro LM249 unboxing and assembly
3:08 - TOMLOV DM602 unboxing
3:45 - Andonstar AN249 unboxing
4:35 - Initial power-on
4:44 - Comparison: Power Consumption
5:32 - Comparison: Menus and settings
6:20 - Comparison: Included accessories
8:31 - Comparison: A Lens
10:18 - Comparison: D Lens
11:40 - Comparison: L Lens
13:18 - Lens comparison and magnification results
13:30 - Sonic chip with D Lens
14:02 - Slide holder with Pine stem, D Lens
14:19 - D Lens vibration testing
15:11 - Linkmicro Teardown
16:13 - Mainboard inspection
17:11 - Novatek NT96663 CPU
18:20 - TOMLOV Teardown
18:53 - Andonstar Teardown
19:33 - Internal components comparison table
19:43 - TOMLOV mainboard installed on Andonstar Monitor
19:54 - Image Sensor: Teardown
20:33 - Image Sensor: Under the microscope
21:16 - Image Sensor: Comparison
21:28 - Image Sensor: Datasheets
22:32 - Photo comparison in Inkscape
23:22 - Quality and Sharpness comparison
22:34 - Internal components comparison table, V2
24:02 - Company History: Andonstar
25:17 - Company History: TOMLOV
27:18 - Company History: Linkmicro
27:42 - Final Thoughts

Amazon Affiliate Links for Microscopes
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(Please note that I get a % of sales made from using these links. Thanks for your support!)

Link to all Microscopes: 🔬

❗NOTE❗: 11/20/2023 - There are currently some great deals on these microscopes for Black Friday.

*Andonstar AD246S-M - 7 Inch
*Andonstar AD249S-M - 10 Inch
*LinkMicro LM246MS - 7 Inch
*LinkMicro LM249MS - 10 Inch
*TOMLOV DM601 - 7 Inch
*TOMLOV DM602 - 10 Inch

I also found two other brands on Amazon that appear to be the same microscopes as the three I looked at. I haven't confirmed this, but I would be very surprised if they were different.

*Elikliv EDM601 - 7 Inch
*Elikliv EDM602 - 10 Inch
*JOYALENS JL246MS - 7 Inch
*JOYALENS JL249MS - 10 Inch

*I’d recommend checking all of the available listings to determine which microscope is cheapest at that time. You can also check out my Amazon Affiliate storefront for other items that I use on a regular basis.

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Update: The Giveaway has ended!
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Follow these three simple steps if you want to enter to win the Linkmicro LM249 (worldwide shipping included):

1) Like the video 👍
2) Hit the subscribe button 😁
3) Leave a comment! 💬

Here’s some suggestions for comments to help you out if you need it.
What did you like or dislike about the video?
What would you use the microscope for if you had it?
What’s your best electronics/engineering joke?

That’s it! I’ll choose a winner at random from the pool of entrants after the entry period closes, which is one week from this video’s launch, Monday 11/27/2023 at midnight CST. Winner will be announced shortly after. Good Luck!

[_rgvt]

I know nothing of this but it's cool to look into things up close and maybe fun to know how to fix phones and do micro soldering with a bit of fires 🔥

[drelephanttube]

One thing to note is that the 7" version of these microscopes can output HDMI and the built-in screen simultaneously. The 10" ones can not do that, the built-in screen turns off when HDMI is connected. I bought an AD246SM and quite happy with it.

[logintoview]

It's really nice to see a real side by side by side 😅 comparison. They look quite similar at a glance, so it's good to see good attention to detail between them.

[Platoface]

Thank you for this review. I bought the Tomlov but mine is will be mainly for knife sharpening. Plus I’m nearing 60 and eases strain on general use when needing magnification.

[macfixer]

Your comparison videos have been very thorough. It really helps seeing actual images side by side to cut through all the misleading resolution claims and hype. Thanks!

[drmohammedalmasri]

The amount of data and information that is packed up in this video (and probably your videos in general, since I'm new here) is amazing!! Keep the superb job! Loved it..

[drelectronics]

Best thing you did before sponsoring video is, asking for tearing apart as its the only way to see differences when they all look same from outside 👍

[fmphotooffice]

These entry level scopes for SMD work are remarkably inexpensive. Thanks for the thorough research. Makes buying one a much more informed decision.

[benoitdumez]

Whow! Impressive comparative review!
Those are really useful to see things like bonding (damaged?) or default on IC's surface (ESD?).
I would definitely use it for personal project to solder small components like 0.5mm pitch IC's!

[_ATHONOR]

I started trying to design my own open source Microscope using a Raspberry Pi and a HQ Cam (not got round to finishing it as got distracted!). Wonder how it would compare cost wise and technical capabilities..😅

[nvt]

Have you tried reading the spi flash and copying over the firmware from the linkmicro to the other ones? maybe the wifi can be enabled on the others. That said, it would be interesting if there are other software features, which could be enabled/disabled.

[GwoopyLeggc]

Grateful for quality content. These are perfect soldering microscopes like you said!

[Praxia]

What a wonderfully detailed comparison review - so well done! Thank you!

[samdeen]

Love this quality & details of review, comparisons & test!!

[lomeranger]

I'm looking for a digital microscope for both smd workflow and photo microscopy. My first questions are about artifacts and what file formats the scope can output preferring RAW format. Since the sensor is only 4MP it's a pass for me.

I would be interested to see a stepped gradient from black to white to see it's dynamic range and how it deals with contrast.

This is the first video I've seen of yours and the depth you go into is more than I usually ask for and entirely enjoyable. Thanks.

[gotdsm]

Great review! Love watching your videos on tiktok I will now watch the morning in-depth videos on here.

[RobertCatiller]

More than just a comparison review, a frigging autopsy and very much appreciated! Very helpful!

[beltonator]

How do You think. It's worth to buy, or better to choose microscope only hdmi? There are price diffenrence no screen but better sensor like imx335.

[martinsk]

It would be a great helper with my projects and repairs, especially microsoldering tiny SMDs

[ProtonOne]

Thank you for the very good review and confirming that they don't really provide a high pixel sensor.
One thing that i would have liked to see is a delay measurement. For working (soldering) directly under a microscope, having even a small delay can be pretty annoying.
I think the test could be very simple, take a LED flashlight and switch it on, and see how long the difference is between the switching and the image on the screen changing. If you use a digital camera in high frame rate mode, you should be able to measure the delay down to a few milliseconds.
I currently still prefer optical binocular microscopes for soldering, because the first digital ones i tested were lagging way too much, but maybe the newer ones with more powerful processing have less image lag?