USB digital microscope: see the trace before you put the iron down

A torn trace on a Game Boy Advance board, a cold joint on an IPS screen connector, a leaking SMD capacitor on a PS1: to the naked eye, you see nothing, you guess. This USB digital microscope sends the magnified image to a PC, Mac or Android smartphone screen, with an adjustable ring of 8 LEDs that lights the area without casting shadows. You look at the screen, not the board.

What it does

• Inspection before repair: spot a cut trace, a solder bridge, a cold joint or a trace of corrosion before heating anything.
• 1080p sensor: the image goes via USB to the screen you already use, with no extra box or screen to buy.
• Ring of 8 LEDs: the light comes from the lens axis, which removes the shadow of the iron and your finger on the area being viewed.
• Reading markings: identify an SMD component reference, a fuse number or a polarity mark that is unreadable to the naked eye.
• Three platforms: the supplier states Windows, Mac and Android. There is no hardware to install: it is a USB camera.

What it doesn't do

• It is not a stereo microscope. The image is monocular and displayed on a screen, so it has no depth and a slight lag: soldering under the lens takes practice. For inspection and checking, it is perfect; for continuous fine rework, a binocular microscope remains more comfortable.
• The advertised magnification is not an optical value. The supplier's original title claims “1600X” while its own technical sheet states “500X to 1500X”: it is a digital figure that depends on the size of your screen and the cropping. We therefore do not present either figure as a guarantee.
• No built-in screen and no battery: you need a computer or phone switched on and connected to use it. The supplier confirms there is no battery.
• iPhone and iPad are not in the stated compatibility. On Android, USB OTG support is required — not all phones have it.
• Plastic body, entry-level workshop product: no micrometric stage, no polarised ring light, no motorised focus.

Compatibility

A generic workshop tool: it does not mount on any console and does not depend on any model. It works on anything that ends up on the workbench — Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, PS1, PS2 and Dreamcast boards, modern handheld consoles, arcade sticks, USB encoders, ribbon cables and connectors. On the computer side, the supplier states Windows, Mac and Android; on Android, the phone must support USB OTG. iOS is not stated and we do not promise it. Declared certifications: CE, FCC, RoHS.

Skill level required

No prerequisites for the tool: plug in the USB, open the camera app, adjust the focus wheel. It is the work around it that requires experience. To be bought separately: a computer or an Android phone with USB OTG support, a temperature-controlled soldering iron, solder, flux, desoldering braid and something to hold the board — a helping hand or a soldering mat. Usage tip: start by observing, set the height and focus with nothing under the lens, then practise the technique on a dead board before working on a console you care about.

In the box

• 1 USB digital microscope with a ring of 8 LEDs, supplier reference X4D.
• It connects via USB to the computer or phone.
• The exact details of the stand and accessories are not specified by the supplier. We prefer to say so rather than announce contents we don't have.
• No battery, no screen, no computer, no soldering iron: none of these are supplied.

Read before ordering: Console accessories

Delivery in 10 to 18 days · ships within 3 to 5 days · 2-year legal guarantee of conformity · 14-day returns.