Views: 0 Author: Fiberall Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd Publish Time: 2021-05-27 Origin: Sales & Marketing Department
With the development of on board diagnostic technology, more and more different obd2 car diagnostic scanners appear in the market. Such as Bluetooth 2.0 obd2 car diagnostic scanner, Bluetooth 4.0 obd2 car diagnostic scanner, Bluetooth 5.0 obd2 car diagnostic scanner, WiFi obd2 car diagnostic scanner, USB obd2 car diagnostic scanner and obd2 car diagnostic scanner with cable and screen and so on.
So which one is the best? Fiberall Technology hereby is trying to give you some useful reference information in our own way.
Here are the content list for this article:
1, Differences of obd2 car diagnostic scanners.
1.1 Appearance design
1.2 Communication mode
1.3 Compatibility
1.4 Function
2, How to choose the best obd2 car diagnostic scanners
2.1 Supported vehicle model
2.2 Compatible external device
2.3 Cost
2.4 Convenience
2.5 Brands
3, Maintenance of obd2 car diagnostic scanners
3.1 Upgrade function
3.2 After-sale service
4, Summary
This part mainly compares which OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is the best from four aspects: appearance design, communication mode, compatibility and function.
OBD2 car diagnostic scanner can be divided into two categories by appearance design: Mini type and handheld type. Generally speaking, the mini OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is smaller in appearance than the handheld one. The size of the product generally affects the plug and match.
Here we mainly discuss the size of mini type OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. The design with larger size is generally convenient to hold, and it is easy to control the strength when plugging. If the OBD2 slot on the car is deep, the larger OBD2 car diagnostic scanner can better and more fully contact the slot. It's also more convenient to plug and unplug. But that does not mean the bigger the better. The large OBD2 car diagnostic scanner takes up space, and its portability is slightly poor. What's more, in some occasions, the large OBD2 car diagnostic scanner will be mostly exposed outside the interface. It occupies large space, and will affect the convenience of the driver or front passengers.
In addition to size, other designs will also bring additional value and experience for OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. Such as the anti-skid design on the shell. The antiskid way on the shell is to increase the grain on the whole or part of the shell, or adopt the concave convex design matching the hand shape. When purchasing OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, you can see if you need this feature according to your own anti-skid needs.
The anti-skid design on OBD2 car diagnostic scanner also has a good auxiliary effect for plug and unplug. But in order to meet the higher requirements of plugging, Fiberall also has OBD2 car diagnostic scanners with a pull ring. That is, a pull ring is designed at the tail of the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. If the combination of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner and OBD2 slot is relatively strong, and it needs a lot of strength to pull it out, then this design is very necessary.
Many models of Fiberall OBD2 car diagnostic scanner have status indicator. Generally, it displays the status of power connection of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, communication between the car and the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, or the connection status between the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner and the mobile phone or computer. These indicators can make the user clearly understand the status of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. Some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners are not equipped with status indicator due to their size and design. You need to check whether you need it or not when buying.
Some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners are with auxiliary functions. Such as lighting which is equivalent to an emergency flashlight. It can be used in emergency when the light is not good.
Fiberall has several models of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner with switches. The switch here is generally used as a power switch. When users do not need to use OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, they can press the switch to stop it. In this way, power can be saved and no harm to battery. It can also ensure the safety of equipment and cars.
For the handheld OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, in addition to the conventional keys, some of them have a one key quick query key. Users can quickly diagnose and query through these buttons. It is fast and convenient to use, and there is no need to learn the operation.
At present, there are four main communication modes for obd2 car diagnostic scanner in the market: Bluetooth, WiFi, USB and OBD cable.
Both Bluetooth and WiFi can be called wireless. USB and OBD are wired. Among the four modes of communication, the one connected by the OBD cable is generally handheld, it is plug and play and do not require setting, installing app or external display device. USB connection is generally only applicable to the computer, you need to install software on the computer and make simple settings. Bluetooth or WiFi requires more complicated preparation. First of all, you need to install apps on mobile phones or other compatible devices, and then you need to make simple settings for Bluetooth or WiFi.
Some models of Fiberall obd2 car diagnostic scanner can support both wired and wireless communication modes. For example, V316 supports both OBDii and Bluetooth communication modes. Please refer to: https://www.fiberallobd.com/Handheld-Bluetooth-Auto-OBD-Diagnostic-Tool-Code-Reader-pd44967884.html
But there will be compatibility problems between different Bluetooth versions. We will talk about this in the next paragraph.
OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is not a 100% universal product. Its compatibility is related with three aspects:
OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is generally compatible with vehicles supporting OBD-II communication protocol. Generally speaking, most new cars after 1996 are equipped with standard OBD-II interface. However, with OBD-II interface does not mean that it is 100% compatible with all OBD2 car diagnostic scanners. Some of the OBD-II vehicles use unique communication protocol defined by the manufacturer. So some models may encounter compatibility problems. Fiberall's OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is compatible with the following standard OBD-II protocols:
1, SAE J1850 PWM (41.6Kbaud)
2, SAE J1850 VPW (10.4Kbaud)
3, ISO9141-2(5 baud init, 10.4Kbaud)
4, ISO14230-4 KWP (5 baud init, 10.4 Kbaud)
5, ISO14230-4 KWP (fast init, 10.4 Kbaud)
6, ISO15765-4 CAN (11bit ID, 500 Kbaud)
7, ISO15765-4 CAN (29bit ID, 500 Kbaud)
8, ISO15765-4 CAN (11bit ID, 250 Kbaud)
9, ISO15765-4 CAN (29bit ID, 250 Kbaud)
To confirm whether the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is compatible with the external device, we need to check the operating system and its version. For example, USB OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is generally compatible with Windows operating system, such as Windows XP, windows 7/8/10, etc. Bluetooth 2.0 OBD2 car diagnostic scanner generally supports Android and windows operating system. WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 and Bluetooth 5.0 is able to support more operating systems. They are able to work with Windows, iOS and Android operating systems. So when you purchase OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, you should know which external device you will use. And check its operating systems and versions.
If you choose the USB OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, the matching software is limited, so it is easy to choose. Such as ScanMaster-ELM, ScanTool.net, PCMSCAN and so on. However, if it is Bluetooth or WiFi OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, there are many apps for choice. And we need to consider the compatibility of app. Fiberall will recommend some Apps that has been verified to be compatible. If you have no special requirements, you choose the recommended app. Some apps are one-to-one bound with OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. If the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is not of the specified brand or model, it may not work.
Basic functions of most OBD2 car diagnostic scanners include reading fault codes, clearing trouble codes, displaying data streams, etc. Some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners support displaying the meaning of fault code. While some models only display fault codes and users need to check the meaning of fault codes separately.
Different apps can also provide different functions, such as: mileage fuel consumption, fuel cost, average speed, average fuel consumption, time consumption and other information; warning functions such as high water temperature warning, fatigue driving warning and speed warning and so on. These functions are not independently realized by OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, it must be realized by cooperating with app.
The handheld obd2 car diagnostic scanner is with more complete function than mini type. Besides the basic diagnostic functions, handheld type is also able to view freeze frame data, reading vehicle information, check I/M ready status and emission standard, and some models of handheld OBD 2 car diagnostic scanner can diagnose the car battery and support printing.
After understanding the above differences of OBD2 car diagnostic scanners, which OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is better? We need to consider from five aspects.
Supported communication protocols. This involves the compatibility of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. That is to say, when choosing the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, it is necessary to know whether the protocol supported by the car is consistent with that supported by the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. After 1996, most of the OBD2 models in the market support standard OBD-II protocol. If your car is a special model, we suggest you to confirm whether your car supports the standard OBD2 protocol. Here is a simple judgment method for your reference:
https://www.fiberallobd.com/Wireless-OBD2-Auto-Engine-Fault-Diagnostic-Code-Reader-pd46557364.html
Supported systems. For the three types of OBD2 car diagnostic scanners, Bluetooth, WiFi and USB, it is necessary to confirm the operating system and version equipped with the external device. We have arranged the following table for your reference:
Communication mode/Operating system | Windows | Android | iOS |
USB cable | Supported | ||
Bluetooth 2.0 | Supported | Compatible | |
Bluetooth 4.0 | Above Windows 8 | Workable | |
Bluetooth 5.0 | Unknow | Workable | |
WiFi | Supported | Compatible | Workable |
OBD-II cable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Note: Due to the update of the operating system version, some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners may not be able to support the latest version. If your external device is a relatively new version, you'd better confirm the compatibility with the supplier before purchasing.
The cost of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner should be considered in two aspects. One is the price of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner itself. Because each supplier's solution is different, material quality, process, function design and follow-up support are greatly different. So we can't judge the quality of products only from the price.
Some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners do not include apps. As far as the current market situation is concerned, the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner without app binding actually has its own advantages. Users can choose their favorite apps, and different apps can bring different experiences. But some apps need to pay. Therefore, this factor can also be taken into account when purchasing OBD2 car diagnostic scanner.
There is a Chinese saying that "you get what you pay for". It is better to determine what price you can afford according to your specific needs. There is no need to completely avoid low price products or blindly pursue high price products. The original intention of this article is to give you a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. So we can determine the ideal solution according to various factors.
OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is not a product worthy of in-depth study. We buy it in the hope that it can help us find and solve problems quickly. Therefore, Fiberall believes that simple and convenience are very important in choosing OBD2 car diagnostic scanner.
On the one hand, the design of the product and app should be simple. If it is very complex and needs a lot of time to learn and operate, it will bring great inconvenience to users. On the other hand, the using instructions for product, the connection of external device, the setting of app, and the test steps should be simple and clear. At the same time, it is better to choose the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner which operating system and manual are both in their native language. At present, Fiberall offers English, Chinese, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Dutch, etc. If you have special requirements on language, please feel free to let us know.
There are OBD2 car diagnostic scanner with different brands in the market. Generally speaking, the famous brand of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner is generally popular. Its famous is the result of the long-term favor of the market and users. But fame and quality may be not equal. Some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners are famous only because they are well advertised. There are some products with outstanding design and low cost, but not so well-known due to insufficient marketing.
Fiberall, for example, has long been committed to R&D, production and customization services. So our brand is not so famous. But in fact, many famous brands at home and abroad, such as FIXD, Response, Carly, Vgate, Mobilscan, Honeywell etc., have cooperated with us. Our partners have their own advantages. Some are specialized in solution development, some are good at developing apps, some have advantages in brand operation, some are professional in automobile information service, etc. They combine different advantages with our OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, and they all bring high-quality product, service or experience to users in different aspects. Therefore, brand is not the only factor to choose OBD2 car diagnostic scanner.
After understanding all aspects of products and suppliers, there is another aspect that cannot be ignored before purchasing OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. That is the upgrading and after-sales service.
Many versions of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner support upgrade. The upgrade here, on the one hand, is the upgrade of app, on the other hand, is the upgrade of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner operating system. Users should be familiar with the upgrade of the app. Updating the app in time can fix some problems in the old version, and also enable users to enjoy new functions in time. And the upgrade of the operating system is to let users have a better experience. For example, Fiberall V312, V313, V316 and other models with type-C interface support upgrades. After we publish the upgrade tool, users can upgrade OBD2 car diagnostic scanner by themselves. Some OBD2 car diagnostic scanners do not support upgrade, so you need to pay attention to it when purchasing.
In terms of after-sales, we need to check warranty period for the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. And we also need to check whether the supplier's after-sales and technical support is professional and timely. These can be judged from the product instructions, technical support on the website, and pre-sales technical consultation. Whether these things can be done professionally is also related to whether we can get effective and timely technical support after purchase.
Therefore, price and product introduction is not enough to make decision to buy the OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. It is necessary for us to consider product design, compatibility, convenience operation, cost, after-sales and other related things carefully. We suggest you read this article carefully before you decide to buy an OBD2 car diagnostic scanner. What suits you is the best. If you have any unclear questions about OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, you are also welcome to contact us for consultation. But please note that Fiberall is a manufacturer of OBD2 car diagnostic scanner, and our team mainly serves wholesaler, customized partners or other customers with R&D needs. We do not provide one-to-one services for end users at present.
