10x Oscilloscope Probe

Measuring a higher-voltage signal directly can overload an oscilloscope's input or clip the displayed waveform, which is exactly what a 10x attenuation probe is built to prevent, scaling the measured signal down by a factor of ten before it reaches the scope's input circuitry. That tradeoff of reduced sensitivity for extended voltage range makes it the standard probe for measuring power supply rails, motor driver switching waveforms, and other signals that would be too large for a 1x probe to capture cleanly. Most of these probes include a switch to toggle between 1x and 10x modes, giving a bench the flexibility to measure both small and large signals with the same probe.