Really? How much more would it cost?
A 1104X-E with 16bit DAC for +200 bucks? Don't you think this would be a self-seller?
Maybe in most cases this will not be necessary at all, but thinking of audio measurements or even DC measurements, maybe as an option for only <100 kHz?
OK, my workaround is a DMM || Scope (easy done with BNC-T). I found this 3-digit "voltmeter" in the MSO5k a very useful option, but more accuracy would be better.
First, they are not DAC they are ADC,
Example one 1GSa/s 16bit ADC, Texas Instruments ADS54J60 ADC 1pcs chip price is more than whole brand new SDS1104X-E oscilloscope in box delivered to you, Oscilloscope price is lot of more than just BOM.
And when you rise width from 8 bit to 16 bit do you have any imagine what all need do than just change ADC. Nearly everthing.
After then I ask, related to normal use of oscilloscope, for what.
Yes there is special need where we need high true resolution but who need it, where and for what.
Btw, try make normal 1Mohh wide BW analog front, say example DC to 200-400MHz for 16bit ADC full resolution so that really can say these couple of lowest bits are not just for noise. It can but it really is not cheap. Start thinking from thermal noise... and continue to... blab la..
So, or so, this and that... but...
But if we move decimal point in price... perhaps something can do. Still MOST of things in electronics where we use oscilloscope can do with 8bit ADC's. Even these need first improve to near 8bit ENOB and front ends so that also LSB is even somehow meaningful. 8bit ADC scopes can improve lot of - with money, before even need rise ADC resolution. Look example Owon 12 bit elcheapo scopes. What they give... yes salesmans can print some miraculous images to shining sales brochures and thats nealy all... ENOB is berely just over 8bit perhaps.
!! Why not ask improve of 8 bit scopes front end and sampling performance from 4-5-6-7 bit to near 8bit in all front end voltage ranges.
Example in SDS1104X-E 500uV/div p-p noise is around 1/10 of F.S. with full BW. And it is guite good in its price range.
Lot of better than some cheap Keysight, or Riglol where situation is much more bad.
Perhaps this tell something about price vs resolution.
Perfectly same scope in China, 1GHz 4ch scope with 12 bit ADC price is around 200 000 CNY.
And same scope with 10bit ADC but other ways perfectly all same, price is around 90 000 CNY
And they are not even expensive.
Think about it, two bits! How about if proportionally add again 2 bit and again 2 bit, then it is 16 bit. (no it do not go so but for imagine something)
Of course if reduce something and rise bits, perhaps can do without this rise of price.
And total is not question about ADC price, you need think all. How about display... do you want also it have 16 bit vertical, 8k UHD have 4320 vertical pix but 16bit need 65536... and naturally fast wfm/s. Welcome to dreamers club. Naturally 16 bit, 14, 12 etc... they are useful also without full image resolution for these.
Memories, bus structure, and processing power aka brute force for handle this data.