Temperature and humidity sensor comparison
Remeasured
© Lead Image © Jian Fan, 123RF.com
Any application that collects a large number of measurements is bound to have some anomalous measurements, but good sensor breakouts should not output such values all the time. We tested eight temperature and humidity sensors for accuracy.
The data sheets of common temperature and humidity sensors tend to brag about accuracies in the range of a tenth of a degree. A closer look at 21 cases with eight different sensors shows which claims are true and which are just hot air from marketing.
It isn't complicated to wire up a sensor and read the values cyclically. If you've ever done so, you've probably had the feeling at some point that the numbers didn't add up. Deploying a second device only adds to the confusion, with deviations of up two units, which quickly gives rise to suspicions that your sensor lacks quality or was just too cheap, leaving you to wonder whether mysteriously high measured values are the result of a poor product or if the data sheets are incorrect.
I looked into both lines of thought and try to offer some recommendations. Up to four examples of eight common sensor devices lined up to face the test (Figure 1). Most devices are from BerryBase or Pimoroni and some of them have been around for quite a while. Table 1 shows an overview of the features, technical values, and prices.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.