Buying Guide: EEG for Research
For labs, universities, UX research, and clinical studies. 8 devices compared.
Device Comparison
| Device | Channels | Electrode | Sampling Rate | Price | SDK Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyton + Ultracortex Mark IV OpenBCI | 8 Expandable to 16 with Daisy module | dry | 250 Hz | $1,000–$2,500 | LSLBrainFlowUnity |
| Diadem Bitbrain | 12 12 semi-dry channels | semi-dry | 256 Hz | contact | LSL |
| EPOC X EMOTIV | 14 14 channels + 2 reference; saline-based semi-dry | semi-dry | 256 Hz | $849–$999 | LSLBrainFlowUnity |
| Quick-20 Cognionics | 20 20 dry channels in standard 10-20 positions | dry | 500 Hz | $10,000–$25,000 | LSL |
| eego sports / eego mylab ANT Neuro | 64 32, 64, or 128 channel caps available | wet | 2048 Hz | $15,000–$60,000+ | LSL |
| LiveAmp Brain Products | 64 8, 32, or 64 channel configurations | wet | 1000 Hz | $20,000–$70,000+ | LSL |
| g.USBamp / g.Nautilus / g.HIamp g.tec medical engineering | 64 g.USBamp: 16ch, g.Nautilus: 8-64ch wireless, g.HIamp: up to 256ch | wet | 1200 Hz | $15,000–$100,000+ | LSLUnity |
| ActiveTwo BioSemi | 256 32, 64, 128, or 256 channel configurations | wet | 16384 Hz | $20,000–$80,000+ | LSL |
Decision Criteria
- Channel count vs. coverage. 8-channel systems cover motor/frontal cortex for BCI. 32+ channels enable full-scalp ERP studies. 64-256 channels required for source localization. More channels means longer setup and higher cost.
- Wet vs. dry electrodes. Wet (gel) electrodes deliver superior signal-to-noise but take 20-30 min to apply. Dry electrodes set up in minutes but degrade over sessions and struggle with hair. Semi-dry (saline) splits the difference.
- Sampling rate. 250 Hz is sufficient for standard ERP/BCI. 1000+ Hz needed for high-frequency oscillation research. BioSemi at 16,384 Hz is overkill for most labs but critical for auditory neuroscience.
- Data ecosystem. LSL support is essential for multi-modal synchronization. BrainFlow enables rapid prototyping in Python/C++. MATLAB integration matters for labs with existing analysis pipelines.
- Portability. Lab-only systems (BioSemi) maximize signal quality. Semi-portable (Brain Products LiveAmp, ANT Neuro eego sports) enable ecological research. Fully portable (Cognionics, OpenBCI) trade signal quality for field deployment.
Budget Tiers
Under $5K
Entry research -- open-source boards with research-grade potential
- Cyton + Ultracortex Mark IV (8ch, dry)
- EPOC X (14ch, semi-dry)
$5K -- $25K
Mid-range -- dry electrode systems, portable lab setups
- ActiveTwo (256ch, wet)
- eego sports / eego mylab (64ch, wet)
- LiveAmp (64ch, wet)
- g.USBamp / g.Nautilus / g.HIamp (64ch, wet)
- Quick-20 (20ch, dry)