“where cheap is chic” — wisebread
Also see our full Microscopes review:
  1. Cheap Microscopes, Best Cheap Microscope
  2. Microscopes Reviews
  3. Discount Microscopes Features Comparison Table

A good cheap microscope is an excellent learning aid for a child or a useful tool for a hobbyist or a professional who needs to document or inspect small objects. There are several important features to look for in a good cheap microscope. The first is the type of microscope -- traditional (like the one you probably used in high school) or digital (you'll need to hook this up to a computer). Next is magnification, which indicates how many times larger an object will appear when viewing through the microscope. Accessory kits are handy and most elaborate in the traditional microscope segment; accessory kits often include prepared slides, Petri dishes, experiment instructions, and so on. For cheap digital microscopes, camera resolution specifies the number of pixels that are used to render an image of the object on a computer screen or in print. Digital microscopes are powered by a computer and do not need batteries.

Traditional/ Digital Magnification Accessory Kit Batteries Digital Camera Resolution Mac support (Digital)
Traditional: My First Lab Duo-Scope estimated price $64
Traditional 4x, 10x, 40x, 100x, 400x Elaborate 3 AA batteries required N/A N/A
Traditional: Thames & Kosmos Biology TK2 636815 estimated price $80
Traditional 4x, 10x, 40x, 100x, 400x Elaborate 3 AA batteries required N/A N/A
Digital: Digital Blue QX5 estimated price $100
Digital 10x, 60x, 200x Medium None VGA 640 x 480 Mac software must be purchased separately
Digital: Carson Zorb MM-480 estimated price $40
Digital 35x Simple None VGA 640 x 480 Yes
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