An analog meter's physical components are more susceptible to wear and damage.
A meter measures the magnitude of one of a wide variety of quantities. Depending on a meter's specific design, it can measure electricity, energy, force or volume. Simple meters are composed of a numbered display and a physical needle or pointer that moves across the display in accordance with the amount of energy applied to it. Meters of this type are termed analog meters. Digital meters, which accomplish the same types of measurements, do so with an electronic display instead of a pointer. When the digital meter measures a quantity, that quantity is displayed in numbers on its screen.
Accuracy
With an analog meter, slight changes in the needle's position relative to the numbered display behind it can make its readout inaccurate and difficult. The viewing angle can also affect the observer's perception of which numbers the needle points to. Damage to the needle or other moving parts can also cause an inaccurate reading. The digital readout of a digital meter circumvents all of these concerns by displaying a precise readout in digital numeric form.
Portability and Durability
Digital meters, which use circuitry to measure quantities, can be nearly any practical size. This feature makes them potentially more portable than their analog counterparts, which are limited in scale by their need to house mechanical components.
Increased portability necessitates increased durability. Because digital meters contain fewer or no exposed moving parts, there is less danger of damage, which could lead to inaccurate readings. An analog meter struck improperly or by too strong a force is more likely to suffer damage to its moving parts.
Calibration
Analog meters are calibrated mechanically. Over time, the process of calibrating an analog meter can stress its moving parts, moving them too far from their original positions relative to each other to provide accurate readings. A digital meter is calibrated by exposing it to a neutral, or zero-level, signal and then setting the readout to zero. This is typically accomplished with the push of a button, which sends a signal to the meter to reset the readout.
Surge Protection
Electronics-related digital meters have built-in overload protection that is uncommon in analog meters. The components of an analog meter will burn out if exposed to too strong an electrical load. A protected digital meter is protected from the same load.
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