Choosing PXI vs CompactRIO for your test system

PXI and CompactRIO solve different problems. PXI excels where you need high channel counts, instrument-grade measurements and rack or test-cell deployment. CompactRIO shines where deterministic control sits close to the asset under test and the loop rate must be set by hardware rather than an operating system. This note walks through the trade-offs in timing, I/O and lifecycle so you can match the platform to the job rather than the other way round.