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Orbitrap LC-MS Comparison Chart
Choose from an extensive portfolio of Thermo Scientific high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) Orbitrap mass analyzers. Our Orbitrap-based MS systems connect to liquid chromatography instruments to enhance separation of unknown and known compounds and enable high-throughput workflows. Compare products below to find the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap LC-MS instruments that best meet your analysis needs.
Choose a high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) Orbitrap mass spectrometer that offers reliable screening performance with quantitative capability to take on more of your testing requirements that require confident, reportable results.
 |  | |
| Q Exactive Plus MS | Orbitrap Exploris 120 MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal Applications | Forensic Toxicology, Clinical Research, Food & Environmental Safety Research, Basic Academic Research, Sport Anti-Doping, Biopharma development, Metabolomics, Lipidomics | Forensic Toxicology, Clinical Research, Food & Environmental Safety Testing, Basic Academic Research, Targeted/semi-targeted Metabolomics, Pharmaceuticals |
| Analyses | Unknown identification & confirmation, non-targeted and targeted screening and targeted quantitation | |
| Next-generation ion source interface | N/A | Yes |
| Quick start methods for various applications | N/A | Yes |
| Drag-n-drop method setup user interface | N/A | Yes |
| AcquireX Intelligent data acquisition | N/A | |
| Standard Features | ||
| Resolving Power @ m/z 200 | 140,000 (up to 280,000 with BioPharma option) | 120,000 |
| Mass Accuracy (Internal Calibration) | <1 ppm with internal calibration | <1 ppm for at least 5 days with EASY-IC ion source |
| Calibration procedures | Traditional Calmix | One-click calibration with FlexMix calibration solution |
| Mass Range | m/z 50 - 6,000 (up to 8000 with BioPharma option) | m/z 40 - 3,000 |
| Scan Speed | 12 Hz | 22 Hz |
| Dynamic Range | Up to 5 orders | |
| Ion Source interface | IonMax with H-ESI II probe | OptaMax NG ion source |
| Polarity Switching | 1 Hz | 1.4 Hz |
| Multiplexing | 10 | 20 |
| Scan Functions | Full-MS, AIF, SIM, PRM, (t-MS2 for Orbitrap Exploris 120), DIA | |
| Dissociation | In-source CID, HCD | |
| Optional Upgrades | ||
| Intact Protein Mode | Yes | N/A |
| Enhanced Resolution Mode | Yes | N/A |
| Sources | APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources | APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources |
For more information
Choose the high performance, high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) Orbitrap mass spectrometer that's right for your translational research lab
 |  |  | ||
| Orbitrap Exploris 240 | Orbitrap Exploris 480 | Q Exactive UHMR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal Applications | Forensic Toxicology, Sport Anti-Doping, Food & Environmental Safety research and emerging contaminant testing, Extractables & Leachables, Academic Research, Biopharma development, Semi-targeted Metabolomics, Lipidomics, Clinical & Translational Research | Quantitative Proteomics, Protein Identification, Biopharma R&D, Clinical & Translational Research | Proteomics, Structural Biology, Protein Characterization | |
| Analyses | MS and MS/MS, Qual/Quan, Screening & Confirmation | MS and MS/MS, Screening & Confirmation | ||
| Advanced Data-Dependent Experiments | Precursor Fit | SureQuant, Precursor Fit, Boxcar Scanning | N/A | |
| Next-generation ion source interface | Yes | N/A | ||
| Quick start methods for various applications | Yes | N/A | ||
| Drag-and-drop method setup user interface | Yes | N/A | ||
| AcquireX intelligent data acquisition | Yes | N/A | ||
| Standard Features | ||||
| Resolving Power @ m/z 200 | 240,000 | 480,000 | 200,000 at m/z 400 | |
| Mass Accuracy (Internal Calibration) | <1 ppm for up to 5 days with EASY-IC ion source | <1 ppm internal calibration | ||
| Calibration procedures | One-click calibration with FlexMix calibration solution | Traditional Calmix | ||
| EASY-IC Ion Source | <1 ppm for up to 5 days | N/A | ||
| Dynamic Range | Up to 5 orders | |||
| Mass Range | m/z 40 - 6000 (up to 8000 with BioPharma option) | m/z 40 - 6000 (up to 8000 with BioPharma option) | m/z 350 - 80,000 | |
| Scan Speed | Up to 22 Hz | Up to 40 Hz | Up to 12 Hz (at resolution setting of 12,500 @ m/z 400 | |
| Polarity Switching | 1.4 Hz | (1 full cycle <1 sec) | ||
| Ion Source | OptaMax NG ion source | IonMax with H-ESI II probe | ||
| Multiplexing | Up to 20 precursors/scan | N/A | ||
| Scan Functions | FS, AIF, SIM, t-MS2, DIA, ddHCD | FS, AIF, MS/MS, pseudo-MS3 | ||
| Dissociation | In-source CID, HCD | In-source trapping, HCD | ||
| Optional Upgrades | ||||
| Intact Protein Mode | Yes | |||
| High Mass Rangen(HMRn, up to 8000 m/z) | Yes | N/A | ||
| Sources | FAIMS Pro Duo interface APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources VeriSpray PaperSpray Ion Source | APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources | ||
High-Field Asymmetric waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) can be used to optimize ion selectivity and reduce chemical backgrounds during mass spectrometry assays. FAIMS selectivity successfully prevents interferences from co-eluting compounds and increases signal to noise ratios by 100-fold or higher.
For more information
Choose the maximum performance Tribrid Orbitrap mass spectrometer that's right for your discovery lab
 |  |  |  | ||
| Orbitrap IQ-X Tribrid MS | Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid MS | Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid MS | Orbitrap Ascend Tribrid MS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal Applications | Small molecule characterization and elucidation research for applications such as Metabolomics, Drug development Met ID, Extactables and Leachables, Industrial Environmental Health and more | Multi-omics, TMT, Intact/top-down proteomics, Targeted Quantification, Protein-Protein Crosslinking | Multi-omics, TMT, Intact/top-down proteomics, Targeted Quantification, Protein-Protein Crosslinking, NativeOmics, LC-top-down mass spectrometry, Biotherapeutics | Multi-omics, TMT, Intact/top-down proteomics, Targeted Quantification, Protein-Protein Crosslinking, NativeOmics, LC-top-down mass spectrometry, Biotherapeutics, and new modalities | |
| Analyses | MS and MSn, Qualitative and Quantitative, Profiling, screening, and targeted consistently cap or uncap | ||||
| Advanced Data-Dependent Experiments | Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Intelligent MSn with Real-Time Library Search and Library builder | SPS MS3, Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Quantitation/Confirmation Acquisition, SureQuant | Real-Time Search SPS MS3, Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Quantitation/Confirmation Acquisition, SureQuant, Precursor Fit Filter | Real-Time Search & Real-Time Library Search for small molecules & peptides, Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Quantitation/Confirmation Acquisition, SureQuant, Precursor Fit Filter | |
| AcquireX Acquisition Tool | Requires Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Tribrid Series 4.2 SP1QF1, 3.1 or greater | ||||
| Optional Upgrades | |||||
| EASY-ETD HD | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| UVPD Laser | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| High Mass Rangen (HMRn, up to 8,000 m/z) | No | up to m/z 8000 | up to m/z 16000 | ||
| Proton Transfer Charge Reduction (PTCR) | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| EASY-IC Ion Source | Yes | Yes | |||
| 1M Resolution | Yes | Yes | No | ||
| FAIMS Pro Duo Interface | Yes | ||||
 | |||||
| Comprehensive solutions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pesticide Explorer Learn about this comprehensive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) solution designed to enhance productivity and efficiency using start-to-finish workflows for routine quantitation and pesticide residue screening of food matrices. | |||||
| VetDrugs Explorer Collection Learn about this comprehensive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) solution that includes all the essential components for accurate and efficient routine screening or sensitive quantitation of veterinary drugs and antibiotics in food matrices. | |||||
| Automated workflows with uSPE for GC and LC and the TriPlus RSH autosampler Learn about this reliable and high-throughput workflow that automates clean-up of QuEChERS extracts using the cartridge based Thermo Scientific micro-Solid Phase Extraction (µSPE) with subsequent analysis by GC-MS or LC-MS. This µSPE capability, is available for the Thermo Scientific TriPlus RSH Autosampler and LC systems. | |||||
Single-cell proteomics is now a reality
Single-cell proteomics is now a reality
By collaborating with the scientific community, Thermo Fisher Scientific has developed innovations that allow you to perform single-cell proteomics analysis. Access our collection of materials dedicated to single-cell proteomics, including white papers, webinars, poster notes, and more.
For more information
Choose a high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) Orbitrap mass spectrometer that offers reliable screening performance with quantitative capability to take on more of your testing requirements that require confident, reportable results.
| | |
| Q Exactive Plus MS | Orbitrap Exploris 120 MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal Applications | Forensic Toxicology, Clinical Research, Food & Environmental Safety Research, Basic Academic Research, Sport Anti-Doping, Biopharma development, Metabolomics, Lipidomics | Forensic Toxicology, Clinical Research, Food & Environmental Safety Testing, Basic Academic Research, Targeted/semi-targeted Metabolomics, Pharmaceuticals |
| Analyses | Unknown identification & confirmation, non-targeted and targeted screening and targeted quantitation | |
| Next-generation ion source interface | N/A | Yes |
| Quick start methods for various applications | N/A | Yes |
| Drag-n-drop method setup user interface | N/A | Yes |
| AcquireX Intelligent data acquisition | N/A | |
| Standard Features | ||
| Resolving Power @ m/z 200 | 140,000 (up to 280,000 with BioPharma option) | 120,000 |
| Mass Accuracy (Internal Calibration) | <1 ppm with internal calibration | <1 ppm for at least 5 days with EASY-IC ion source |
| Calibration procedures | Traditional Calmix | One-click calibration with FlexMix calibration solution |
| Mass Range | m/z 50 - 6,000 (up to 8000 with BioPharma option) | m/z 40 - 3,000 |
| Scan Speed | 12 Hz | 22 Hz |
| Dynamic Range | Up to 5 orders | |
| Ion Source interface | IonMax with H-ESI II probe | OptaMax NG ion source |
| Polarity Switching | 1 Hz | 1.4 Hz |
| Multiplexing | 10 | 20 |
| Scan Functions | Full-MS, AIF, SIM, PRM, (t-MS2 for Orbitrap Exploris 120), DIA | |
| Dissociation | In-source CID, HCD | |
| Optional Upgrades | ||
| Intact Protein Mode | Yes | N/A |
| Enhanced Resolution Mode | Yes | N/A |
| Sources | APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources | APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources |
For more information
Choose the high performance, high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) Orbitrap mass spectrometer that's right for your translational research lab
| | | ||
| Orbitrap Exploris 240 | Orbitrap Exploris 480 | Q Exactive UHMR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal Applications | Forensic Toxicology, Sport Anti-Doping, Food & Environmental Safety research and emerging contaminant testing, Extractables & Leachables, Academic Research, Biopharma development, Semi-targeted Metabolomics, Lipidomics, Clinical & Translational Research | Quantitative Proteomics, Protein Identification, Biopharma R&D, Clinical & Translational Research | Proteomics, Structural Biology, Protein Characterization | |
| Analyses | MS and MS/MS, Qual/Quan, Screening & Confirmation | MS and MS/MS, Screening & Confirmation | ||
| Advanced Data-Dependent Experiments | Precursor Fit | SureQuant, Precursor Fit, Boxcar Scanning | N/A | |
| Next-generation ion source interface | Yes | N/A | ||
| Quick start methods for various applications | Yes | N/A | ||
| Drag-and-drop method setup user interface | Yes | N/A | ||
| AcquireX intelligent data acquisition | Yes | N/A | ||
| Standard Features | ||||
| Resolving Power @ m/z 200 | 240,000 | 480,000 | 200,000 at m/z 400 | |
| Mass Accuracy (Internal Calibration) | <1 ppm for up to 5 days with EASY-IC ion source | <1 ppm internal calibration | ||
| Calibration procedures | One-click calibration with FlexMix calibration solution | Traditional Calmix | ||
| EASY-IC Ion Source | <1 ppm for up to 5 days | N/A | ||
| Dynamic Range | Up to 5 orders | |||
| Mass Range | m/z 40 - 6000 (up to 8000 with BioPharma option) | m/z 40 - 6000 (up to 8000 with BioPharma option) | m/z 350 - 80,000 | |
| Scan Speed | Up to 22 Hz | Up to 40 Hz | Up to 12 Hz (at resolution setting of 12,500 @ m/z 400 | |
| Polarity Switching | 1.4 Hz | (1 full cycle <1 sec) | ||
| Ion Source | OptaMax NG ion source | IonMax with H-ESI II probe | ||
| Multiplexing | Up to 20 precursors/scan | N/A | ||
| Scan Functions | FS, AIF, SIM, t-MS2, DIA, ddHCD | FS, AIF, MS/MS, pseudo-MS3 | ||
| Dissociation | In-source CID, HCD | In-source trapping, HCD | ||
| Optional Upgrades | ||||
| Intact Protein Mode | Yes | |||
| High Mass Rangen(HMRn, up to 8000 m/z) | Yes | N/A | ||
| Sources | FAIMS Pro Duo interface APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources VeriSpray PaperSpray Ion Source | APCI/APPI Combination Ion Source EASY-Spray Sources Nanospray Flex Ion Sources | ||
High-Field Asymmetric waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) can be used to optimize ion selectivity and reduce chemical backgrounds during mass spectrometry assays. FAIMS selectivity successfully prevents interferences from co-eluting compounds and increases signal to noise ratios by 100-fold or higher.
For more information
Choose the maximum performance Tribrid Orbitrap mass spectrometer that's right for your discovery lab
| | | | ||
| Orbitrap IQ-X Tribrid MS | Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid MS | Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid MS | Orbitrap Ascend Tribrid MS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal Applications | Small molecule characterization and elucidation research for applications such as Metabolomics, Drug development Met ID, Extactables and Leachables, Industrial Environmental Health and more | Multi-omics, TMT, Intact/top-down proteomics, Targeted Quantification, Protein-Protein Crosslinking | Multi-omics, TMT, Intact/top-down proteomics, Targeted Quantification, Protein-Protein Crosslinking, NativeOmics, LC-top-down mass spectrometry, Biotherapeutics | Multi-omics, TMT, Intact/top-down proteomics, Targeted Quantification, Protein-Protein Crosslinking, NativeOmics, LC-top-down mass spectrometry, Biotherapeutics, and new modalities | |
| Analyses | MS and MSn, Qualitative and Quantitative, Profiling, screening, and targeted consistently cap or uncap | ||||
| Advanced Data-Dependent Experiments | Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Intelligent MSn with Real-Time Library Search and Library builder | SPS MS3, Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Quantitation/Confirmation Acquisition, SureQuant | Real-Time Search SPS MS3, Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Quantitation/Confirmation Acquisition, SureQuant, Precursor Fit Filter | Real-Time Search & Real-Time Library Search for small molecules & peptides, Universal Method, Product Ion & Neutral Loss Triggered-MSn, Isolation offset, Quantitation/Confirmation Acquisition, SureQuant, Precursor Fit Filter | |
| AcquireX Acquisition Tool | Requires Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Tribrid Series 4.2 SP1QF1, 3.1 or greater | ||||
| Optional Upgrades | |||||
| EASY-ETD HD | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| UVPD Laser | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| High Mass Rangen (HMRn, up to 8,000 m/z) | No | up to m/z 8000 | up to m/z 16000 | ||
| Proton Transfer Charge Reduction (PTCR) | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| EASY-IC Ion Source | Yes | Yes | |||
| 1M Resolution | Yes | Yes | No | ||
| FAIMS Pro Duo Interface | Yes | ||||
| |||||
| Comprehensive solutions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pesticide Explorer Learn about this comprehensive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) solution designed to enhance productivity and efficiency using start-to-finish workflows for routine quantitation and pesticide residue screening of food matrices. | |||||
| VetDrugs Explorer Collection Learn about this comprehensive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) solution that includes all the essential components for accurate and efficient routine screening or sensitive quantitation of veterinary drugs and antibiotics in food matrices. | |||||
| Automated workflows with uSPE for GC and LC and the TriPlus RSH autosampler Learn about this reliable and high-throughput workflow that automates clean-up of QuEChERS extracts using the cartridge based Thermo Scientific micro-Solid Phase Extraction (µSPE) with subsequent analysis by GC-MS or LC-MS. This µSPE capability, is available for the Thermo Scientific TriPlus RSH Autosampler and LC systems. | |||||
Single-cell proteomics is now a reality
Single-cell proteomics is now a reality
By collaborating with the scientific community, Thermo Fisher Scientific has developed innovations that allow you to perform single-cell proteomics analysis. Access our collection of materials dedicated to single-cell proteomics, including white papers, webinars, poster notes, and more.
For more information
Definition of terms
Resolution: Frequently reported in full width at half maximum (FWHM), resolution is the separation of two mass spectrometry peaks and is calculated as the mass of a peak (M) divided by resolving power (∆M).
Mass accuracy: Expressed in parts per million, this value indicates how much an instrument deviates from a known standard or calibrant.
Scan rate: Measured in hertz, the scan rate of an MS indicates how quickly it scans a mass spectrum.
Polarity switch: The collection of both positive and negative sample ionization data (spectra) by the ion trap during a single MS analysis. Polarity switching is applied to the study of drugs, drug metabolites, pesticides, etc.
PRM: Parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) is a targeted method of high resolution MS quantification in which a full scan of each precursor ion transition is monitored; i.e., all fragments derived from the precursor ion are monitored. In contrast, single reaction monitoring (SRM) performs one transition monitoring at a time.
Multiplex: The ability of a mass analyzer to acquire data from multiple precursor ions in the same scan without compromising high signal-to-noise ratio.
MSn: Also termed tandem MS, the use of multiple stage MS to capture product ion spectra of a defined m/z, where n is the number of recorded product ion stages.
ETD: Electron transfer dissociation (ETD) results in the fragmentation of the peptide backbone of MS samples, simplifying identification of peptide modification sites.
Synchronous MS3: A method of quantitation that involves simultaneous selection of several MS2 precursors for MS3 analysis and is often used during TMT and iTRAQ experiments.
LC-MS webinar series
Expand your application knowledge
Our LC-MS on-demand webinar series expands your application knowledge for pharma, biopharma, environmental, omics, food, forensics and clinical research and more. Learn how the latest high-performance mass spectrometry solutions can enable your laboratory to solve your most pressing analytical challenges, regardless of sample type.