1. Basic Function — What Do They Both Do?

At a high level, both power splitters and power dividers are passive RF components designed to:

• Take one input signal

• Split it into two or more output signals

• Maintain specific impedance (typically 50Ω or 75Ω)

• Preserve signal integrity as much as possible

These devices are commonly used in test setups, antenna feeds, distributed antenna systems (DAS), and signal monitoring setups.

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2. Terminology: Marketing vs. Engineering

In commercial catalogs and datasheets, the terms are often used based on convention:

• Power Divider is usually the preferred term in engineering literature and technical discussions.

• Power Splitter tends to be more common in marketing or general usage.

So, are they exactly the same? Not always.

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3. The Subtle Technical Difference

The key difference often comes down to design intent and internal structure.

Feature	Power Divider	Power Splitter
Engineering Focus	Precise impedance matching, low insertion loss	General signal distribution
Internal Design	Can be resistive or reactive (Wilkinson, T-junction, etc.)	Often resistive (3-resistor network)
Isolation Between Ports	Often higher in reactive designs (e.g., Wilkinson)	Lower in resistive splitters
Application	Lab setups, phased array systems, balanced feeds	Surveillance systems, cable TV, consumer RF setups

A Wilkinson power divider, for instance, provides excellent isolation between output ports — a big advantage in measurement systems where you don’t want signals to interfere with each other. A basic resistive splitter, on the other hand, is simpler, cheaper, and works just fine for less critical applications, though with more insertion loss.