For DNA, RNA or protein samples that are 100% pure, the results obtained on the Thermo Scientific™ NanoDrop™ One Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer and the Invitrogen Qubit 4 Fluorometer would be identical for samples within their dynamic ranges. However, few samples are 100% pure.

As a bundled offering, the NanoDrop One Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer and the Qubit 4 Fluorometer together allow you to obtain the most complete information about the concentration and quality of your DNA, RNA or protein samples—helping to prevent costly troubleshooting downstream. While both the NanoDrop One spectrophotometer and the Qubit 4 fluorometer offer accurate measurements of DNA, RNA and protein samples, each also has its unique advantages.

NanoDrop One Spectrophotometer
Cited in more than 30,000 publications, the NanoDrop UV-Vis microvolume spectrophotometers have fundamentally changed the way scientists evaluate nucleic acid and protein samples by minimizing the need for large sample volumes.

The next generation NanoDrop One Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer utilizes innovative Thermo Scientific Acclaro™ Sample Intelligence technology that identifies contaminants, provides corrected concentration values and helps you understand the quality of your sample before you use it in downstream applications.

Qubit 4 Fluorometer
The Qubit 4 Fluorometer is a cutting-edge benchtop device that accurately measures DNA, RNA, and protein quantity, and now also RNA integrity and quality, using the highly sensitive Qubit assays.

For all Qubit assays, the concentration or quality of the target molecule in the sample is reported by a fluorescent dye that emits a signal only when bound to the target, which minimizes the effects of contaminants on the result. The easy-to-use touchscreen menus make it easy to select and run the assays you need, with results displayed in just a few seconds.

Comparison of the NanoDrop One spectrophotometer and Qubit 4 Fluorometer

NanoDrop One Spectrophotometer		Qubit 4 Fluorometer
Fast and simple. Allows for direct measurement of purified samples with no dilutions required.	Overview	Sensitive and specific. Accurately measures concentration whether dsDNA, ssDNA, total RNA, microRNA or protein— even in the presence of contaminants.
UV absorbance	Technology	Fluorescence
Pipette sample onto pedestal; measure.	Workflow	Mix sample with reagents, incubate for 2–5 minutes, read.
Routine quantitation and qualification of DNA, RNA and proteins	Applications	Routine samples and with very dilute or difficult to process samples, when higher measurement sensitivity is required or when nucleic acid contaminants are suspected (e.g., DNA in RNA, dNTPs) RNA sample quality
0.21–27,500	dsDNA quantitation range (ng/ul)	0.01–1,000
Acclaro Sample Intelligence technology identifies presence of contaminants such as protein or guanidine; provides corrected analyte concentration value.	Sample qualification (purity)	Unique fluorescent dyes enable differentiation between nucleic acid types (e.g., DNA vs. RNA) without any sample pre-treatment. RNA IQ assay enables fast and facile detection of intact vs degraded in <5 seconds per sample
Selection of pre-programmed applications Direct A280 quantitation with Protein Editor A205 peptide bond absorbance Colorimetric protein assays: Bradford, BCA, Lowry and Thermo Scientific Pierce™ 660 nm assay	Protein Quantitation	Qubit assays exhibit minimal protein-to-protein variability and are resistant to most contaminants, including salts, reducing agents (e.g., DTT, b-mercaoptoethanol), DNA or amino acids, but not detergents.

¹dsDNA quantitation range for NanoDrop One is 0.2 ng/μL with cuvette and 2.0 ng/μL without.

Key instrument features include:

NanoDrop One Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
• Fast and easy sample evaluation of nucleic acids and proteins with “pipette, measure, clean” workflow and no sample carryover
• Modern stand-alone design with local control and high-resolution touchscreen interface, which saves bench space
• Accurate measurements up to 27,500 ng/μL (dsDNA) with extended auto-range path length technology
• No need for cuvettes or consumables needed so you can pipette directly onto pedestal sample retention system
• Pre-programmed applications designed specifically for life scientists
• Enhanced connectivity with data transfer via USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth™ and WiFi options; PC software available for data management

Qubit 4 Fluorometer
• Fast and highly accurate quantitation of DNA, RNA, and protein in less than three seconds per sample
• Measures intact RNA in less than 5 seconds per sample
• High levels of accuracy using only 1–20 μL of sample, even with very dilute samples
• On-board Reagent Calculator quickly generates Qubit working solution preparation instructions
• Stores results from up to 1000 samples
• Large 5.7-inch, state-of-the-art color touchscreen for easy workflow navigation
• Graphical display indicates when samples are in the extended range or out of range
• Small footprint saves space on your bench
• Flexibility to export data to using the included WiFi dongle, a USB drive, or directly to your computer via a USB cable