{"id":51422,"date":"2026-07-08T10:45:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T02:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pcbcool.com\/?p=51422"},"modified":"2026-07-08T10:58:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T02:58:11","slug":"smd-resistor-size-chart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pcbcool.com\/de\/technical-guides\/smd-resistor-size-chart\/","title":{"rendered":"SMD-Widerstandsgr\u00f6\u00dfentabelle"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Surface-mount device (SMD) resistors are the default choice in modern electronics. They solder directly onto the PCB surface, take up far less space than through-hole parts, and make it possible to build compact, high-density circuits used in smartphones, automotive control units, and industrial modules.<\/p>

Unlike through-hole resistors, SMD resistors do not use color bands. They are identified mainly by package size codes such as 0402, 0603, 0805, and 1206. These codes describe the physical footprint of the component, not its resistance value.<\/p>

That is where an SMD resistor size chart becomes useful. It connects those package codes with real dimensions, metric equivalents, and typical power ratings, so designers can quickly understand what each size means before choosing a footprint, ordering parts, or preparing a PCB for assembly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

Imperial vs. Metric Size Codes<\/h2> \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

SMD resistor sizes are usually described using either an imperial code or a metric code. Confusing the two is one of the most common mistakes when reading datasheets, footprint libraries, or distributor listings.<\/p>

In the imperial system, the first two digits represent the component length in hundredths of an inch, and the last two digits represent the width in hundredths of an inch. For example, an imperial 0603 resistor is approximately 0.06 inches long and 0.03 inches wide.<\/p>

In the metric system, the first two digits represent the length in tenths of a millimeter, and the last two digits represent the width in tenths of a millimeter. For example, a metric 1608 resistor is approximately 1.6 mm long and 0.8 mm wide.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Explanation\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is where confusion begins: imperial 0603 and metric 0603 are not the same size. Imperial 0603 is 1.6 mm \u00d7 0.8 mm, while metric 0603 is 0.6 mm \u00d7 0.3 mm, which is equivalent to imperial 0201.<\/span><\/p>

The safest rule is simple: always confirm whether the code is imperial or metric before selecting a footprint or ordering parts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

Common SMD Resistor Size<\/h2> \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The chart below shows common SMD resistor packages, their equivalent imperial and metric codes, nominal dimensions, and typical power rating ranges. These power ratings are general references for standard thick-film chip resistors at around 70\u00b0C ambient temperature.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Imperial Code<\/th>Metric Code<\/th>Approx. Size (mm)<\/th>Approx. Size (inch)<\/th>Typical Power Rating<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
01005<\/td>0402<\/td>0.4 \u00d7 0.2 mm<\/td>0.016 \u00d7 0.008 in<\/td>1\/32 W to 1\/20 W<\/td><\/tr>
0201<\/td>0603<\/td>0.6 \u00d7 0.3 mm<\/td>0.024 \u00d7 0.012 in<\/td>1\/32 W to 1\/20 W<\/td><\/tr>
0402<\/td>1005<\/td>1.0 \u00d7 0.5 mm<\/td>0.039 \u00d7 0.020 in<\/td>1\/16 W to 1\/10 W<\/td><\/tr>
0603<\/td>1608<\/td>1.6 \u00d7 0.8 mm<\/td>0.063 \u00d7 0.031 in<\/td>1\/10 W to 1\/5 W<\/td><\/tr>
0805<\/td>2012<\/td>2.0 \u00d7 1.25 mm<\/td>0.079 \u00d7 0.049 in<\/td>1\/8 W to 1\/4 W<\/td><\/tr>
1206<\/td>3216<\/td>3.2 \u00d7 1.6 mm<\/td>0.126 \u00d7 0.063 in<\/td>1\/4 W to 1\/2 W<\/td><\/tr>
1210<\/td>3225<\/td>3.2 \u00d7 2.5 mm<\/td>0.126 \u00d7 0.098 in<\/td>1\/3 W to 1\/2 W<\/td><\/tr>
1812<\/td>4532<\/td>4.5 \u00d7 3.2 mm<\/td>0.177 \u00d7 0.126 in<\/td>1\/2 W to 1 W<\/td><\/tr>
2010<\/td>5025<\/td>5.0 \u00d7 2.5 mm<\/td>0.197 \u00d7 0.098 in<\/td>1\/2 W to 1 W<\/td><\/tr>
2512<\/td>6332<\/td>6.3 \u00d7 3.2 mm<\/td>0.248 \u00d7 0.126 in<\/td>1 W to 2 W<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"SMD\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

How Package Size Affects Performance<\/h2> \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Package size is not just about board space. It also changes a resistor\u2019s thermal margin, parasitic behavior, and resistance stability in real circuits.<\/p>

Larger packages dissipate heat more efficiently, so a 1206 resistor will usually run cooler than a 0402 resistor under the same power load. If the package is too small for the actual dissipation, the result can be value drift, shorter service life, solder-joint stress, or even PCB damage.<\/p>

At higher frequencies, package size also becomes part of the electrical behavior. Larger resistors such as 1206 or 2512 generally add more parasitic inductance and capacitance than 0402 or 0201. In ordinary low-frequency circuits, this rarely matters. On high-speed USB lines, RF traces, or fast-switching power supplies, it can become part of the signal-integrity problem, which is why a smaller package can be a performance choice rather than just a space-saving choice.<\/p>

TCR is specified by the resistor series and datasheet, not by package size alone. But smaller resistors have less thermal mass, so they can heat up faster and drift more under the same load. In precision circuits such as voltage dividers, current-sense feedback loops, or analog measurement paths, that real operating temperature can matter as much as the tolerance number on the datasheet.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

Assembly Methods That Match SMD Resistor Package Size<\/h2> \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Assembly difficulty rises quickly as the part gets smaller:<\/p>