A trade-off exists between the cost and performance of FR-4 and Rogers materials, with performance driven by a material's high-frequency capabilities.

Industry-standard FR-4 material is inexpensive, ruggedized, and widely used; however, it has a frequency-dependent dielectric constant and a high loss tangent (poor signal transmission as speed increases).

FR-4 PCB close-up

Rogers materials have been designed with the same RF and high-speed design principles, providing a consistent dielectric constant and much lower loss, thereby maintaining signal integrity up to the GHz range.

The price of Rogers laminate materials is considerably higher than that of FR-4 materials. The recommendation is to use FR-4 laminate for typical projects and Rogers laminate in all instances where signal integrity is critical to the success of the design process.

A Comparison of FR-4 vs. Rogers Materials for High-Frequency Boards