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When you see **TG130, TG150, TG170** during PCB prototyping, do you also automatically think: *“The higher the number, the better the material?”* Most of the time, that’s true. But it’s not quite that simple. **Conclusion first:** The higher the TG value, the better the heat resistance and stability of the laminate. From TG130 to TG150 to TG170, you’re essentially upgrading the material’s ability to **withstand high temperatures**. For standard PCBs: If your manufacturer upgrades you from TG130 to TG150 or even TG170 for free, it’s basically a free reliability boost: - More stable reflow soldering - Lower risk of delamination - Better performance under high heat Sounds great, right? **But** — if you’re working on **high-speed boards, impedance-controlled boards, or high-frequency designs** — that “upgrade” needs a second thought. Because changing the material can also change key parameters like: - Dielectric constant (Dk) - Dissipation factor (Df) What you think is a free upgrade may actually require: - Recalculating impedance - Readjusting layer stackup - Reconfirming design assumptions That’s the subtle point: 🔹 For standard projects: Higher TG ≈ **improvement** 🔹 For high-speed projects: TG change ≈ **variable to re-verify** Ultimately, in engineering there’s no absolute “better” — only **more suitable**. Standard boards fear poor material quality. High-speed boards fear inconsistent material. Question for fellow engineers: In your projects, do you **specify the TG value** on purpose? Or just follow the board house’s default material? Feel free to share your approach in the comments 👇 #PCBDesign #HardwareEngineering #ElectronicsManufacturing #EngineeringMindset #DFM #JCLPCB