All component comparisons
Ceramic vs Film Capacitor
Capacitor (ceramic / MLCC) and Capacitor (film) compared — what each is better at, and which one the job actually calls for.
Ceramic wins on size and price and is the default for decoupling. Film is bulkier and dearer, but it is stable over temperature and bias, low-loss, and self-healing after a dielectric puncture — which is why it takes the jobs where the value has to stay put: timing, filters, audio, and anything connected across the mains.
What each one is
Capacitor (ceramic / MLCC)
Stores energy in an electric field. Ceramic caps are small, cheap, non-polarised, and the workhorse for filtering and decoupling.
Capacitor (film)
A capacitor using a plastic film dielectric. Non-polarised, very stable, low loss and self-healing — the go-to choice for audio, timing, snubbers and anything touching mains.
Key specs
Capacitor (ceramic / MLCC)
- Capacitance(Farad (F))
- How much charge it stores. Usually pF, nF or uF.
- Voltage rating(V)
- Max voltage before breakdown. Pick at least 2x your working voltage.
- Tolerance(%)
- Variation from marked value; ceramics can be loose (±10-20%).
- Dielectric class(-)
- C0G = stable/precise; X7R = general; Y5V = bulk but drifts with temp/voltage.
Capacitor (film)
- Capacitance(F)
- Typically 1 nF – 10 µF; larger than that gets physically big.
- Voltage rating(V)
- Commonly 63 V – 630 V DC; X2 types rated 275 V AC.
- Dielectric
- PP = lowest loss and best stability; PET = smaller and cheaper.
- Tolerance(%)
- ±5% or ±10% typical — far better than electrolytics.
Types you will meet
Capacitor (ceramic / MLCC)
- MLCC (multilayer chip)
- Disc ceramic
- Class 1 (C0G/NP0 - stable)
- Class 2 (X7R/Y5V - higher capacity, less stable)
Capacitor (film)
- Polyester (PET/Mylar)
- Polypropylene (PP)
- Metallised film
- Film-foil
- X2/Y2 safety rated
- Motor-run
How to choose
Capacitor (ceramic / MLCC)
Decoupling -> 100nF near each IC. Filtering -> match to cutoff frequency. Always voltage rating >= 2x working voltage. Use C0G for timing/precision.
Capacitor (film)
Polypropylene for audio, snubbers and precision timing; polyester for general coupling. Across mains, only use X2 (line-to-line) or Y2 (line-to-earth) safety-rated parts.
How each one fails
Capacitor (ceramic / MLCC)
Cracks (mechanical/thermal) cause shorts; capacitance drops with applied DC voltage (X7R/Y5V).
Capacitor (film)
Very reliable. Metallised types self-heal from small punctures, losing a little capacitance over time; X2 caps across mains slowly drift down in value.
Full reference for each part
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