The Spectrometer is classified as a Rare item. You can find it in certain locations like Exodus, and it has a couple of useful features:
Recyclable: You can break it down into crafting components.
Salvageable: You can dismantle it to get basic electrical parts.
It weighs 1.5 units in your inventory, and if you choose to sell it, it goes for 3,000 coins. It stacks up to 3 per slot, so it’s not particularly heavy or inventory-hogging.
The Spectrometer doesn’t spawn everywhere. From my experience, the most reliable place is:
Exodus: Keep an eye out during scavenging runs. You might also come across it in mission rewards or loot caches, but Exodus seems to be the main source for consistent farming.
This is a common question. The answer depends on what you need for your builds.
Recycling: When you recycle the Spectrometer, you get:
1× Advanced Electrical Components
1× Sensors
These are essential for crafting higher-tier items. Players who focus on upgrading gear or creating new equipment often choose this option first.
Salvaging: If you salvage it, you get:
2× Electrical Components
Salvaging gives smaller, more basic parts. This is good if you’re still building up your early inventory or don’t need advanced components yet.
Practical takeaway: Most experienced players tend to recycle rather than salvage because the advanced components are more useful long-term. Salvaging is mainly a stopgap for players who are low on basic electrical parts.
Once you have components from the Spectrometer, they feed directly into crafting. For example:
Advanced Electrical Components are used in weapons, gadgets, and armor upgrades.
Sensors are required for high-tech devices and certain mission objectives.
A tip: If you’re short on blueprints, these materials are often what you’ll need to unlock upgrades. That’s why knowing the best place to buy arc raiders blueprints is useful. You can combine blueprint knowledge with these components to efficiently build gear.
If crafting isn’t your priority, selling the Spectrometer is also a valid option. At 3,000 coins, it’s a decent boost to your funds, especially if you find multiples. However, selling is usually secondary for serious players, since recycling gives better long-term benefits.
The Spectrometer weighs 1.5 units and stacks to 3. In practice, this means:
It doesn’t take much space, so you can carry a few without issue.
If you’re doing long scavenging runs, you may still want to recycle on the spot to save space for other loot.
Managing weight is crucial, especially if you’re exploring areas like Exodus where loot can pile up quickly.
From my experience, here’s what I often see:
Hoarding the Spectrometer: Some players keep it thinking it’s rare currency. You only need one or two; the rest are better recycled.
Salvaging instead of recycling: New players sometimes go for the quick parts, but this slows down progress for advanced gear.
Ignoring blueprint synergy: Materials from the Spectrometer are only valuable if you know what to craft. That’s why pairing recycling with blueprint strategy is key.
Priority Use: Recycle to get Advanced Electrical Components and Sensors.
Secondary Use: Salvage if you need Electrical Components urgently.
Optional: Sell for coins if you don’t need crafting materials.
Inventory Tip: Keep a few in your backpack for future builds, but don’t hoard.
In short, treat the Spectrometer as a crafting resource first, coin second. If you combine it with blueprint knowledge, it can accelerate your gear upgrades and mission readiness.