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Chip resistors are small, surface-mount fixed resistors used to set currents, divide voltages, or terminate signals in electronic circuits. They are designed for automated assembly and are soldered directly onto printed circuit boards. The term chip resistor embraces a wide range of sizes and materials, but all share a compact ceramic body with metal end terminations that connect to the circuit.

Most chip resistors fall into two main construction types: thick-film and thin-film. Thick-film resistors are made by screen-printing a metal oxide paste onto a ceramic substrate, firing the layer, and applying nickel-silver end terminations with a final plating. Thin-film resistors use a deposited metal film on a ceramic substrate and are laser-trimmed to the desired value. Thin-film parts generally offer tighter tolerances and better stability over temperature and time.

Specifications commonly cited for chip resistors include resistance, tolerance, temperature coefficient (TCR), and power rating. Resistance ranges from a few ohms up to hundreds of megaohms. Tolerances typically span from about ±0.5% to ±5%, with tighter tolerances available on precision parts. TCR values vary, with standard parts around tens to hundreds of ppm per degree Celsius; precision variants may have much lower TCR. Power ratings depend on size, commonly from 1/16 W to 1/4 W, with larger sizes rated higher.

Common package sizes in imperial units include 0402, 0603, 0805, 1206, and 1210, corresponding to various millimeter ranges (roughly 1.0×0.5 mm to about 3.2×2.5 mm and larger). Chip resistors are ubiquitous in consumer electronics, automotive, industrial, and communications equipment, valued for their small footprint, manufacturability, and reliable performance.