Thermistors differ from resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) in that the material used in a thermistor is generally a ceramic or polymer, while RTDs use pure metals.
The thermistors are in the form of beads, rods and discs but RTDs are in different shapes and sizes.
The temperature response is also different; RTDs are useful over larger temperature ranges,
while thermistors typically achieve a greater precision within a limited temperature range, typically −90 °C to 130 °C.