The rapid development of computer technology has led to the emergence of a simulation laboratory in addition to the traditional practice laboratory. Many institutions of higher education are adopting a simulation laboratory, replacing some of the current physics laboratory experiments. The creation of new operating systems for engineering labs has raised concerns among professors about the merits and demerits of physics and simulation labs. At the same time, there has been a lot of discussion about the differences between the two labs. Investigating the efficiency of the two labs is complex as many factors need to be considered. Faced with this challenge, the students were asked to share their experiences on key aspects of engineering laboratory exercises. The study used a questionnaire to measure students' cognitive styles. The study was conducted through a survey of participants from the College of Technical Sciences – Derna, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and students from the College of Engineering Technology – Al Qubbah of the same faculty. The results showed that there are Statistically significant differences between the physics and simulation labs in most aspects. Keywords: real lab; simulation lab; communication, engineering labs.