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The effects of depletion layer width on the semiconductor gas sensors were investigated based on the gradient-distributed oxygen vacancy model, which provided numerical descriptions for the sensor properties. The potential barrier height, sensor resistance, and response to target gases were simulated to reveal their dependences on the depletion layer width. According to the simulation, it was possible to improve the sensor response by enlarging the width of depletion layer without changing the resistance of the gas sensor under the special circumstance. The different performances between resistance and response could provide a bright expectation that the design and fabrication of gas sensing devices could be economized. The simulation results were validated by the experimental performances of SnO 2 thin film gas sensors, which were prepared by the sol-gel technique. The dependences of sensor properties on depletion layer width were observed to be in agreement with the simulations.