Amplifi HD vs Google Wi-Fi – Which router provides higher speeds?
If you’re looking to increase your Wi-Fi range, you should consider installing a mesh router network system. Among the most popular are the Amplifi HD and Google Wi-Fi mesh routers. The following is a comprehensive review of the two.
A large house is all fun and games until you find that there are dead zone rooms and corners where the Wi-Fi signal does not reach. When this happens, you need a signal extender to boost the signal all through the house. The best Wi-Fi signal extenders today are known as mesh routers. Mesh routers systems are routers that are sold as a package with two or more identical routers in the box. One of the mesh routers acts the main one and is connected to your already preexisting router. The other router(s) are placed in the dead zone areas and are linked to the main one.
Among the top mesh systems you can use today are the: Amplifi HD and Google Wi-Fi mesh router systems. However, you should choose the most suitable one depending on your needs.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Amplifi HD and Google Wi-Fi?
Model |
Amplifi HD (Winner) |
Google Wi-Fi |
MU-MIMO |
No |
Yes |
Beamforming |
Yes |
No |
Chipset |
Qualcomm QCA9886 |
Qualcomm QCA9880 |
Speed (Long range) |
421 Mbps – Download speed
499 Mbps – Upload speed |
331 – Download speed
309 – Upload speed |
Antenna |
5 (4 external and 1 internal) |
3 (fixed) |
Availability |
Ubiquiti Amplifi HD vs Google Wi-Fi – How do they compare?
Both these routers are great depending on the user needs. However, to pick the best one for you, there are a few factors to keep in mind and they include the following
Hardware Capacity
The Amplifi HD is the most powerful mesh router system released by Ubiquiti. It is designed for large spaces and wide area coverage where there are obstructions. The Ubiquiti Amplifi comes with a powerful single core CPU that supports both the 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands. On top of this, the CPU is an 802.11 processor meaning the router is rated as an AC1750 router.
The router comes with 1 GB of RAM and a flash memory of 512 MB where the routers’ firmware is installed. The Google Wi-Fi system on the other hand is an AC1200 rated router that also supports both the 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands. Inside the router, there is a Quad Core ARM Cortex processor that provides a memory of 512 MB of RAM and 4GB of eMMC flash memory where the firmware is contained. The processor is powerful and supports Zigbee technology as well as wireless Bluetooth 4.2 technology.
Range
If you have a larger than average home, the coverage of the router you select matters a lot. The Amplifi HD has some of the best coverage with a range of up to 10000 square feet. On the other hand Google Wi-Fi supports a wide range of up to 4500 sq. feet which is quite impressive for a router in its price range. Although the Google Wi-Fi provides enough range for most people, the Amplifi HD provides much more coverage and therefore would be the more versatile choice.
Design and Structure
When it comes to both the exterior and interior designs of these two routers, they differ quite a lot. When it comes to ports, the Amplifi HD has more ports than a lot of other high end routers such as the Luma Surround. It comes with four gigabit ports, one WAN port and a USB 2.0 port. There is also a power port. All ports are located at the back of the main router. To reset the router, there is a button at the base of the device.
On the other hand, we have the Google Wi-Fi system that has a more conventional design. The system comes as either a single unit or three piece unit with all units being identical. Each router is cylindrical in shape with a strip of LED cutting through its circumference. The routers are shell white in color with a matte finish to prevent dirt and fingerprints from sticking on the surface.
It measures 4.17 x 2.7 inches and weighs just over 12 ounces in weight. The LED strip indicates the status of the network. A green-blue color indicates the Wi-Fi is connected and working properly. At the bottom of the router, we have two gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB type C power port. With this, we prefer the Google Wi-Fi’s simple and elegant style over the cluttered Amplifi HD design.
Performance
Both the routers aim to improve the signal’s reach throughout the house. The Amplifi HD router is a premium router that provides superb range and performs extremely well. First, the system works using beamforming that is ideal for tailoring the signal depending on the device. However, it does not support MUMIMO.
The router supports the following speeds at different bands: 450 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 1.3 Gbps on the 5 GHz band. These puts the router at a throughput speed of 1.75 Gbps. When using the regular package (the main node and two secondary nodes), the Ampifi HD can cover an outstanding range of 20000 square feet which is quite impressive. The Google Wi-Fi system on the other hand has an upload speed of 309 Mbps and a download speed of 331 Mbps. The Ubiquiti Amplifi router provides much higher maximum speeds that Google Wi-Fi.
Mobile App and Other Support Systems
Both systems are installed and controlled using their respective mobile apps. The apps are available for both Android and iOS operating systems. The Amplifi uses the Amplifi app but also supports web browser configuration. The app works smoothly and has an easy to understand user interface. For customer support, there are Ubiquiti technicians available throughout day and night and can be contacted through online chats or email. The Google Wi-Fi router system also features a mobile app for setup. It is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems. Both apps have amazing features such as guest network connections, parental control and more. Google Wi-Fi supports smart control for your smart devices which is a great plus.
Google Wi-Fi has a simple and overall better interface and is easier to setup compared to Ubiquiti’s Amplifi HD.
Amplifi HD vs Google Wi-Fi – A comparison review
Amplifi HD
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- 802.11AC TECHNOLOGY FOR FASTER SPEEDS AND BETTER COVERAGE: AmpliFi HD is more than a wireless router:...
The Amplifi HD Wi-Fi extender system is the most powerful and efficient extender released by Ubiquiti. Ubiquiti’s Amplifi HD router is a cube shaped device that measures 3.9 x 3.8 x 3.9 inches. The cube is white in color and features a small LED display touch screen that shows the time, day and date.
The screen is tapped to reveal other details such as the upload and download speeds of your Wi-Fi connection, the WAN IP address and the current throughput speed when tapped three times. This is one of the reasons this mesh router system is so unique. Furthermore, the Amplifi HD is different from other routers in that, the main node and the secondary nodes are not identical.
While the main node is cube shaped, the secondary nodes that are to be placed in other rooms are prong shaped antennas that measure 6.5 x 1.0 x 2.3 inches in length, thickness and width respectively. In addition, each of the antennas has five small LEDs that indicate the strength of the signal.
The router system was designed to go through as many obstructions as possible with minimal loss of signal and it does this perfectly well. The Amplifi HD is also one of the most stylish and strikingly beautiful routers in the market today. It also has a different setup and design than other mesh router systems in the following way. While other mesh routers contain similar identical nodes or routers in the package, the Amplifi HD has a main router that is cube shaped while the extenders are basically prong shaped external antennas attached to a handle. The pieces are neither identical nor do they work the same way.
When you buy the Amplifi Mesh HD system, it comes as a bundle package with one router station and two mesh point extenders. Although quite expensive, this system will work well to eliminate all dead zones in large homes or offices. In fact, it has the best range and coverage among routers in its price range. This router is also the best for homes with large dense walls and obstructions.
With a range of up to 20000 sq. feet, you can seldom go wrong with the Amplifi HD. You can order the router system as a standard package that costs less, provides less range and coverage, with four antennas. The standard package is cheaper and designed for smaller homes of about 10000 sq. feet. With these, the following are its pros and cons
Pros
- Amplifi HD is easy to install, setup and configure using its dedicated mobile app
- It comes with four ports and an USB port
- The router provides some of the best coverage with a maximum coverage of 20000 sq. feet
- It comes with a dedicated band control
- The Amplifi HD is best for dense walls and obstructions
- The router is strikingly beautiful and has some of the best design
- It comes with a small LED display touch screen that shows the time, day and date, upload and download speeds of your Wi-Fi connection and the WAN IP address
Cons
- It is expensive
- The router has limited settings and functionalities
- The mesh points are too large and may be difficult to position in the house
Google Wi-Fi
- A new type of connected system for seamless WiFi coverage throughout your home, helping eliminate dead...
- Replaces your current router, and works your modem and internet service. It’s compatible with major...
The Google Wi-Fi system is one of the most popular mesh router systems today and it’s easy to see why. It is one of the easiest to use, setup and configure routers in the market today. Furthermore, it features a simple yet elegant design that many other routers use.
The router can be sold as a standard package with three identical routers inside. However, each router can be sold individually if you need to boost the signal even further. The routers are cylindrical in shape and feature a shell white matte finish that prevents finger prints and dirt from sticking on the surface. On top of this, it is quite affordable yet provides decent performance.
What makes the Google Wi-Fi such a wonderful choice is the ease and simplicity of this router. The fact that is also much cheaper while packing more units inside also contributes to a huge chuck of this router’s popularity. And although you do not get as much range and speed performance as the Ubiquiti HD, the Google Wi-Fi is a great choice for medium size homes of about two or three bedrooms. The following are its benefits and downsides/
Pros
- Google Wi-Fi features a simple elegant design
- It is quite affordable and offers excellent value for money
- It is very easy to install, setup and configure this router
- The mobile app is efficient and has a lot of amazing functionalities
- It is a great choice for medium size homes of about two or three bedrooms
Cons
- It has few ports: only two gigabit ports and a power port
- There hardware control is quite limited
- The router has a low AC rating
Conclusion
The most suitable router for you depends on your needs. Ubiquiti’s Amplifi HD is great for anyone with dense obstructions in their homes whereas the Google Wi-Fi is the much more affordable choice of the two.
Final verdict – So which is better? Ubiquiti Amplifi HD or Google Wi-Fi?
With all factors considered, we found that the Ubiquiti Amplifi HD is the better mesh router system. It provides a higher speeds and much more coverage than the Google Wi-Fi system. It is a great choice for anyone with a large home with lots of obstructions. However, Google Wi-Fi would be the most suitable choice for anyone on a budget looking for a simple efficient signal extender.
FAQs
-
Does the Amplifi HD support MUMIMO?
No. The Amplifi HD provides high speeds and therefore does not MUMIMO for bandwidth management and control
-
Can Google Wi-Fi be mounted?
No. Due to its cylindrical design, this router cannot be mounted
