Unite Express 2 Vs Nighthawk – Which Hotspot Is Better
When compared to routers, mobile hotspots are a bit small scale, and only allow a small number of devices to connect to their network. Despite the above hotspots are compact and enable internet connectivity while in transit.
So which is the best hotspot to use, well this can be a tough question to answer, but we have zeroed down to two highly effective mobile hotspots, the Unite express 2 and the Netgear Nighthawk. Both units are products of the Netgear multinational networking company, and we are, therefore, going to dig into their features, as we seek to establish which of the two devices offers the best internet connectivity during travel.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Unite Express 2 and the Nighthawk?
Model |
Unite Express 2 |
Nighthawk |
Devices connected |
15 devices |
20 devices |
Uptime |
Up to 11 hours |
Up to 24 hours |
Battery |
1 Lithium ion batteries |
5040 mAh |
Dimension |
4.5 x 3 x 0.5 inches |
4.15 x 4.15 x 0.8 inches |
Speeds |
Capable of up to 400mbps |
Up to 1 Gbps |
Availability |
Unite Express vs. Nighthawk- How do they compare?
Device Connectivity
If you work with a team, then you will need a mobile hotspot that can accommodate as many internet-enabled devices as possible; such as the Night hawk, which is capable of accommodating up to 20 devices. The Unite Express 2 can cater to about 15 devices, simultaneously, which is five less of what the Night hawk is capable of accommodating.
The Nighthawk, therefore, ends up as the best unit, for use by a team of 10 or more users who have to stay connected while traveling.
Uptime
Not being able to stay in touch over the internet is currently a nightmare that no one wishes to experience, the culprits of the above are two, the first one being low bandwidth and the second, poor battery life. In light of the above, always check on the battery capacity of your mobile hotspot, as this will give you a rough idea of how long you will be able to stay in touch.
Nighthawk, therefore, comes equipped with a 5040 mah powerful battery that will ensure you stay connected for more than 22hrs. The Unite Express 2 only offers 11 hours of connectivity, which is quite minimal for busy individuals, a situation that can also be made worse by the number of devices connected and the activities that are being run.
Keeping in mind that the bandwidth-intensive activities tend to also bloat the battery percentage, so with regards to battery capacity, the Nighthawk is the better unit as it offers up to 24 hrs connectivity.
Speed and performance
400mbps is less than 1 Gbps, which makes the Night hawk Mifi the better unit because it enables faster transmission of data. If we get down to the facts is that 1Gbps operates at 940mbps, with a downloading rate of up to 112.06mb/per second. With the above download speeds, users will be able to download a lot of content in less time. In light of the above, you must be wondering whether 400mbps is good enough for networking.
According to Microsoft, 400mbps is sufficient given that you will only need up to 1mbps for SD video streaming, about 3 Mbps for online gaming, and 3mbps for High definition video streaming. So while 400mbps is a decent networking speed for the many activities that you might want to run over the internet, 1 Gbps is way better and that is why the Night hawk is the best as regards the internet speeds.
Unite Express 2 vs Nighthawk – A comparison overview
Unite Express 2
- LTE Cat 13 with 2CA and 256 QAM capable of up to 400 Mbps
- Wi-Fi connectivity 802.11b/g/n/ac
The Unite Express 2 has incredible resistance towards water, dust, and shock, and considering that it is to be used while in transit you can expect it to achieve its full shelf life even after being exposed to the not so favorable environmental conditions. The unit comes equipped with a large battery that will offer you more than 22 hours of uptime.
Unite Express 2 has additionally been equipped with an intuitive and highly responsive user interface and comes complete with a battery boost that you can use to charge your phone. Networking over wireless internet is never a safe practice but there are measures that have been put in place to protect the various networks.
Unite Express 2 has, therefore, given users the liberty to either allow or block guests from their network, the unit also offers the option of setting up a separate guest network. Even better is that users have the liberty to filter content that is being run through their networks, a feature works best for mobile hotspots that are normally used at home.
Pros
- Can be used to charge phones
- offer the best internet connection during travel
- The unit has incorporated the relevant security settings
Nighthawk Review
- Share WiFi internet access with up to 20 devices
- Unlocked to accept all SIM cards (excluding Sprint legacy network); works best on AT&T and T-Mobile....
The Netgear Nighthawk mobile hotspot allows connectivity for up to 20 devices; the unit is quite portable and offers a whopping 1Gbps. The incorporated 1 USB port can be used for the sharing of information or for media streaming. What’s more, is that the unit has incorporated a long-life battery meant to ensure that the unit achieves its complete uptime.
The provided large 2.4inches LCD screen features an intuitive color display, and will provide the user with all the relevant information from data usage, mobile signal, and the network management information.
Pros
- The 24 hours uptime encourages productivity
- Allows media streaming and data sharing
- Equipped with a colorful intuitive display
Cons
- The unit does not work seamlessly thus requires frequent reboots
Verdict: So, which is better – Unite Express 2 or Nighthawk?
The Nighthawk is the better unit because, it offers more than 20 hrs of uptime, accommodates many internet-enabled devices, and offers speeds of up to 1Gbps.
FAQ’s
-
Can the Nighthawk mobile hotspots work with sprint brands?
No, it cannot because is a GSM-only brand
-
How many devices can connect to the Unite Express 2 network?
Unite Express 2 can accommodate a maximum of 15 devices.
