Seeking Tech

What’s the difference between Netgear EAX20 and EAX80?

Netgear recently released the Netgear EAX20 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender. So, how does the new model compare against the EAX80?

You can find out in this comparison guide between the two extenders.

Quick Summary

The Netgear EAX80 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender has the clear advantage when it comes to coverage (up to 2,500 sq. ft.), speed (up to 6 Gbps) and connected devices (at least 30).

The EAX80 is easily the best choice out of the two options in this comparison guide if you are looking for the fastest connection and best wireless coverage.

The Netgear EAX20 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender is still a great choice if you have smaller area to cover (up to 1,500 sq. ft.), slower internet speed (up to 1.8 Gbps) and less devices to connect (the EAX20 can support more than 20). Under these circumstances, the EAX20 is the more affordable option when compared to the EAX80.

EAX20 vs. EAX80 Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the mesh extenders below.

	EAX20 Netgear Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender	EAX80 Netgear Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender
Dimensions	9.5" x 6.7" x 2.5" (241.7 mm × 169.5 mm × 63.4 mm)	10" x 7.75" x 4.2" (279 mm x 197 mm x 106 mm)
Weight	1.1 pounds (or 504.4 g)	1.9 pounds (or 860 g)
CPU	64-bit 1.5GHz dual-core processor	64-bit 1.8GHz dual-core processor
Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage	Up to 1,500 sq. ft.	Up to 2,500 sq. ft.
Wi-Fi Speed	AX1800 WiFi 6 (up to 1.8 Gbps)	AX6000 WiFi 6 (up to 6 Gbps)
Wi-Fi Bands	Band 1: 0.6Gbps @2.4GHz - 1024QAM Band 2: 1.2Gbps @5GHz - 1024QAM	Band 1: 1.2Gbps @2.4GHz - 1024QAM Band 2: 4.8Gbps @5GHz - 1024QAM
Wi-Fi Backward Compatibility	Wi-Fi 1: 802.11b Wi-Fi 2: 802.11a Wi-Fi 3: 802.11g Wi-Fi 4: 802.11n Wi-Fi 5: 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 1: 802.11b Wi-Fi 2: 802.11a Wi-Fi 3: 802.11g Wi-Fi 4: 802.11n Wi-Fi 5: 802.11ac
Connected Devices	More than 20 devices	More than 30 devices
Ethernet Ports	4x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports with auto-sense	4x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports with auto-sense
OFDMA?	Yes	Yes
MU-MIMO?	Yes	Yes
160MHz Channel?	Yes	Yes
Nighthawk App?	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi Protected Setup?	Yes	Yes
Security	Standards-based WiFi Security (802.11i, 128-bit AES encryption with PSK)	Standards-based WiFi Security (802.11i, 128-bit AES encryption with PSK) WEP standards
Router/Gateway Requirements	2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax	2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Browsers Requirements	Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher Firefox 20 or higher Safari 5.1 or higher Google Chrome 25.0 or higher	Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher Firefox 20 or higher Safari 5.1 or higher Google Chrome 25.0 or higher
Warranty	Limited 1-year hardware warranty 24/7 basic technical support for up to 90 days of purchase date from authorized Netgear resller	Limited 1-year hardware warranty 24/7 basic technical support for up to 90 days of purchase date from authorized Netgear resller
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Dimensions

The EAX20 is smaller when compared to the bulkier EAX80.

You can find the exact measurements for both products below:

EAX20: 9.5 in. x 6.7 in. x 2.5 in. (241.7 mm × 169.5 mm × 63.4 mm)
EAX80: 10 in. x 7.75 in. x 4.2 in. (279 mm x 197 mm x 106 mm)

Weight

The EAX20Wi Fi 6 Mesh Extender weighs nearly half as much as the EAX80 Wi Fi 6 Mesh Extender.

You can find the weight specifications below:

EAX20: 1.1 pounds (or 504.4 g)
EAX80: 1.9 pounds (or 860 g)

CPU

The Netgear EAX20 WiFi 6 Mesh Extender is equipped with a 64-bit 1.5GHz dual-core processor.

The Netgear EAX80 WiFi 6 Mesh Extender has a faster 64-bit 1.8GHz dual-core processor.

Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage

The EAX20 will be able to provide up to 1,500 sq. ft. of additional wireless coverage.

The EAX80 will be able to extend the wireless coverage to a maximum of 2,500 sq. ft., which is 66.67% more than the EAX20.

Wi-Fi Speed

The EAX20 uses AX1800 WiFi 6, which provide a wireless speed of up to 1.8 Gbps.

The EAX80 utilizes AX6000 WiFi 6 to provide a wireless speed of up to 6 Gbps, which is 233.33% faster than the EAX20.

Wi-Fi Bands

The EAX20 WiFi 6 Mesh Extender use the following bands:

Band 1: 0.6Gbps @2.4GHz – 1024QAM
Band 2: 1.2Gbps @5GHz – 1024QAM

The EAX80 Wi Fi 6 Mesh Extender utilizes the following bands:

Band 1: 1.2Gbps @2.4GHz – 1024QAM
Band 2: 4.8Gbps @5GHz – 1024QAM

Wi-Fi Backward Compatibility

Both mesh extenders are backward compatible with devices that use older Wi-Fi versions:

Wi-Fi 1: 802.11b
Wi-Fi 2: 802.11a
Wi-Fi 3: 802.11g
Wi-Fi 4: 802.11n
Wi-Fi 5: 802.11ac

Connected Devices

The EAX20 will be able to connect to more than 20 devices.

The EAX80 can connect to more than 30 devices.

Ethernet Ports

Both products come with four 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports that have auto-sensing technology.

OFDMA

Both Wi-Fi range extenders also use OFDMA, which helps provide efficient high volume data transmission for up to 4 devices simultaneously.

MU-MIMO

Furthermore, the two product support MU-MIMO, which will let you stream content on four different devices at the same time.

160MHz Channel

The EAX20 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender and EAX80 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender also support the 160MHz Channel, which provides gigabit speeds on compatible laptops, smartphones and other devices.

Nighthawk App

Both products also use the Nighthawk App.

After downloading the application on your smartphone, you can easily set up the Wi-Fi extenders.

You can then use the dashboard to check out the wireless settings, connected devices and perform other actions.

Wi-Fi Protected Setup

The two WiFi range extenders also use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (or WPS for short).

This security feature will provide a faster and easier connection between the router and connecting devices.

To utilize WPS, your wireless network must be using either the WPA Personal or WPA2 Personal security protocols.

Security

The Netgear EAX20 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender uses a standards-based WiFi Security (802.11i, 128-bit AES encryption with PSK).

The Netgear EAX80 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender utilizes a standards-based WiFi Security (802.11i, 128-bit AES encryption with PSK) in addition to having WEP standards.

Router/Gateway Requirements

The router or gateway requirements are the same for both extenders. You will need 2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax.

Browsers Requirements

The EAX20 and EAX80 also have identical browser requirements.

You can find the list of supported browsers below:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher
Firefox 20 or higher
Safari 5.1 or higher
Google Chrome 25.0 or higher

Warranty

The EAX20 and EAX80 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extenders come with Netgear’s limited 1-year hardware warranty.

The company will also provide 24/7 basic technical support for up to 90 days of purchase date if you buy the product from a Netgear authorized reseller.

What’s the difference between Netgear Orbi RBK50, RBK852 and RBK853?

by Kevin Chen

If you are looking for a fast speed wireless setup in your home, then the Netgear Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System series is considered to be one of the best options available. Three of the most popular models in the series is the RBK50, RBK852 and RBK853.

S,o which of these will provide the best fit for you and your home? You can check out with this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

If you have fast internet, the RBK852/RBK853 offer a significant speed boost when compared to the RBK50 with a 200% increase over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi internet and 177.136% increase over 5 GHz Wi-Fi internet.

There is also an 38.4882% increase to the speed of data transfer between the Orbi Router and Orbi Satellite.

The only difference between the RBK852 and RBK853 is that the RBK853 comes with two Orbi Satellites as opposed to just one. As a result, you get 50% more wireless coverage (7,500 sq. ft. vs. 5,000 sq. ft.) and 4 additional LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports.

RBK50 vs. RBK852 vs. RBK853 Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the three mesh Wi-Fi systems below.

	Netgear Orbi RBK50	Netgear Orbi RBK852	Netgear Orbi RBK853
What's in the Box?	1 Orbi Router (RBR50v2) 1 Orbi Satellite (RBS50v2) 1 2m Ethernet cable 2 12V/3.5A power adapters Quick start guide	1 Orbi Router (RBR850) 1 Orbi Satellite (RBS850) 1 2m Ethernet cable 2 12V/3.5A power adapters Quick start guide	1 Orbi Router (RBR850) 2 Orbi Satellites (RBS850) 1 2m Ethernet cable 3 12V/3.5A power adapters Quick start guide
Wireless Coverage	Up to 5,000 square feet	Up to 5,000 square feet	Up to 7,500 square feet
Router CPU	Quad-Core 710MHz	Quad-Core 2.2 GHz	Quad-Core 2.2 GHz
Memory	512MB NAND Flash 512MB RAM	512MB NAND Flash 1GB RAM	512MB NAND Flash 1GB RAM
Router Ports	1 WAN port 3 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports	1 WAN port 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports	1 WAN port 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports
Orbi Satellite Ports	4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports	4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports	8 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports
Orbi Router Features	6 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands MU-MIMO capable	8 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands MU-MIMO capable	8 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands MU-MIMO capable
Tri-Band Wi-Fi Speeds	2.4 GHz: 400 Mbps 5 GHz Wi-Fi: 866 Mbps Orbi Router and Orbi Satellite Wi-Fi Link: 1733 Mbps	2.4 GHz: 1200 Mbps 5 GHz Wi-Fi: 2400 Mbps Orbi Router and Orbi Satellite Wi-Fi Link: 2400 Mbps	2.4 GHz: 1200 Mbps 5 GHz Wi-Fi: 2400 Mbps Orbi Router and Orbi Satellite Wi-Fi Link: 2400 Mbps
Orbi Satellite Features	4 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands MU-MIMO capable	8 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands MU-MIMO capable	8 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands MU-MIMO capable
Warranty	1-year limited Netgear Hardware Warranty 90 days 24/7 basic technical support when purchased from authorized reseller	1-year limited Netgear Hardware Warranty 90 days 24/7 basic technical support when purchased from authorized reseller	1-year limited Netgear Hardware Warranty 90 days 24/7 basic technical support when purchased from authorized reseller
Pricing	Check Price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check Price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check Price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

What’s in the Box?

You can take a look at what’s included in the box of each Netgear Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System below:

RBK50:

1 Orbi Router (RBR50v2)
1 Orbi Satellite (RBS50v2)
1 2m Ethernet cable
2 12V/3.5A power adapters
Quick start guide

RBK852:

1 Orbi Router (RBR850)
1 Orbi Satellite (RBS850)
1 2m Ethernet cable
2 12V/3.5A power adapters
Quick start guide

RBK853:

1 Orbi Router (RBR850)
2 Orbi Satellites (RBS850)
1 2m Ethernet cable
3 12V/3.5A power adapters
Quick start guide

Wi-Fi Coverage

Both the Netgear Orbi RBK50 and RBK852 can provide up to 5,000 square feet of wireless coverage.

The Netgear Orbi RBK853 provides 50% more coverage over the other two products in this versus guide as it can cover 7,500 square feet.

Router CPU

The Orbi Router of the RBK50 comes equipped with a Quad-Core 710MHz processor as a central processing unit. Both Orbi Routers of the RBK852 and RBK853 utilize the Quad-Core 2.2 GHz processor as a CPU.

Memory

In terms of memory, the Netgear Orbi RBK50 Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System uses a combination of 512MB NAND Flash and 512MB RAM.

Both the Netgear Orbi RBK852 and RBK853 Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi Systems have same amount of NAND but double the amount of RAM.

Router Ports

All three Wi-Fi setups come with 1 WAN port on their respective routers.

The RBK50 includes 3 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports while the RBK852 and RBK853 include 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports each.

You can check out what’s included in each router below:

RBK50 Router:

1 WAN port
3 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports

RBK852 Router:

1 WAN port
4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports

RBK853 Router:

1 WAN port
4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports

Orbi Satellite Ports

The Orbi Satellites of the RBK50 and RBK852 comes with 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports.

The Orbi Satellite of the RBK853 also comes with 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports; since you get two satellites, you get 8 additional LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports in total.

Orbi Router Features

The major difference, in terms of Orbi Router features, is that the RBK50 has 6 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers.

The RBK852 and RBK853 come with 8 high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers.

All three use implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands.

The RBK50, RBK852 and RBK853 are also MU-MIMO capable as they will able to provide simultaneous data streaming across multiple devices.

Tri-Band Wi-Fi Speeds

The newer RBK852 and RBK853 Netgear Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi Systems are much faster when compared to the RBK50.

When it comes to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection to the internet, there is a 200% increase for the newer models: 400 Mbps for the RBK50 vs. 1200 Mbps for the RBK852 and RBK853.

If you want to use a 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection to the internet, there is a 177.136% increase for the newer models: 866 Mbps for the RBK50 vs. 2400 Mbps for the RBK852 and RBK853.

For connections between the Orbi Router and Orbi Satellite, there is an 38.4882% increase for the newer models: 1733 Mbps for the RBK50 vs. 2400 Mbps for the RBK852 and RBK853.

Keep in mind that the actual performance will vary based on your internet provider in addition to how your home is set up.

Orbi Satellite Features

When it comes to the features of the Orbi Satellite, both the RBK852 and RBK853 have twice the amount of high-performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers when compared to the RBK50 (8 versus 4).

Otherwise all three share the same features with implicit and explicit Beamforming for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands in addition to being MU-MIMO capable.

Warranty

All three products come with a 1-year limited Netgear Hardware Warranty.

If you buy from an authorized reseller, you will also bet 24/7 basic technical support for 90 days based on the date of purchase.

Resources:

Is the Samsung TU8000 TV suitable for PS5, Xbox Series X and other consoles?

by Kevin Chen

In 2020, Samsung released the TU8000. So is the Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV series good for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and other gaming consoles?

You can find out with this guide at Seeking Tech.

Quick Summary

With the lack of HDMI 2.1 ports, along with underwhelming HDR, the Samsung TU8000 is not the most suitable TV for the PS5 and Xbox One X.

The low latency of this TV (with game mode activated) makes it great for older systems that use HDMI.

With that said, the HDR is not that great if you want to get the best out of the PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One S and/or Xbox One X.

Size Options

The Samsung TU8000 comes in multiple sizes: 43″ (UN43TU8000FXZA), 50″ (UN50TU8000FXZA), 55″(UN55TU8000FXZA), 65″ (UN65TU8000FXZA), 75″ (UN75TU8000FXZA) and 85″ (UN85TU8000FXZA).

Does the Samsung TU8000 have HDMI 2.1 ports?

The TU8000 has three HDMI ports.

Unfortunately, none are HDMI 2.1, which is recommend if you want to get the most out of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox One Series X.

Instead, all three ports are HDMI 2.0.

Samsung TU8000’s HDR Capabilities

According to the tests conducted by RTINGS, the HDR features of the Samsung TU8000 is somewhat underwhelming with a HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness of 271 cd/m² and HDR Sustained 100% Window of 291 cd/m².

Although the television set supports HDR10 and HDR10+, it doesn’t support Dolby Vision and Wide Color Gamut.

You can find RTINGS stats below:

HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness: 271 cd/m²
HDR Peak 2% Window: 161 cd/m²
HDR Peak 10% Window: 292 cd/m²
HDR Peak 25% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR Peak 50% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR Peak 100% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 2% Window: 158 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 10% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 25% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 50% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 100% Window: 291 cd/m²
HDR ABL: 0.042

Samsung TU8000’s Input Lag

Based on the RTINGS, the TU8000 Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV has excellent when it comes to input lag.

With the game mode enabled, tests show that there is a 9.7 ms lag when running at 1080p resolution/60 Hz refresh rate, 9.5 ms lag when running 4K resolution/60 Hz refresh rate and 9.7 ms lag when running at 4K Resolution/60 Hz refresh/10-bit HDR.

PC gamers should also be happy to learn that the lag is only 9.6 ms in 4K Resolution/60 Hz refresh rate/4:4:4.

You can find RTING’s input lag test results below:

1080p resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate (Game Mode Enabled): 9.7 ms
1080p resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate (Game Mode Disabled): 87.2 ms
1440p resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate (Game Mode Enabled): 9.9 ms
4K resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate (Game Mode Enabled): 9.5 ms
4K resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate + 10 bit HDR (Game Mode Enabled): 9.7 ms
4K resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate (Game Mode Disabled): 85.3 ms
4K resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate With Interpolation (Game Mode Enabled): 25.3 ms
4K resolution and 60 Hz at 4:4:4: 9.6 ms

Is the TU8000 good for PS5 and Xbox Series X?

Based on the aforementioned information, the TU8000 is not a good television set for the PS5 and Xbox Series X as it lacks support for HDMI 2.1.

Although the input lag is excellent, the TV is also hindered by lacking HDR performances and features.

Is the TU8000 good for Switch, PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X?

If don’t care about HDR, then the TU8000 is great for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X due to the minimal input lag with the game mode enabled.

If you want to take full advantage of the HDR features in supported older consoles (which are the PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One S and Xbox One X), then you are better off getting another television set.

Legacy Consoles Support

The Samsung TU8000 Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV comes with one composite input, so you will be able to directly plug in the PSOne, Nintendo 64, Xbox One and more.

The TV also includes one cable/antenna tuner. Thus, you will be able to directly plug in your NES, Super NES, Sega Genesis and more.

What’s the difference between Garmin Zumo 396 LMT-S and Zumo XT?

by Kevin Chen

In 2020, Garmin released the Zumo XT. So how does the new motorcycle navigator compare against the old Zumo 396 LMT-S model?

You can find in this specs and features comparison guide.

Quick Summary

Aside from two features (built-in Spotify and Pandora music players in addition to LiveTrack via app), the Garmin Zūmo XT is superior to the Garmin Zūmo 396 LMT-S in every way possible.

The newer navigator comes with a much better screen, longer battery life 32 GB of internal storage as well as a lot of new features not found in the older Garmin Zūmo.

If you are deciding between these two navigators, we recommend getting the Zūmo XT over the Zūmo 396 LMT-S.

Zumo 396 LMT-S vs. Zumo XT Comparison Chart

You can find Seeking Tech’s comparison table for these motorcycle navigators below.

	Garmin Zūmo 396 LMT-S	Garmin Zūmo XT
Dimensions	4.94" W x 3.38" H x 0.98" D (or 12.5cm x 8.6cm x 2.5 cm)	5.8" W x 3.5" H x 1" D (8.8 x 14.8 x 2.4 cm)
Weight	8.5 ounces (or 241.1 g)	9.2 ounces (or 262 g)
What's in the Box	Zūmo 396 LMT-S Motorcycle mount and hardware Motorcycle power cable Quick start manual USB cable	Zūmo XT Motorcycle mount and hardware Motorcycle power cable Quick start manual USB cable
Display Size	4.3" diagonally (or 10.9 cm) 3.7" W x 2.2" H (or 9.4 cm x 5.6 cm)	5.5" diagonally (or 13.9 cm) 4.8" W x 2.7" H (or 12.1 cm x 6.8 cm)
Display Resolution	480 pixels x 272 pixels	1280 pixels x 720 pixels
Display Type	WQVGA color TFT White backlight	Glass Multi-touch High brightness HD color TFT White backlight
Dual-Orientation Display?	No	Yes
Waterproof	IPX7	IPX7
Drop Proof?	No	MIL-STD-810
Battery	Rechargeable lithium-ion	Rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery Life	Up to 4 hours	Up to 6 hours Up to 3.5 hours with 100% backlight
Maps and Memory	Map updates microSD card Preloaded street maps	32 GB internal storage 3D buildings and terrain 3D Terrain Downloadable satellite imagery Map updates microSD card Preloaded street maps
Outdoor Recreation Features	None	Preloaded topographical maps
Navigation Features	Bluetooth calling Garmin Real Directions landmark guidance Lane assist with junction view (displays junction signs) Millions of Foursquare points of interest Route shaping through preferred cities and streets Speed limit indicator (displays speed limit across a majority of major roads in the U.S. and Europe regions) TripAdvisor Traveler Ratings	Bluetooth calling Driver alerts for sharp curves, school zones, red light warnings, speed camera warnings and more Garmin Real Directions landmark guidance Lane assist with junction view (displays junction signs) Millions of Foursquare points of interest Route shaping through preferred cities and streets Speed limit indicator (displays speed limit across a majority of major roads in the U.S. and Europe regions) Traffic (via the Garmin Drive app) TripAdvisor Traveler Ratings
Advanced Features	Access to live services with app LiveTrack with app Smart notifications with app Wi-Fi map and software updates	Access to live services with app Smart notifications with app Wi-Fi map and software updates
Motorcycle Features	Built-in Spotify and Pandora music players with compatible smart phone Control music and media from smartphone or MP3 player Custom map support Garmin Adventurous Routing Glove-friendly touchscreen Elevation profile Helmet law notifications Rider alert warnings for sharp curves, state helmet laws, speed cameras and more Round trip routing Motorcycle-specific points of interest for cycle repair services, dealers and more Planned & dynamic fuel stops Service History Log Sunlight readable TOPO map support Track support Weather resistant Wireless ANT+ technology	Control music and media from smartphone or MP3 player Custom map support Garmin Adventurous Routing Glove-friendly touchscreen Elevation profile Helmet law notifications Rider alert warnings for sharp curves, state helmet laws, speed cameras and more Round trip routing Motorcycle-specific points of interest for cycle repair services, dealers and more Planned & dynamic fuel stops Service History Log Sunlight readable TOPO map support Track support Weather resistant Wireless ANT+ technology
Adventure Features	None	iOverlander points of interest Pair with compatible inReach devices Track recorder (breadcrumbs) Ultimate Public Campgrounds
Outdoor Applications	None	Garmin Explore app
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Dimensions

The Garmin Zūmo XT is a little bit wider while the Garmin Zūmo 396 LMT-S is a little taller. The depth for both navigators are nearly identical. You can find the dimensions below:

Zumo 396 LMT-S: 4.94 inches in width x 3.38 inches in height x 0.98 inches in depth (or 12.5cm x 8.6cm x 2.5 cm)
Zumo XT: 5.8 inches in width x 3.5 inches in height x 1 inches in depth (8.8 x 14.8 x 2.4 cm)

Weight

The Zumo XT (at 9.2 ounces or 262 g) weighs a little bit more when compared against the Zumo 396 LMT-S (at 8.5 ounces or 241.1 g).

What’s in the Box

Aside from the navigators, both product come with the same contents, which are a motorcycle power cable, quick start manual, USB cable in addition to motorcycle mount and hardware.

Display Size

The XT has a bigger screen size at 5.5 inches when compared to the 4.3-inch display of the 396 LMT-S. You can find the exact measurements below:

396 LMT-S: 3.7 inches in width x 2.2 inches in height (or 9.4 cm x 5.6 cm); 4.3 inches diagonally (or 10.9 cm)
XT: 4.8 inches in width x 2.7 inches in height (or 12.1 cm x 6.8 cm); 5.5 inches diagonally (or 13.9 cm)

Display Resolution

The Garmin Zūmo XT Motorcycle Navigator is capable at displaying at a much higher resolution (at 1280 pixels x 720 pixels) versus the Garmin Zūmo 396 LMT-S Motorcycle Navigator (at 480 pixels x 272 pixels).

Display Type

The 396 LMT-S uses a WQVGA color TFT display with white backlight. The Zūmo XT utilizes a multi-touch glass display that features high brightness HD color TFT with white backlight.

Dual-Orientation Display

Only the Zumo XT is capable of dual-orientation display.

Waterproof

Both navigation systems are rated at IPX7 when it comes to waterproofing. This means that both can tolerate being submerged in water at a depth of 1 meter (3.28 feet) for a duration of 30 minutes.

Drop Proof

The Garmin Zūmo 396 LMT-S does not have any drop proof rating.

On the other hand, the Garmin Zūmo XT passed the MIL-STD-810 testing, which usually involve drops of around 4 feet from multiple angles.

Battery

Both the navigators use a rechargeable lithium-ion for battery.

Battery Life

The Zumo 396 LMT-S can last up to 4 hours.

The Zumo XT is capable of lasting up to 6 hours (if you are using 100% backlight, than the new navigator can only last up to 3.5 hours).

Maps & Memory

When it comes to supported external storage, both navigators support microSD cards. Both also comes with preloaded street maps that can be updated.

Exclusive to the Zumo XT are 3D buildings and terrain in addition to downloadable satellite imagery. The new hardware also comes with 32 GB of internal storage as well.

Outdoor Recreation Features

The XT also comes with exclusive preloaded topographical maps.

Navigation Features

Both Zūmo 396 LMT-S and Zūmo XT come with a lot of the same navigation features, including Bluetooth calling, Garmin Real Directions, Millions of Foursquare, speed limit indicator and more.

You can check out the list of identical features when it comes to navigating below:

Bluetooth calling
Garmin Real Directions landmark guidance
Lane assist with junction view (displays junction signs)
Millions of Foursquare points of interest
Route shaping through preferred cities and streets
Speed limit indicator (displays speed limit across a majority of major roads in the U.S. and Europe regions)
TripAdvisor Traveler Ratings

The newer Zūmo XT does have a few features not found in the Zūmo 396 LMT-S. You can find the list of exclusives below:

Driver alerts for sharp curves, school zones, red light warnings, speed camera warnings and more
Traffic (via the Garmin Drive app)

Advanced Features

Both navigation systems also share a majority of advanced features. With the app, you will be able to get smart notifications in addition to having access to live services. You can also get map and software updates over Wi-Fi.

Exclusive to the 396 LMT-S is the livetrack feature, which can be used via the app.

Motorcycle Features

The two Garmin motorcycle navigator also share a nearly identical list of motorcycle features. The only difference is that the Zumo 396 LMT-S comes with built-in Spotify and Pandora music players that you can use in conjunction with a compatible smart phone.

You can find the list of the motorcycle features that are included in both navigation units below:

Control music and media from smartphone or MP3 player
Custom map support
Garmin Adventurous Routing
Glove-friendly touchscreen
Elevation profile
Helmet law notifications
Rider alert warnings for sharp curves, state helmet laws, speed cameras and more
Round trip routing
Motorcycle-specific points of interest for cycle repair services, dealers and more
Planned & dynamic fuel stops
Service History Log
Sunlight readable
TOPO map support
Track support
Weather resistant
Wireless ANT+ technology

Adventure Features

Exclusive to the Garmin Zūmo XT are the following adventure features:

iOverlander points of interest
Pair with compatible inReach devices
Track recorder (breadcrumbs)
Ultimate Public Campgrounds

Outdoor Applications

When it comes to outdoor applications, only the Zumo XT is compatible with the Garmin Explore app.

Resources:

ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8) and AC (CT8) Safety Guide

by Kevin Chen

When it comes to operating both the AX (XT8) and AC (CT8) models of the ASUS ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh System, there are several precautions that you should take or you risk causing potential harm to the device as well as yourself.

This Seeking Tech guide will help you safely setup and operate the XT8 and CT8.

Operating Temperature and Humidity

Both the ASUS ZenWiFi AX and AC are designed to be operated between the temperature range of 32°F (or 0°C) and 104°F (40°C). Anything colder or hotter than the recommended range could cause some issues with the hardware. The humidity level should also be between 50% to 90%.

When not in use, you should also store the ASUS ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh Systems in an environment with a temperature range between (or 0°C) and 158°F (40°C) in addition to a humidity level between 20% to 90%.

Placement

To protect the XT8 and CT8, ASUS recommends that you place the systems on an even and stable surface. Otherwise, the casing could end up cracking over time.

You should also avoid exposing both Wi-Fi Mesh Systems from being near water or moisture. As we stated above, the hardware can operate at a humidity level between 50% to 90%.

If you decide to mount either the AX or AC, ASUS suggests that you don’t hang it any higher than 2 meters off the ground (or 6.56 feet).

Surrounding Objects

ASUS recommends putting the ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8) and AC (CT8) in an open location for best performance. Having a lot of room is also ideal for the safety of both systems as well.

You should not put any objects on top of the hardware. Even if the object is light, it could cause issues such as overheating.

You should also avoid covering the vents, as the devices need them to dispel warm air away from its innards. Of course, you should also avoid stuffing any foreign objects into the systems.

Preventing Electric Shock

To prevent yourself from getting shocked, you should disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet anytime you decide to move the ASUS ZenWiFi.

You should also avoid connecting any damaged cords, accessories and/or peripherals to the XT8 and CT8.

If the power adapter broke, it is best that you ask a qualified service technician or retailer for repair unless you are qualified to do so yourself.

Radiation and Radio Frequency Exposure

Both devices are in compliance with the FCC’s radiation exposure limit in addition to being under the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada radio frequency exposure limits. With that said, ASUS still recommends that you out some distance between you and both ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh Systems.

For the AC (CT8), you need a distance of at least 28 cm (or 11.02 inches). For the AX (XT8), you need a distance of 30 cm (or 11.81 inches).

You can find the exact safety verbage of both ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh Systems in the following manuals:

What’s the difference between 11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen) and 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen)?

by Kevin Chen

Apple has two new tablets on the market for 2020 with the 2nd generation 11-inch iPad Pro and 4th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro. So, which of these two best fit your needs?

You can find out in this versus guide.

Quick Summary

Aside from the screen size and battery capacity, the 11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen) and 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen) have identical specs, features and battery life.

Thus, your choice should ultimately be between which screen size you prefer.

If you are more interested in portability, then you should get the 11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen).

If you prefer having a bigger display, then you should get the 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen) instead.

11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen) vs. 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen) Comparison Chart

You can find Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the two tablets below.

Colors

Both versions of the new iPad Pro comes in two color variants: Silver and Space Grey.

Connection Types

You can buy a Wi-Fi only version or Wi-Fi + Cellular version of both the 11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen) and 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen).

Storage

You can also purchase the two tablets in four different storage configurations: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB and 1TB.

Dimensions

As expected, the 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen) is slightly bigger when compared to the 11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen) in terms of length and width. With that said, the height is the same across the two models.

You can find the exact dimensions below (via the official Apple website):

11″ iPad Pro (2nd Gen): 9.74 inches (or 247.6 mm) by 7.02 inches (or 178.5 mm) by 0.23 inch (or 5.9 mm)
12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Gen): 11.04 inches (or 280.6 mm) by 8.46 inches (or 214.9 mm) by 0.23 inch (or 5.9 mm)

Weight

The bigger tablet also weigh more when compared to the smaller one.

You can check out the weight for the Wi-Fi only version as well as the Wi-Fi + Cellular version of the two tablets below:

New iPad Pro 11 inch:

Wi-Fi only: 1.04 pounds (or 471 grams)
Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.04 pounds (473 grams)

New iPad Pro 12.9 inch:

Wi-Fi only: 1.41 pounds (or 641 grams)
Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.42 pounds (or 643 grams)

What’s in the Box

In addition to the respective tablets, both products also come with a 1 meter USB-C charging cable and 18W USB-C power adapter.

Display Features

The bigger screen size of the latest 12.9 inch iPad Pro also results in having more pixels when compared to the latest 11 inch iPad Pro (2388p x 1668x vs. 2732p x 2048p).

Otherwise, the two tablets have identical display features.

You can check out the full list of what the two devices share in common when it comes to this category below:

1.8% reflectivity
600 nits brightness
Antireflective coating
Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
Fully laminated display
LED-backlit
Liquid Retina display
Multi Touch display with IPS technology
ProMotion technology
True Tone display
Wide color display (P3)

Computer Chip

Both computer tablets uses the same 64-bit architecture A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine and embedded M12 co-processor.

Photo Camera Features

The photo camera features are also the same as both computer tablets are equipped 12MP wide and 10MP ultra wide cameras.

You can find the full list of similarities below:

Wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture
Ultra Wide: 10MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture, and 125° field of view
2x optical zoom out; digital zoom up to 5x
Autofocus with Focus Pixels (Wide)
Auto image stabilization
Backside illumination sensor
Brighter True Tone flash
Burst mode
Exposure control
Five element lens (Wide and Ultra Wide)
Hybrid IR filter
Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG
Noise reduction
Panorama (up to 63MP)
Sapphire crystal lens cover
Smart HDR for photos
Tap to focus with Focus Pixels (Wide)
Timer mode
Photo geotagging
Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos

Video Recording Features

Both new Apple iPad Pros also have the identical video recording abilities. You will be able to capture 4K footage at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps in a wide angle in addition to 60 fps at an ultra wide angle. 1080p videos can be recorded in 30 fps or 60 fps while 720p video can be capture at 30 fps.

You can find the full list of video recording features below:

4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps (Wide); 60 fps (Ultra Wide)
1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
720p HD video recording at 30 fps
Brighter True Tone flash
Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p)
Continuous autofocus video
Noise reduction
Slo mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps (Wide); 240 fps (Ultra Wide)
Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
Time lapse video with stabilization
Playback zoom
Video geotagging
Video formats captured: HEVC and H.264

TrueDepth Camera Features

The 11″ iPad Pro (2nd Generation) and 12.9″ iPad Pro (4th Generation) are equipped with the same TrueDepth Camera.

You can find the features that are available on both devices below:

7MP photos
1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
Animoji and Memoji
Auto image stabilization
Backside illumination sensor
Burst mode
Exposure control
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Portrait mode
Portrait Lighting
Retina Flash
Smart HDR
Timer mode
Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos

Video Calling Features

You will be able to use the two latest iPads to make FaceTime video calls over the Wi-Fi or cellular connection to other FaceTime-enabled devices.

Audio Calling Features

You will also be able to make audible calls with both tables over the Wi-Fi or cellular connection to other FaceTime-enabled devices.

Speakers

The second generation 11-inch iPad Pro and fourth generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro use the same four speaker audio setup.

Microphones

Furthermore, both tablets utilize the same five studio-quality mics for making calls, recording audio and capturing video.

Wi-Fi Connections

The 2nd Gen 11″iPad Pro and 4th Gen 12.9″ iPad Pro both use 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, which features simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) in addition to HT80 with MIMO.

Bluetooth Connections

Both devices also use version 5.0 of Bluetooth.

Cellular Connections

You can also take a look at the cellular data connection features, which are the same across the two new models, below:

UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Gigabit-class LTE (Models A2068 and A2069: bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71)
Data only
eSIM
Wi-Fi calling

SIM Card

When it comes to SIM Card support, you can use either eSIM or Nano SIM (which has to be supported by Apple SIM) for both tablets.

Location Features

The two tablets also have the same location determining features. In the Wi-Fi only hardware, you can use the digital compass, iBeacon microlocation or Wi-Fi.

The same aforementioned features also applied to the Wi-Fi + Cellular hardware, which will also features cellular and built-in GPS/GNSS.

Sensors

The new tablets are equipped with the identical sensors.

You can find the full list below:

Accelerometer
Ambient light sensor
Barometer
Face ID
LiDAR Scanner
Three-axis gyro

Face ID

The Face ID feature in both hardware uses the aforementioned TrueDepth camera for facial recognition to unlock the iPad Pro, keep personal data within apps secure in addition to providing security when buying from the App Store, Apple Books and iTunes Store.

Apple Pay

You can also use Apple Pay with the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros. You pay using the aforesaid Face ID feature.

You can also send and receive messages via the Messages app.

Siri

Both pads also support Siri. As a result, you will be able to use voice controls to identify songs send messages, set reminders and other hands-free functions.

Battery Capacity

The battery capacity is different in the two new hardware.

The 11-inch version uses a built-in 28.65-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery.

The 12.9-inch version utilizes a bigger capacity with a built-in 36.71-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery.

Battery Life

Despite the different battery capacity, the battery life is the same across the two computer tablets.

On Wi-Fi, you will get up to 10 hours of web surfing or watching videos.

With a cellular connection, you get up to 9 hours web surfing.

Operating System

Both tablets use iPadOS as the operating system.

Accessibility Features

Furthermore, the two new pads have the same accessibility features.

You can take a look at the list below:

AssistiveTouch
Closed Captions
Magnifier
Siri and Dictation
Speak Screen
Switch Control
VoiceOver
Voice Control
Zoom

Pre-Installed Apps

Moreover, the pre-installed apps are the same in the new tablets.

You can check out what’s included below:

App Store
Apple Store
Books
Calendar
Camera
Clips
Clock
Contacts
FaceTime
Files
Find My
GarageBand
Home
iMovie
iTunes Store
iTunes U
Keynote
Mail
Maps
Measure
Messages
Music
Music Memos
News
Notes
Numbers
Pages
Photo Booth
Photos
Podcasts
Reminders
Remote
Safari
Settings
Shortcuts
Siri
Stocks
Support
Swift Playgrounds
Tips
Trailers
TV
Voice Memos

PC and Mac Synch Requirements

To sync both New iPad Pros to a Mac, you will need macOS Catalina 10.15 (via Finder) or macOS El Capitan 10.11.6 through macOS Mojave 10.14.6 (via iTunes 12.8 or later). For PC, you require Windows 7 or later (via iTunes 12.10 or later).

Audio Formats

The two tablets support the following audio formats:

AAC (8 to 320 Kbps)
AIFF
Apple Lossless
Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3)
HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps)
MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3)
Protected AAC (from iTunes Store)
WAV

Video Features

Both also have identical video features:

Apple TV (2nd Gen or later) AirPlay Mirroring, audio, photos and video out
Dolby Vision
HDR10

4K Video Mirroring and Video Out Adapters

You can use the following adapters (sold separately) for video mirroring and video out for both new iPad releases:

USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter
USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter

Video Formats

The 2nd Gen 11-inch and 4th Gen 12.9-inch iPad Pros support the H.264 and MPEG 4 video formats.

Operating Requirements

The operating requirements are also the same for both devices.

You can find the requirement stats below:

Operating ambient temperature: 32° F to 95° F (0° C to 35° C)
Non-operating temperature: −4° F to 113° F (−20° C to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing
Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Resources:

https://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/specs

What’s the difference between Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch?

by Kevin Chen

In 2020, Samsung released the T7 and T7 Touch external solid state drives. So, how does these new releases stack up against the older T5 model?

You can find out in our comparison guide between these three portable SSDs.

Quick Summary

The main differences between the Samsung T5 SSD and Samsung T7 SSDs are that the T7 drives are nearly twice as fast.

The Touch version of the T7 also use fingerprint recognition for added security while the regular version of the T7 doesn’t.

If you want the best performance, in addition to the best security, then we recommend getting the T7 Touch.

If you aren’t planning to use the fingerprint recognition feature, then the regular T7 SSD is the more affordable option of the two 2020 external drives from Samsung.

T5 vs. T7 vs. T7 Touch Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between these three portable SSDs below.

	Samsung Portable SSD T5	Samsung Portable SSD T7	Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch
Color Options	Alluring Blue Black Metallic Red Rose Gold	Blue Gray Red	Black Silver
Size Options	250 GB 500 GB 1 TB 2 TB	500 GB 1 TB 2 TB	500 GB 1 TB 2 TB
Dimensions	2.9" W x 2.3" H x 0.4" D	3.4" W x 2.2" H x 0.3" D	3.4" W x 2.2" H x 0.3" D
Weight	51 g	57 g	57 g
USB Interface	10 Gbps	10 Gbps	10 Gbps
Sequential Read Speed	Up to 540 MB/s	Up to 1,050 MB/s	Up to 1,050 MB/s
Sequential Write Speed	Up to 520 MB/s	Up to 1,000 MB/s	Up to 1,000 MB/s
Security	Samsung Portable SSD Software	Samsung Portable SSD Software	Samsung Portable SSD Software Fingerprint Recognition
Encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Certification	BSMI CB CE C-tick FCC IC KC TUV UL VCCI	BSMI CB CE C-tick FCC IC KC TUV UL VCCI	BSMI CB CE C-tick FCC IC KC TUV UL VCCI
RoHS Compliance	RoHS2	RoHS2	RoHS2
Warranty	3-year Limited Warranty	3-year Limited Warranty	3-year Limited Warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Color Options

The T5 has four available color options: Alluring Blue, Black, Metallic Red and Rose Gold. With the standard T7, you can pick between Blue, Grey or Red.

The T7 Touch comes in two colors: Black and Silver.

Size Options

Portable SSD T5 has four different size options: 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB.

Both the Samsung Portable SSD T7 and Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch offer the following capacity sizes: 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB.

Dimensions

Although the Samsung Portable SSD T5 is not as wide as the Samsung Portable SSD T7 and Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch, it is slightly taller and deeper.

You can find the approximate dimensions for the three external solid state drives in this versus guide below:

T5: 2.9 inches in width, 2.3 inches in height and 0.4 inches in depth
T7: 3.4 inches in width, 2.2 inches in height and 0.3 inches in depth
T7 Touch: 3.4 inches in width, 2.2 inches in height and 0.3 inches in depth

Weight

The T5 weighs a little less, at 51 grams, when compared to the T7 and T7 Touch, both of which has a weight of 57 grams.

USB Interface

Although the official spec sheets show different names (USB 3.1 Gen 2 for the T5 and USB 3.2 Gen2 for the T7), the performances are the same at 10 Gbps.

The confusion comes from the USB Implementers Forum (or USB-IF for short), which changed the original name for USB 3.1 to USB 3.1 Gen 2 and then to USB 3.2 Gen 2.

The important takeaway is that all three Samsung solid state drives in this versus guide support 10 Gbps. Although the SSDs are also backwards compatible with older USB versions, you will get slower data transfer speeds due to the limited bandwidth.

Maximum Sequential Read Speed

When it comes to the maximum sequential read speed, the T7 and T7 Touch are 510 MB per second faster than the T7. In other words, the T7 solid state drives are 94.44% faster.

You can find the max sequential read speeds for all three SSDs below:

T5 Portable: Up to 540 MB per second
T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second
T7 Touch Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second

Maximum Sequential Write Speed

The T7 and T7 Touch are 480 MB per second faster than the T5 at maximum sequential writing. This translates to a speed advantage of 92.31%.

You can take a look at the max sequential write speed specifications below:

T5 Portable: Up to 520 MB per second
T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second
T7 Touch Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second

Security

The three products use Samsung Portable SSD Software for security.

Unlike the regular T7 external solid state drive, the T7 Touch comes with the fingerprint recognition feature where you can use up to four fingerprints for added protection.

Encryption

The T5 SSD, T7 SSD and T7 SSD Touch use the same AES 256-bit hardware encryption.

Certification

The certifications are also the same as the three drives support the following:

BSMI
CB
CE
C-tick
FCC
IC
KC
TUV
UL
VCCI

RoHS Compliance

The SSDs in this comparion guide also use RoHS2 for RoHS Compliance.

Warranty

The Samsung Portable SSD T5, Samsung Portable SSD T7 and Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch each includes a 3-year limited warranty.

References:

ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8) vs. AC (CT8) Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh Systems

by Kevin Chen

ASUS recently released two versions of the ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh System, the AX (XT8) and AC (CT8). So how do these two stack up against each other?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

The XT8 has a vast majority of advantages over the CT8, including a wider Wi-Fi coverage area and faster speed options. It also comes with more features such as Mac OS Back and Smart Connect.

With that said, the CT8 still holds up pretty well for being the more affordable model. It is also the only one of the two to support Linux.

If you have a house with less than 6 rooms where you want to set up a wireless network to and/or don’t plan on using some of the extras XT8 features, then you might want to get the CT8 instead.

For the best coverage and fastest speeds, you should get the XT8 over the CT8.

ZenWiFi AX (XT8) vs. AC (CT8) Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the tri-band Wi-Fi mesh systems below.

Weight and Dimensions

The dimensions for both models are the exact same with measurements of 16 cm by 7.5 cm by 16.15 cm.

The CT8 does outweigh the XT8 by 730 g to 719 g.

Power Supply

The same power supply is used for both Wi-Fi systems with an AC Input of 110V~240V(50~60Hz) in addition to a DC Output of 19 V with max. 1.75 A current.

What’s included in the package

Aside from the main hardware, both packages come with the same contents as you get a Quick Start Guide, Power Adapter, RJ-45 Cable and Warranty Card.

Antenna

Both ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh Systems have 6 antennas.

Wireless Coverage

The XT8 has a bigger coverage range as it can encompass at least up to 5,500 square feet through at least 6 rooms in your building.

The CT8 is slightly behind with a coverage of 5,400 square feet through at least 4 rooms.

Data Rate

The AX and AC support the same data rates for 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11n, and 802.11ac (5GHZ-1).

The AX model features a faster 802.11ac (5GHZ-2) rate (up to 3466 Mbps compared to the maximum of the 1733 Mbps from AC) in addition to supporting the 802.11ax (2.4GHz), 802.11ax (5GHZ-1) and 802.11ax (5GHZ-2).

The 802.11n 256-QAM data rate is only limited to the AC model.

You can find the full list of data rates for both products below:

AX (XT8) Data Rates:

802.11a : 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps
802.11b : 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps
802.11g : 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps
802.11n : up to 300 Mbps
802.11ac (5GHZ-1)：up to 867 Mbps
802.11ac (5GHZ-2)：up to 3466 Mbps
802.11ax (2.4GHz) : up to 574 Mbps
802.11ax (5GHZ-1)：up to 1201 Mbps
802.11ax (5GHZ-2)：up to 4804 Mbps

AC (CT8) Data Rates:

802.11a : 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps
802.11b : 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps
802.11g : 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps
802.11n : up to 300 Mbps
802.11n 256-QAM : up to 400 Mbps
802.11ac (5GHZ-1): up to 867 Mbps
802.11ac (5GHZ-2): up to 1733 Mbps

Wi-Fi Features

The beamforming of the XT8 is better as it offers standards-based and universal range boost at 1024-QAM high data rate 20/40/80/160MHz channel bandwidth.

In comparison, the beamforming of the CT8 uses offers standards-based and universal range boost at 20/40/80MHz channel bandwidth.

The MU-MIMO tech is also slightly different in both system with the XT8 supporting:

2.4GHz: 2 x 2 MU-MIMO
5GHz-1: 2 x 2 MU-MIMO
5GHz-2: 4 x 4 MU-MIMO OFDMA

On the other hand the CT8 supports:

2.4GHz: 2 x 2 MU-MIMO
5GHz-1: 2 x 2 MU-MIMO
5GHz-2: 4 x 4 MU-MIMO

Processor and Memory

Both models use the same CPU with the 1.5 GHz quad-core processor.

The XT8 does double the amount of memory, however, with 256 MB Flash and 512 MB RAM when compared to the CT8’s 128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM.

Ports

When it comes to ports, both models come with 1X RJ45 for 2.5G BaseT for WAN (although the XT8 supports 10/100/1000/2500 as opposed to the CT8’s 10/100/1000), 3X RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN as well as 1X USB 3.1 Gen 1.

WAN Connections

Both Wi-Fi systems also support the following WAN Connection Types: Automatic IP, L2TP, PPPoE (MPPE supported), PPTP and Static IP.

OS Support

The XT8 supports less operating systems when compared to the CT8. You can find the full list of OS support for each model below:

AX (XT8):

Windows 10
Windows 8
Windows 7
Mac OS X 10.6
Mac OS X 10.7
Mac OS X 10.8

AC (CT8):

Windows 10 64-bit
Windows 8.1
Windows 8
Windows 7
Mac OS X 10.6
Mac OS X 10.7
Mac OS X 10.8
Linux

Encryption

Both versions of the ASUS ZenWiFi Whole-Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System offer the same encryption support.

You will be able to use WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise and WPS.

VPN

The two models also have the identical VPN features: IPSec Pass-Through, L2TP Client, L2TP Pass-Through, OpenVPN Client, OpenVPN Server, PPTP Client, PPTP Pass-Through and PPTP Server.

Firewall and Access Control

Furthermore, both have the exact firewall and access control features.

In terms of firewall, you will get DoS protection and SPI intrusion detection.

For access control, the Wi-Fi systems offer network service filter, port filter, parental controls and URL filter.

Management

The two also have the same management options as you will have access to DDNS, DHCP, DMZ, DNS Proxy, IGMP v1/v2/v3, NTP Client, Port Trigger, Port Forwarding, System Event Log in addition to UPnP.

Other Features

The two also share a lot of common features such as 3G/4G data sharing, Adapter QoS, AiCloud, AiDisk (Samba and FTP server with account management), AiPlayer-compatible enhanced media server with NAT Pass-Through, AiProtection Pro, IPTV support, Printer Server (with Windows-only multifunctional support and LPR protocol support) and Roaming Assist.

Both also features Download Master, which supports bt, ed2k, http, nzb, DHT, encryption magnet link, PEX, download scheduling as well as upload/download bandwidth control.

The XT8 does have a few other exclusive features, such as Mac OS Back and Smart Connect, when compared to the CT8.

References:

	11" iPad Pro (2nd Gen)	12.9" iPad Pro (4th Gen)
Colors	Silver Space Grey	Silver Space Grey
Connection Types	Wi-Fi only Wi-Fi + Cellular	Wi-Fi only Wi-Fi + Cellular
Storage	128 GB 256 GB 512 GB 1TB	128 GB 256 GB 512 GB 1TB
Dimensions	9.74 inches (or 247.6 mm) x 7.02 inches (or 178.5 mm) x 0.23 inch (or 5.9 mm)	11.04 inches (or 280.6 mm) x 8.46 inches (or 214.9 mm) x 0.23 inch (or 5.9 mm)
Weight	Wi-Fi only: 1.04 pounds (or 471 grams) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.04 pounds (473 grams)	Wi-Fi only: 1.41 pounds (or 641 grams) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.42 pounds (or 643 grams)
What's in the Box	11-inch iPad Pro (2nd Gen)	12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th Gen)
Display Features	11" Liquid Retina display 1.8% reflectivity 600 nits brightness Antireflective coating Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating Fully laminated display LED-backlit Liquid Retina display Multi Touch display with IPS technology ProMotion technology True Tone display Wide color display (P3)	12.9" Liquid Retina display 1.8% reflectivity 600 nits brightness Antireflective coating Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating Fully laminated display LED-backlit Liquid Retina display Multi Touch display with IPS technology ProMotion technology True Tone display Wide color display (P3)
Computer Chip	A12Z Bionic chip 64-bit architecture Neural Engine M12 coprocessor	A12Z Bionic chip 64-bit architecture Neural Engine M12 coprocessor
Photo Camera Features	Wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture Ultra Wide: 10MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture, and 125° field of view 2x optical zoom out; digital zoom up to 5x Autofocus with Focus Pixels (Wide) Auto image stabilization Backside illumination sensor Brighter True Tone flash Burst mode Exposure control Five element lens (Wide and Ultra Wide) Hybrid IR filter Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG Noise reduction Panorama (up to 63MP) Sapphire crystal lens cover Smart HDR for photos Tap to focus with Focus Pixels (Wide) Timer mode Photo geotagging Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos	Wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture Ultra Wide: 10MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture, and 125° field of view 2x optical zoom out; digital zoom up to 5x Autofocus with Focus Pixels (Wide) Auto image stabilization Backside illumination sensor Brighter True Tone flash Burst mode Exposure control Five element lens (Wide and Ultra Wide) Hybrid IR filter Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG Noise reduction Panorama (up to 63MP) Sapphire crystal lens cover Smart HDR for photos Tap to focus with Focus Pixels (Wide) Timer mode Photo geotagging Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
Video Recording Features	4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps (Wide); 60 fps (Ultra Wide) 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30 fps Brighter True Tone flash Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p) Continuous autofocus video Noise reduction Slo mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps (Wide); 240 fps (Ultra Wide) Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video Time lapse video with stabilization Playback zoom Video geotagging Video formats captured: HEVC and H.264	4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps (Wide); 60 fps (Ultra Wide) 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30 fps Brighter True Tone flash Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p) Continuous autofocus video Noise reduction Slo mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps (Wide); 240 fps (Ultra Wide) Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video Time lapse video with stabilization Playback zoom Video geotagging Video formats captured: HEVC and H.264
TrueDepth Camera Features	1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps Animoji and Memoji Auto image stabilization Backside illumination sensor Burst mode Exposure control ƒ/2.2 aperture Portrait mode Portrait Lighting Retina Flash Smart HDR Timer mode Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos	1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps Animoji and Memoji Auto image stabilization Backside illumination sensor Burst mode Exposure control ƒ/2.2 aperture Portrait mode Portrait Lighting Retina Flash Smart HDR Timer mode Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
Video Calling Features	FaceTime video calls over the Wi-Fi or cellular connection to other FaceTime-enabled devices	FaceTime video calls over the Wi-Fi or cellular connection to other FaceTime-enabled devices
Audio Calling Features	FaceTime audio calls over the Wi-Fi or cellular connection to other FaceTime-enabled devices	FaceTime audio calls over the Wi-Fi or cellular connection to other FaceTime-enabled devices
Speakers	Four speaker audio	Four speaker audio
Microphones	Five studio-quality mics	Five studio-quality mics
Wi-Fi Connections	802.11ax Wi-Fi 6; simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO	802.11ax Wi-Fi 6; simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO
Bluetooth Connection	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0
Cellular Connections	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) Gigabit-class LTE (Models A2068 and A2069: bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71) Data only eSIM Wi-Fi calling	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) Gigabit-class LTE (Models A2068 and A2069: bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71) Data only eSIM Wi-Fi calling
SIM Card	eSIM Nano SIM (supported by Apple SIM)	eSIM Nano SIM (supported by Apple SIM)
Sensors	Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Face ID LiDAR Scanner Three-axis gyro	Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Face ID LiDAR Scanner Three-axis gyro
Face ID	Unlock iPad Pro Secure personal data in apps App Store, Apple Books and iTunes Store purchases	Unlock iPad Pro Secure personal data in apps App Store, Apple Books and iTunes Store purchases
Apple Pay	Pay with Face ID Send and receive money via Messages app	Pay with Face ID Send and receive money via Messages app
Siri Support?	Yes	Yes
Battery Capacity	Built-in 28.65-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery	Built-in 36.71-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
Battery Life	Up to 10 hours of web surfing or watching videos via Wi-Fi Up to 9 hours web surfing via Cellular data	Up to 10 hours of web surfing or watching videos via Wi-Fi Up to 9 hours web surfing via Cellular data
Operating System	iPadOS	iPadOS
Accessibility Features	AssistiveTouch Closed Captions Magnifier Siri and Dictation Speak Screen Switch Control VoiceOver Voice Control Zoom	AssistiveTouch Closed Captions Magnifier Siri and Dictation Speak Screen Switch Control VoiceOver Voice Control Zoom
Pre-Installed Apps	App Store Apple Store Books Calendar Camera Clips Clock Contacts FaceTime Files Find My GarageBand Home iMovie iTunes Store iTunes U Keynote Mail Maps Measure Messages Music Music Memos News Notes Numbers Pages Photo Booth Photos Podcasts Reminders Remote Safari Settings Shortcuts Siri Stocks Support Swift Playgrounds Tips Trailers TV Voice Memos	App Store Apple Store Books Calendar Camera Clips Clock Contacts FaceTime Files Find My GarageBand Home iMovie iTunes Store iTunes U Keynote Mail Maps Measure Messages Music Music Memos News Notes Numbers Pages Photo Booth Photos Podcasts Reminders Remote Safari Settings Shortcuts Siri Stocks Support Swift Playgrounds Tips Trailers TV Voice Memos
PC and Mac Synch Requirements	Mac: macOS Catalina 10.15 (via Finder) or macOS El Capitan 10.11.6 through macOS Mojave 10.14.6 (via iTunes 12.8 or later) PC: Windows 7 or later (via iTunes 12.10 or later)	Mac: macOS Catalina 10.15 (via Finder) or macOS El Capitan 10.11.6 through macOS Mojave 10.14.6 (via iTunes 12.8 or later) PC: Windows 7 or later (via iTunes 12.10 or later)
Audio Formats	AAC (8 to 320 Kbps) AIFF Apple Lossless Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+) Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps) MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3) Protected AAC (from iTunes Store) WAV	AAC (8 to 320 Kbps) AIFF Apple Lossless Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+) Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps) MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3) Protected AAC (from iTunes Store) WAV
Video Features	Apple TV (2nd Gen or later) AirPlay Mirroring, audio, photos and video out Dolby Vision HDR10	Apple TV (2nd Gen or later) AirPlay Mirroring, audio, photos and video out Dolby Vision HDR10
4K Video Mirroring and Video Out Adapters	USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter	USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter
Video Formats	H.264 video up to 4K, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.2 with AAC LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio or Dolby Audio up to 1008 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo or multichannel audio, in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats MPEG 4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio or Dolby Audio up to 1008 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo or multichannel audio, in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format	H.264 video up to 4K, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.2 with AAC LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio or Dolby Audio up to 1008 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo or multichannel audio, in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats MPEG 4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio or Dolby Audio up to 1008 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo or multichannel audio, in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
Operating Ambient Temperature	32° F to 95° F (0° C to 35° C)	32° F to 95° F (0° C to 35° C)
Non-Operating Temperature	−4° F to 113° F (−20° C to 45° C)	−4° F to 113° F (−20° C to 45° C)
Relative Humidity	5% to 95% non-condensing	5% to 95% non-condensing
Operating Aaltitude	Tested up to 10,000 feet (3000 m)	Tested up to 10,000 feet (3000 m)
Pricing	Check Price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check Price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)