Recently I got wind of a website called thewirecutter.com run by local entrepreneur Brian Lam. The website is a sort of a Consumer Reports that recommends the creme de la creme of consumer and business electronics. We took his cue and reviewed the Wirecutter’s recommendation for best Wi-Fi router, the ASUS RT-AC66U, and put it through our own version of PC Labs.
So why even consider a new router, if your old one still works?
If you’re like me — increasingly dependent on smartphones, laptops and tablets — you need rock-solid dependability and fast data transfer to every part of the house. Our old Belkin’s performance was getting a little kapakahi, so we decided to give the RT-AC66U a shot.
The ASUS certainly lived up to the Wirecutter’s claims. Setup was a snap (maybe five minutes) with the steps clearly delineated in their “Quick Start Guide.” We initially tested performance using a Logitech Wi-Fi radio, placing it in the far corners of the home.
These kinds of devices can be notoriously finicky when it comes to receiving data, but the Squeezebox buffered quickly and functioned flawlessly. Similar tests were repeated with success on a Lenovo laptop and a smartphone. (According to CNET, the ASUS was able to maintain transfer speeds of 98 megabits per second at a range of 100 feet, while the nearest competitor fell to 35 megabits.)
Price for the unit is $185 on Amazon — not cheap — but you get the performance you pay for.
MECHANICAL KEYBOARDS
As someone who grew up learning how to type on an IBM Selectric, I have a hard time getting used to a crummy keyboard. It makes the act of typing more of a chore than a pleasure.
With a decent keyboard you don’t have to worry about a key press not registering; the keys have a crisper feel, but they make more noise.
We had the opportunity to look at keyboards. The first was the Ultimate S from Das Keyboard (www.daskeyboard.com), a German-designed model with an amazingly tactile, mechanical feel — among the best I’ve ever experienced.
It emits a clickity-clack sound that someone weaned on an IBM typewriter can easily fall in love with. As PCWorld said, these kinds of keyboards last longer and give a more satisfying typing experience — but they’re loud.” It’s not typewriter-level racket, but if you’re sharing a desk or taking notes on a conference call, it might not be the best choice.
What I didn’t care for about this particular model was that the keys were blank — that is, bereft of letters, numbers and symbols. Theoretically this helps you type even faster. If you prefer to see letters and symbols on your keys, they also make a model called the S Professional. Price is $120 on Amazon.
Another option is to go the quiet route.
We looked at a mechanical keyboard from Matias (www.matias.ca), a respected Canadian manufacturer famous for its Tactile Pro, a premium model targeted for the Apple crowd. It also manufactures the “Quiet Pro” for PCs, which has (most) of the tactile feel without the noise factor.
As one reviewer put it, “There is just enough of a sound to provide that assurance that each key is being hit, but if anyone nearby is bothered by you it’s likely not the keyboard’s fault.” There’s no mistaking this model for a mushy membrane keyboard, but it isn’t quite as crisp-feeling (but only a fraction as noisy) as Das Keyboard. It’s definitely the strong, silent type, if that’s your pleasure. Price is $120.
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Mike Meyer, formerly Internet general manager at Oceanic Time Warner Cable, is now chief information officer at Honolulu Community College. Reach him at mmeyer@hawaii.edu.
