By Charlemagne Losaria
In the first quarter of last year, Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE announced the second-generation 4G LTE uFI (United WiFi) mobile hotspot device, aptly named the ZTE MF93D, which promises to reach a maximum speed of 100Mbps and can accommodate up to ten devices.
The ZTE MF93D is one pretty looking device. A combination of glossy material at the top part and a rubber matt finish at the bottom part gives it that rugged yet elegant look.
It features a 1.4-inch non-colored display which shows basic information like signal strength and signal type (2G, 3G, or 4G) a battery icon, connection status, data packets sent and received and lastly, an indicator whenever it receives a new message.
The sides of the device features two antenna connectors, the micro USB charging port, the WPS button as well as the standard SIM card slot and Micro-SD slot. The device is well built with no apparent creaking sounds when physical pressure is applied on it.
It runs on the second-generation Qualcomm LTE chip, which according to ZTE, provides significant performance enhancements, better heat dispersion, and improved battery consumption compared to the first iterations of their uFI devices.
It has a 2800 mAh non-removable battery which, once fully charged, will last you between six to eight hours, depending on how strong the signal strength is in the area.
True to their word, the device does not get as hot compared to the older ZTE MF63 (3G only device) I had been using.
Performance wise, it lives up to its promise of delivering fast Internet connection once it captures 4G signal. However, it seems that the signal receptor is not as strong compared to the older ZTE MF63.
Case in point, in my unit located along Ortigas complex where a certain network?s signal is not as strong inside the building, I pitted the device against one another to see which device get better signals. Both devices can receive 3G signals only in my unit but the older ZTE MF63?s reception is much better, as indicated by the number of signal bars it displays. Sometimes, I would even get ?limited service? from the newer device.
Connecting was also easier on the older device compared to the MF93D inside my room. That?s my non-scientific way of testing which device receives signal better but that?s how a regular consumer would do it. Again, it may depend on the area as my building is a notorious dead spot.
On the rooftop though, it?s a whole different story. The newer ZTE MF93D can now intercept 4G signal so comparison between the two devices seems pointless. Below are screenshots from the speedtest.net app between the two devices:
Conclusion
The ZTE MF93D 4G LTE is ideal for those who want to be connected and employ the speed of 4G technology.
