Which Intel 5300 card for the XPS 16

Okay, I've spent half an hour searching and still haven't found the answer. I'm set to order a Studio XPS 16, but am stuck on the wireless card. There are two Intel 5300 cards listed, a mini and a half-mini. The half mini says it has "MyWiFi". That's not listed on the mini card

Intel® 5300 WLAN Wireless-N (3x3) Mini Card add $0

Intel 5300 Ultimate-N Half Mini Card (3x3) with MyWiFi [Included in Price]

I've read all the intel specs, but still have not found a difference between the two. Does the half mini have fewer antennas?

Does anyone know the difference?

thanks,
Erin Cox-Holmes

 

They both will work if you need more info on the card go to www.intel.com and look up the cards under wireless full details for each product is listed.

 

I've looked over the specs several times. I couldn't find any info on the difference between the mini and the half mini. It only explains the 5300 card itself.

 

The 5300 does have more receive and/or transmit antennae, forgot the numbers, but I'm sure you can find it in the network subforum. That being said, 99% of the time you will see no performance difference (there are quantitative tests also in the network subforum).

 

http://download.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/319982.pdf

Same # of antennas.

MyWifi, IMO, is useless. I haven't found a single thing that uses it. Maybe I just don't own anything that has it. But, TBH, I think Dell has a mix-up on their site. I don't think they would actually have two different sized wireless cards, even though the 5300 comes in both sizes.

~Ibrahim~

 

Both the mini and the half-mini are listed as choices. Which one would you pick?

 

BTW, this is what the intel pdf says:
Support for the PCIe Mini Card form factor enables the Intel® Ultimate N WiFi Link 5300to be designed into existing laptops while support for the PCIe Half Mini Card form factor enables thinner and smaller laptop

 

chat with sales rep (sigh!):
10:41:41 AM Erin CoxHolmes Initial Question/Comment: Difference between intel 5300 mini card and half-mini card for XPS 16
10:46:51 AM System You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
10:46:51 AM System Connected with SMB_John_Ross
10:46:51 AM SMB_John_Ross Thank you for choosing Dell US Small Business Sales Chat! My name is John and I will be assisting you today. If we get disconnected, it is best to contact me via e-mail: [email protected].
10:46:56 AM SMB_John_Ross How can I help you today?
10:47:43 AM Erin CoxHolmes Hi John : I would like to know the difference between the intel 5300 mini card and half-mini card for the Studio XPS 16
10:49:21 AM SMB_John_Ross The Intel card has a stronger signal strength and uses less battery life
10:49:53 AM Erin CoxHolmes Yes, I know that. But what is the difference between the mini and the half-mini cards. They are both intel 5300.
10:50:16 AM SMB_John_Ross There really isn't a difference other than that
10:50:36 AM Erin CoxHolmes how many antennas does each one have?
10:50:57 AM SMB_John_Ross One
10:51:08 AM Erin CoxHolmes and why are both offered if there isn't a difference?
10:51:26 AM SMB_John_Ross They differences are the ones I listed
10:52:11 AM Erin CoxHolmes you are saying one of the intel 5300 cards has a stronger signal and better battery life than the other one? Which one is that?
10:53:36 AM SMB_John_Ross Are you referring to Intel 5100 or the Intel 5300 with myWiFi?
10:55:31 AM Erin CoxHolmes When you go to the wireless card selector for the Dell XPS Studio 16, these are two of the choices: Intel® 5300 WLAN Wireless-N (3x3) Mini Card add $0 OR Intel 5300 Ultimate-N Half Mini Card (3x3) with MyWiFi [Included in Price]. I want to know what the difference is between those two cards. I am not talking about the 5100 at all.
10:56:27 AM SMB_John_Ross Ok, those two cards are the same
10:57:16 AM Erin CoxHolmes well, one is a mini and one is a half mini. The half-mini says that it has MyWiFi while the mini does not say that. If they are both the same, why are both offered?
10:58:32 AM SMB_John_Ross You should choose the one with MyWifi, since it is a free feature
11:00:16 AM Erin CoxHolmes does the other one have my wifi as well, even though it is not listed, or is it just with the half-mini?
11:00:42 AM SMB_John_Ross No, it does not
11:00:54 AM Erin CoxHolmes okay. thanks

 

Dell Chat is worse then Dell phone support. They don't know how ridiculous they sound in chat, but you can slowly repeat what they say over the phone....LOL.

I would just go for the MyWifi. It's a useless feature, but I feel better knowing I have it for that rainy day. LOL..

 

So, just to be clear -- the half-mini card is a difference in form factor, or how bulky the card is, but does not affect performance in any way that you can tell?

 

Yes, the half-height card should perform the same as the full-height card.

 

Thanks!

While we're chatting, in your opinions, is the T9900 (6 mg cache, 3.06 ghz) worth the $275 extra over the T9600 (6 mg cache, 2.83 ghz)?

 

Definitely not.

 

I'd get the half mini, on this laptop we have one half mini port and two full ports. If you go with the half mini then it gives you the option to use either half or full sized cards on the remaining slots. If you go with the full sized then one of the full sized slots will be taken, leaving you with one half mini slot and one full. To make matters worse, if you have the bluetooth card then that will take up another full size slot, leaving ou with only one half size slot.

I have the 5300 and it's a half mini card, it has three antennas like the large one and as far as I'm aware it supports exactly the same speeds (I don't happen to have a 300mb+ wireless network). I guess the half mini should consume less power too, if you want to be pernickety you could also say that it saves you a 20 grams worth of dead weight too

 

Guys guys guys. I've been through this and wondered the same thing. Both 5300's have 3 antennas and BOTH 5300's support MyWFi.

Yes you heard right. BOTH of them support MyWiFi. Dell just does not state this little fact. They want you to believe there is a difference between the 2 cards when in fact there is none except form factor. BOTH have the same tech, specs and antennas x 3.

You can use the my WiFi suite on the Dell site for either 5300. Your best bet is to get the 5300 drivers and the 5300 MyWiFi software package off Intel's site if your running Windows 7.

Other than form factor there is NO difference regardless of what Dell tries to tell you. As I said both support MyWiFi.

 

Huh...that's interesting!

Thanks for the heads up,

~Ibrahim~