Netgear Powerline 200 Mini Review

[section_title title=”Conclusion”]Conclusion

So after using the Netgear Powerline 200 Mini twin pack on one of the upstairs PCs, how did I feel they performed in comparison to a Wi-Fi connection and a conventional hard wired PC?  Are they worth the investment or is there a better alternative?

Well as always, starting with the performance, I felt the Powerline 200 Mini adapters did a stellar job of improving the internet connection to the upstairs PC.  As said during the testing, it provided 70% of the wired speed in comparison to the wireless download speed which managed a meager 30-35%.  The Powerline 200 Mini not only provided double the wireless connection, but rendered the connection lag free and gave literally the same ping (1ms difference) as the full on wired connection; that is brilliant in my opinion.

Another good factor is the Netgear Powerline 200 Mini adapters are also compatible with other HomePlug AV certified adapters; this includes 200/500MBs rated adapters.  Giving consumers that kind of flexibility is always a good thing and will surely be well received.

One thing I did like was the Pick-A-Plug LED light which gave a red light based on how it felt the plugging into the socket would relate to performance; some might see it as a gimmick but anything to increase performance is a must and it doesn’t cost anything to use a better rated plug.

Price wise, they come in at £20.27 from Amazon (at time of review) and I would consider them to be a bargain especially with the performance gains over Wi-Fi.  Not only do they come from a trusted brand in the way of Netgear, but they are very aesthetically pleasing and if you have a white plug socket/skirting board, they will fit in no problems.

Overall the Netgear Powerline 200 Mini adapters represent fantastic value for money and if you have a child/adult/husband or even wife who likes to game, but hasn’t got the luxury of a wired connection, make sure you consider a set of these as I’m sure they won’t be disappointed!; please note as previously mentioned, they will not work when used on plugs wired on different circuit breakers for obvious reasons.

Thanks to Netgear for sending in the adapters for review and I look forward to seeing more in the near future.