CNET reviews Apple AirPort Express Base Station: ‘Very Good’ plus offers unique iTunes streaming

“Apple’s AirPort Express Base Station has always been remarkable in that it is networking hardware that people actually seem to get excited about. Thanks to an update to the 802.11n wireless networking standard, this compact, easy-to-use device can now add increased wireless networking performance to its list of pros. It might not be as fast as some of the more robust 802.11n wireless devices, and at $99, it’s also on the pricier side of basic 802.11n routers. Still, for its portability and its integration with iTunes, we recommend it to anyone interested in setting up a wireless network on the go, or if you’re after some basic music streaming capability,” Rich Brown reports for CNET.

“Our testing shows that the AirPort Express is actually among the slowest 802.11n devices. Its speed is still plenty fast for streaming music or HD video, but even under the best conditions, at close range on a 5.0GHz 802.11n-only network, it hit 66Mbps, or just barely faster than the Time Capsule in slower 2.4GHz mode. If you have demanding networking tasks in mind, with many users all streaming various kinds of media at once, for example, you will likely want a more robust 802.11n product,” Brown reports.

You should consider AirPort Express “if you’re in the market for a new Wi-Fi router that offers portability, ease of use, and the unique ability to stream iTunes over your network,” Brown reports.

Full review here.