What is a Bluetooth Dongle and How to Choose the Best One?
A Bluetooth dongle is basically a small device that has Bluetooth connectivity. These devices use to connect all types of computers, laptops, mobiles and many other portable electronic devices with one another wirelessly. The main benefit of using these USB-based wireless adapters. Is that they don’t hamper the speed of your laptop or computer system.
Today, there are hundreds or even thousands of companies. Who manufacture these dongles but buying branded ones will be much better as their after sales services service. It will also be good plus you can ask for warranty extensions in case something goes wrong with it. Well, don’t worry; we will guide you throughout this article regarding how to choose the best Bluetooth Dongle.
Difference Between Bluetooth Dongle & Adapter
Bluetooth dongles are referre to as Bluetooth adapters. Well, they are basically the same thing but there is a slight difference between the two.
Basically, these dongles act as an addon or secondary device to devices like laptops and computers. Which don’t have any built-in Bluetooth connectivity. On the other hand, adapter does not require any secondary device; it directly converts signals into wireless Bluetooth connections.
How to Choose the Best Bluetooth Dongle?
Now that you know what exactly a bluetooth dongle is. Let’s dive into the guide on how to choose the best one for your computer system or laptop. We can help you in this department by suggesting some of the best ones according to their range, and much more.
Range of the Bluetooth Dongle
Before buying a bluetooth dongle, it is necessary to check its range. As nowadays there are hundreds of companies that manufacture these devices. And their prices also vary greatly due to which buyers end up choosing one randomly without properly checking its quality.
So, you should be well aware of the maximum and minimum range of your bluetooth device. Before making any final purchase decision. If you think you will need a dongle for indoor use only then there is no need to buy an expensive model. As they mostly come with high price tags whereas simple models can suffice your requirements at much lower rates. However, if you want one for outdoor purposes then. We will recommend opting for a powerful model that comes with a higher range of over 100 meters. As it will be compatible for all your needs.
Compatibility of the Bluetooth Dongle
Another thing nowadays buyers face major trouble in is which one to buy according to their device compatibility. If you have a new laptop or PC. Then there is no need to worry as it will not pose any problem as just about every company manufactures Bluetooth dongles. That are compatible with almost all types of devices out there.
But if you own an old computer system and looking for a Bluetooth dongle. We would prefer buying models manufactured by companies like TP-Link, ASUS etc. They even make bluetooth adapters for older Windows versions like XP and Vista along with latest ones like 10 and 8 respectively.
One thing to keep in mind that some models might work with your computer. But not with your laptop due to their compatibility issues. So, keep this tip in mind before making a purchase decision accordingly.
Bluetooth Version of the Dongle
Bluetooth is an old wireless connectivity technology; it has been used for decades now. But, with each passing time new versions of bluetooth are being released by its manufacturers. Bluetooth version 5.0 is the latest standard that was introduced in 2016 whereas older standards like v2.1+EDR and v4.0. So, continue to exist too but their speed and performance are way lower than these latest standards.
So, you should be well aware about your device’s compatibility before buying a bluetooth dongle. As some companies manufacture models which support only v5.0 while others. Also support previous versions too so its all up to you which version of Bluetooth you want your dongle to have.
Multi-pairing Support
Multi-pairing is a very important and useful feature that most of the latest Bluetooth dongles come with. If your bluetooth dongle does not support multi-pairing. So, then you will need to unpair one device before connecting another to it. This process can be annoying as multiple devices like speakers, headphones etc. Which you use simultaneously might end up getting disconnected from each other. If they are not paired properly at the same time.
Nowadays we see companies making bluetooth dongles which allow multiple devices to be paired. And connected with them simultaneously. So, even if one gets disconnected it won’t create any problem for you as another device remains connected and ready to work on its own. So, this feature is must have thing for all those users. Who have multiple devices to use a wireless connectivity solution.
What is Class in Bluetooth Dongle?
Almost all Bluetooth dongles come with built-in Class 2 power. And they offer a range of about 50 meters which is just enough for the simple tasks like connecting to speakers, headphones etc. But class 1 bluetooth dongles are much more powerful. As they provide an extended range of over 100 meters and most companies that manufacture such models. And also claim better speed along with greater stability than its counterparts.
Final Verdict
Overall we can say that Bluetooth dongles are very simple and easy-to-use wireless connectivity devices. So, They just connect one device with another. And allow you to transfer data without any hassle. A good bluetooth adapter is flexible enough to be used on a wide range of devices which make them a must-have for all those people who need their computer systems connected with other devices conveniently.
