Macbook Pro Wireless 802.11ac Make a Difference?

[Roosevelt]

I have a 2012 Macbook Pro with wireless N. Will upgrading to Wireless AC on a 2016 Macbook Pro make an appreciable speed difference?

Thanks.

Roosevelt.

 

[belvdr]

It depends on what you're connecting to. If it's all local, it can have a definite impact. If you're talking Internet related, probably not.

I also know you asked earlier about mesh networks. I will say that moving to my current gear increased my wireless coverage, which, I'm assuming, is due to beamforming. I really don't need the extender now.

 

[chevelleguy3]

It depends on if you have a wireless router capable of Wifi AC. If you do, it can make a huge difference on file transfers.

I transfer several large files and also do a Time Machine backup to my Mac Mini server that's hardwired with a 1GB connection. My MacBook Pro is running on Wifi AC and it was a noticeable difference between it and my older MacBook Pro that is not AC.

 

[Roosevelt]

The wireless router is capable of 5Ghz (Comcast XB3 Box). Hopefully, the newer Wifi card will improve speed.

 

[belvdr]

Is it 802.11n or 802.11ac though? 802.11n also supports 5Ghz.

 

[Roosevelt]

The router supports 802.11ac but my laptop is 802.11n.

 

[belvdr]

For local transfers, you'd likely see a difference. For Internet transfers, my guess is you will not, unless you have extremely fast service (i.e. greater than 300-400Mb).

 

[rx7dude]

I noticed a difference with file transfers on LAN but still not as fast as wired. At least for my setup.

 

[HDFan]

When I upgraded to a Time Capsule AC my Speedtest speeds upstairs went from ~50 Mbps to ~175 Mbps (iPad Pro) and ~150 Mbps (Apple TV 4). Don't have any numbers for a 2016 Macbook Pro, or what kind of throughput you can get from a Comcast X3 box.

Before committing I would try to find a device (phone, tablet, whatever) that supports AC and see what kind of results that you get in the location where you are going to use the MacBook. That's a lot of money wasted if the X3 doesn't deliver the bandwidth you want at that location.

 

[weckart]

It can do. As much as anything newer WiFi cards can be more powerful. With my 5th gen AEBS, I used to have to contend with neighbours' overpowering my router signals. Now with 802.11ac on both router and MBP theirs have taken the proverbial hike.