wePresent vs Airtame 2

With so many devices offering wireless screen sharing for businesses, we’ve compared two of them for you. This article takes a fair look at wePresent and Airtame 2 to make it easier to find the device best suited to your needs.

Both Airtame 2 and wePresent are user-friendly HDMI cable alternatives. Each are compatible with a variety of devices and operating systems across the board. Airtame 2 and wePresent include features that make them accessible and useful for school and business settings.

Highlights

Though they offer overlapping features, it is important to note the differences between Airtame 2and wePresent before deciding which is best suited for your specific needs.

• The cost of wePresent ranges from $499 to $999, whereas Airtame 2 costs $/€ 399 (ex. VAT).
• Both devices offer features suited to comparing content with other users. wePresent allows up to 4 users stream to the TV, while Airtame 2 lets you stream from one computer to multiple TV screens.
• Airtame 2 is a single, small device inserted into a TV or projector with flexible mounting options. wePresent is a larger device with a wall mount attachment that requires drilling into the wall.
• All wePresent models can mirror from Windows, Mac, and Chromebook computers, and some of the higher end models can share content and audio with iOS and Android. Airtame 2 is able to mirror from Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook, and offers AirPlay iOS mirroring plus image sharing from Android.
• With both wePresent and Airtame 2, you are able to create a customized background. Airtame 2 also has additional, heavier digital signage options from a variety of app integrations.

Price range

wePresent offers multiple options ranging from a basic presentation model to models that support interactive whiteboards. The prices for these options start at $499 and can go up to $999. With each increase in price, additional features are included to beef up the device capabilities (e.g., an interactive whiteboard & Power Over Ethernet (PoE) capacity in the WiPG-2100 model).

Airtame 2 costs $/€ 399 (ex. VAT), a good bit less than the price of the least expensive wePresent option. This makes it a more affordable option for many schools and businesses. The one-time cost includes new features and updates, as well as Airtame’s cloud-based device management platform. What it really comes down to is what additional features you are looking for when deciding which device is most suited towards your needs.

wePresent and Airtame 2 for comparing content

You can use both wePresent and Airtame 2 to compare content if you need to share and interact across multiple devices in a meeting.

wePresent lets you add up to 64 users in the queue, meaning there can be 64 collaborators. A designated moderator is assigned to choose which device in the queue will be shown on the screen. It also allows for up to 4 users to collaborate on and use the same screen at once, all while using different devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets.)

This feature works best if you have a very large display screen that can fit this much content comfortably.

With Airtame 2, there is not a limit on the number of collaborators, because anyone connected to the network can stream to the TV. Although there’s no moderator option with Airtame 2, switching between different presenters is simple. A presenter clicks “Stop” to end their stream and the next presenter then clicks “Start” to start a new stream. As a bonus, you can also mirror one computer screen to multiple TVs, which is handy if you’re in an auditorium with multiple displays.

As a presenter, you might want to keep some things concealed while presenting. Airtame 2 has a neat Single Window Sharing function that lets presenters decide which window to stream, and which to keep private.

Device size and power source

wePresent is a larger device with a wall mount, which means you’ll need to have a drill handy to install. It also requires an external power source. The base model, wiPG-1000, only offers power through an AC adapter. If you’d like the option for powering with Power over Ethernet, you’ll need to upgrade to the wiPG-2000. Generally, wePresent is designed as a stationary solution.

Airtame 2 has a sleek, slim design that can either be installed behind a flat screen TV or mounted next to it for optimal connectivity. Keeping the Airtame 2 visual will furthermore allow you to see the LED light that functions as a communication guide. To install, you connect it to a TV screen or projector’s HDMI port.

To power the Airtame 2, you need to use the supplied AC power supply and cable. Alternatively, if you do not have access to an AC power socket, you will soon be able to power and connect your Airtame 2 to your network with the Airtame PoE adapter (on sale from early 2019).

Mirroring Capabilities

wePresent mirrors in full HD video at 30 frames per second (fps) whereas Airtame 2 mirrors in full HD video at 60 fps.

wePresent supports Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Chrome. On higher end wePresent models, you can mirror from their MirrorOp software, including mirroring from iOS via Airplay and from Galaxy devices.

Airtame 2 offers connectivity and mirroring for Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook, and supports AirPlay iOS mirroring. You can also present documents and images stored on your phone or on Cloud services from Airtame 2’s mobile app for Android and iOS. Mirroring from Android is currently under development.

Managing multiple devices

If you need to manage multiple wePresent devices, you can use their Collaborative Management Suite (CMGS) for enterprises, which they released in spring 2017. Using CMGS, you can manage and configure wePresent devices through your network. You can also create users with different permission levels.

wePresent is able to display a customized logo on the start screen. With the highest end model, you can also fully customize your start screen with your company or school’s branding.

With Airtame’s customizable Homescreen, you can customize what’s shown on your Airtame-powered screens when no one is streaming to them. Homescreen also allows for an easy and intuitive overview of all your Airtame devices. This gives the Airtame Homescreen a practical use. It is a digital signage solution that’s useful for a range of different needs.

Airtame currently has four beta apps – Google Slides (allowing you to present public presentations as homescreens); Trello (where you can connect and present project or team dashboards); World Clock (presenting up to four different time zones); and Unsplash (showcasing beautiful photography on your screens, based on a selected descriptive tag).

Custom backgrounds

wePresent is able to display a customized logo on the start screen. With the highest end model, you can also fully customize your start screen with your company or school’s branding.

You can also display a customized logo or image on Airtame’s Homescreen. On top of that, you can also use Airtame as light digital signage to display a website or KPI dashboard without extra hardware. Homescreen also lets you change between four overlays – Guide, Guide left, Minimal, and None. With the Guide and Guide left overlays, you can customize the text, as well as the color and transparency of the overlay.

(Tip: Google Slides pairs well with Airtame because it is easy digital signage.)

Bottom line

wePresent is best for presenting that requires you to moderate presenters. The more features you want, the more you pay. If you need a device that supports touch and mouse input with interactive whiteboards or if mobile mirroring on Android devices is essential to your work, this device might fit your needs.

Airtame 2 is a scalable solution because of its one-time cost and flexibility. If you’re looking for an affordable option offering easy streaming, presenting options, and multiple device management from the Cloud, Airtame 2 is the device you’re looking for.

Check out our other comparison articles:

• Chromecast vs Airtame 2
• Apple TV vs Airtame 2
• Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter vs Airtame 2
• Wireless Streaming for HDMI overview

We aim to be as objective as we can in this article to give a fair comparison between wePresent and Airtame 2.