I gave up my iPhone’s hotspot for this 5G travel router — and I’m never going back

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A few years ago, I had a dream that I would never need a mobile hotspot again. After all, my iPhone – a gadget no more than an arm’s length away – has that feature, and connecting to it is a chore if all your devices have the Apple logo.

But it is a bad experience. Try as you might, the connection is almost always unstable and slow (especially when streaming or connecting to a remote system). This is a huge pain if you have any Android devices as they keep disconnecting constantly, which takes a toll on the iPhone’s battery.

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Over the years, I’ve tried a few different mobile hotspot devices, but most have been underwhelming, especially considering the price of some.

When Acer gave me the chance to test out its new mobile hotspot, my expectations weren’t high. Yes, it looked great on paper, but they all look great on paper.

But this did not lead to disappointment. In fact, Connect M6E Blowed me away.

built to last

The Connect M6E is a strange looking mobile hotspot. It is a white box measuring 5.5 x 3.4 x 0.8 inches and weighing 10.5 ounces. It reminds me more of an external hard drive or an iPod (remember those?) than a mobile hotspot. It has a 2.4-inch color touchscreen that controls the entire device (no apps required).

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It has a simple on/off button, a slot for a physical nano-SIM card, a reset button, and a USB-C charging port.

The unit has rubber bumpers on the corners and is built to IP68 standards, meaning it is completely dustproof and can withstand continuous submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.

It also meets the MIL-STD-810H standard, a global benchmark for testing device durability in extreme conditions, including intense heat, high humidity, and physical shock. This hotspot is clearly built to last.

what is powering the unit

Inside is a MediaTek processor paired with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 16GB of storage, so your mobile hotspot is a very powerful computer indeed. You’re unlikely to feel it when the pressure is on (the only time I felt the hotspot was a bit slow was when I was updating it as well as messing around in the settings).

The 8,000 mAh battery allows the hotspot to deliver 28 hours of video streaming or 36 hours of high-speed internet for regular web browsing – this claim is fully fulfilled. The hotspot uses MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) multiple-antenna technology to send and receive data simultaneously, increasing Wi-Fi speed, reliability, and efficiency, and supporting up to 20 devices.

Wi-Fi supports 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz for the best possible performance, no matter how new or old your device is.

Securing your data connection involves several technologies, including WPA3 encryption, built-in firewall, and VPN support. To connect Wi-Fi devices, you have the standard SSID and password, QR codes to scan, and NFC “touch-to-connect”, which allows instant pairing.

SIM, eSIM and a virtual SIM

So, how does it connect to the internet? There’s a 5G modem inside that’s capable of delivering 3.27Gbps cellular throughput, giving you multiple connectivity options.

First of all, there’s a nano-SIM card slot on the side of the unit. Take out the SIM tray (this can be a little tricky without a tool), insert your SIM and it will connect to your network provider, this is a great option for those who don’t want to pay extra.

But playing with SIM cards is an old trend. Today, it’s all about eSIM, and the Connect M6E can be used with any eSIM. You simply enter the details, and you are away.

For those who don’t want to mess with a SIM or eSIM, you can also use the built-in global SIMO virtual SIM, which works in over 135 countries.

To use it, you need to download the SIMO app (iOS/Android), register, pair the device and you’re away. Once you add a new device, you get up to 20GB of data to use for the first six months, and you can top-up your account in the app. There are gigabyte bundles for countries and regions, as well as 24-hour unlimited passes. And the prices, from what I’ve seen on the app, are quite reasonable.

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To ensure you get the best possible Internet connection, the hotspot includes a SignalScan feature that automatically scans and connects to the strongest available network. I found this feature especially useful when the hotspot was used in a vehicle, and I was moving quickly between cellphone cells or inside a building.

So far, I’ve put over 50GB of data through the Connect M6E, and it executes flawlessly. Connection speeds have always been as good, if not better, than my iPhone, and when I was using it for streaming, video conferencing, or as a hotspot to connect to a computer, it could always outperform my iPhone. I definitely wish I had this when I was traveling in Spain last year and was getting frustrated using my iPhone as a hotspot.

Who is it really for?

If you only occasionally connect other devices to your smartphone, you definitely don’t need a mobile hotspot.

But there are plenty of people who would benefit from it, like frequent travelers, remote workers, people who live in areas with limited broadband options, people who are security conscious and wouldn’t connect their laptop to any old Wi-Fi offered by a café (or a hacker), people who have a lot of devices, or those who organize groups of people, especially if they travel to places and need the internet.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

At $300, Acer Connect M6E Its price is competitive, especially compared to the Netgear Nighthawk Mobile Hotspot. But the Connect M6e is much better than other mobile hotspots I’ve tested. It has excellent battery life, the 5G modem is fast and stable, and the ability to use SIMs, eSIMs, and virtual SIMs gives me excellent flexibility, all in a package I can keep in my back pocket (or shirt pocket if I’m wearing a cargo shirt).