It is hard to navigate your drive without a good carplay adapter. OttoCast and CarlinKit are the two most popular options for wireless carplay adapters.
As similar, as they are, there are some differences between them. Build and design, boot time, and ease of use are the major ones.
It is easy to get confused with so many wireless adapter options. OttoCast and CarlinKit are easy choices, but what if you had to choose one?
Here is a side-by-side comparison to help you decide.
A Quick Summary of Comparison
| Feature | OttoCast | CarlinKit |
| Build and design | Slightly bulky, more versatile models | Sleeker, less versatile models |
| Boot time | Faster cold boot, slower regular boot | Slower cold boot, faster regular boot |
| Ease of use | Easier initial setup | Harder initial setup |
And that’s the gist of it, keep reading below for the detailed breakdown.
Key Differences Between OttoCast And CarlinKit
Picking the right wireless adapter can get a little hard because you never know before using one.
Both OttoCast and CarlinKit make quality adapters and have a good reputation.
That’s why people consider them safe options.
With all that similarity, you’d think there won’t be much difference between them.
Well, you’d be wrong. There are some solid differentiating factors between these two brands.
Build and design, boot time, and ease of use are the major ones.
Also Read: Differences Between CPLAY2air And CarLinkit Carplay Adapters.
- Build And Design
Design or build usually doesn’t matter with wireless adapters. They’re roughly the same design, almost all of them.
But still, OttoCast is slightly bigger and bulkier than CarlinKit. It also has more versatile adapter options.
OttoCast’s designs are slightly lacking in the aesthetics and convenience department. Generally, the adapters are slightly bigger than CarlinKit ones and they’re bulkier too.
So if you’re looking for something you can hold in your palm, you’ll probably be disappointed.
The plus side of OttoCast adapters is their connection versatility. Where most adapters only have USB A type or only USB C type options, OttoCast has a pretty nice balance of them both.
You’ll have no trouble finding the right model for your car and OS.
CarlinKit is very popular among people and one of the big reasons for that is aesthetic. Their adapters are usually sleek, slim, and very conveniently sized.
You can easily carry them around and they look almost futuristic compared to OttoCast. If you’re into visuals, CarlinKit has your back.
Unfortunately, CarlinKit isn’t very versatile when it comes to connection options. Their adapters are mostly for USB A-type ports, so you might have a little trouble finding the right model for your phone.
- Boot Time
Timing is a pretty big factor for wireless adapters. No one wants to just sit there for an abnormal amount of time while the dongle gets booted.
Both adapters have their own advantages in this department.
OttoCast is fast in the cold boot, but comparatively slower when the car is on. CarlinKit is the opposite.
Cold boot is booting the adapters without turning the car on.
OttoCast is usually pretty fast in this case. Their adapters take around 54 seconds to cold boot.
Not bad, but the problem is in regular booting. When you have the engine on, OttoCast seems to slow down a little for some reason.
The boot time decreases overall, but not as much as it should. OttoCast’s regular boot takes around 35 seconds, which is not so much.
CarlinKit is way ahead in this department. The cold boot takes longer than OttoCast, around 1 minute with the engine turned off.
But when you turn it on, CarlinKit is faster than OttoCast. Regular boot takes around 30 seconds for CarlinKit adapters.
- Ease of Use
This is where things get real. OttoCast has an easier initial setup, but the overall operating speed is far behind CarlinKit. CarlinKit might take a little more work during the initial setup but then it is a smooth ride ahead.
OttoCast is the classic “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adapter. Even the manual says the same thing. And unsurprisingly, if you update the firmware while everything is ok, the adapter just gives up.
You’ll need to reset the whole thing and start all over again. Fortunately, starting over isn’t that hard.
All you have to do is connect the cable, connect using your phone’s Bluetooth or WiFi and you’re done. OttoCast picks up available pairing options pretty fast which is a plus.
CarlinKit takes a little more work for the initial setup. It is the same process but the pairing can take longer.
But the real difference is in the firmware update. The adapter is good before and after the upgrade, but the process is a little complicated.
In a lot of cases, the adapter won’t connect before you upgrade the firmware. And upgrading will need WiFi. So it is like a forever loop.
One way of upgrading is to use a USB stick and get the upgraded file through Google Drive.
But once you’re over the upgrades, you’ll rarely have any problems with CarlinKit. The lag time is minimal and the overall experience is much smoother.
Which One Should You Choose?
Well, this is where it gets a little hard. You already know how close both adapters are. That means picking one from the two options is even harder now. So there really is no simple answer to this question.
But hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t decide on one. In the end, which one you pick will depend on your personal preference.
But if you want to go for an objective pick, you’ll have to do some serious pros and cons calculations.
One way of doing this is sorting out your priorities first. Then you can go with the option that checks off the most boxes on your list.
If you’re okay with splurging a little more and specifically want something with an easy setup, OttoCast is a really good choice.
It might be a little expensive depending on the model, but the performance is worth it. Plus they have more versatile and compatible.
If you’re okay with the aesthetic, it is all good.
If you’re looking for something comparatively cheaper and don’t mind working your way around the initial setup, CarlinKit is the better choice. It is easy to work with once you get it going.
CarlinKit adapters are more aesthetically pleasing and boot faster. Unlike OttoCast, upgrades don’t break them either.
Overall, CarlinKit is the better choice here if it is compatible with your OS. But if you want the easy way out, Ottocast is as good as it gets.
Also Read: Differences Between Bose And Burmester Sound Systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are a bunch of questions people usually ask about OttoCats, CarlinKit, and wireless adapters in general.
You can either bypass the Apple security or you can use your carplay adapter. All you have to do is connect it and the screen will pretty much become carplay.
Some specific models do, yes.
You’ll have to connect the USB cable between the adapter and your car stereo. Then you connect your phone using Bluetooth or wifi and you’re done.
CarlinKit works with car models from 2016 onward.
Final Verdict
OttoCast and CarlinKit comparison is like a luxury debate at the end of the day, both brands are good. So which one you go with will definitely depend on your preference.
But if you had to choose only one, CarlinKit would be the better choice. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something easier, OttoCast is a solid option too.
