Alpine ILX-W650 vs ILX-407 – Which One is Best?
If your car does not support wireless streaming and you want to listen to music while driving, you might think about upgrading. You can upgrade the stereo head unit in your car even though you don’t need to upgrade the vehicle itself.
The Alpine wireless digital media receiver adds a lot of functionality to your car, allowing you to make it smarter. Alpine has a wide range of digital media receivers, but the Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 are two of the best. So, we compared Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 and concluded which is better for you.
Alpine ILX-W650 vs ILX-407 – Comparison Table:
| Product | Alpine ILX-W650 | Alpine ILX-407 |
| Aux Input | Mini (Front) | Mini (Rear) |
| Audio/Video Input | No | Yes (HDMI and RCA) |
| USB Input | Yes (Front) | Yes (Front) |
| USB Port Power | 1 amp | 1.5 amp |
| Backup Camera input | Yes | Yes |
| Second Camera Input | Yes | Yes |
| CarPlay | Yes | Yes |
| Android Auto | Yes | Yes |
| Alexa Voice Assistant | No | No |
| Siri Voice Assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Memory Card Slot | USB Memory | USB Memory |
| Bluetooth Compatible | In-built | In-built |
| Satellite Radio Ready | SiriusXM | SiriusXM |
| HD Radio | No (Standard Radio) | Yes |
| Navigation | Optional | Optional |
| Full Size (iPod Compatibility) | No | No |
| Nano (iPod Compatibility) | No | No |
| Touch (iPod Compatibility) | No | No |
| iPhone | 5S and Above | 5S and Above |
| RMS Power (CTA-2006) | 16 Watts | 16 Watts |
| RMS Power (Manufacturer) | 16 Watts | 16 Watts |
| Peak Output | 45 Watts | 50 Watts |
| RMS Power Bandwidth | 20 – 20 kHz | 20 – 20 kHz |
| Preamp Outputs | 6 – Channels | 6 – Channels |
| Sub Preamp Outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Switchable Read Preamp Outputs | No | No |
| Video Screen | Yes | Yes |
| Screen Type | WVGA | WVGA |
| Screen Resolution | 800 x 480 pixels | 800 x 480 pixels |
| Navigation App Compatible (iOS) | Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze | Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze |
| Navigation App Compatible (Android) | Google Maps and Waze | Google Maps and Waze |
| Preamp Voltage | 4 volts | 4 volts |
| Screen Size | 7 inches | 7 inches |
| Key Button Color | White | White |
| EQ Bands | 9 Band Parametric | 5 – Band Graphic |
| Wireless Remote | No | Optional |
| Steering Wheel Control Compatible | Adaptor Required | Adaptor Required |
| Parts Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year |
| Labor Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year |
| FM Sensitivity | 9.3 dBf | 9.3 dBf |
| European Tuning | No | No |
| Seek/Scan | Seek | Seek |
| Radio Data System | No | Yes |
| Music File Playback | FLAC, MP3, WMA, WAV, and AAC | AAC, MP3, FLAC, WMA, and WAV |
| Photo Playback | JPG, PNG, and BMP | JPG, BMP, and PNG |
| Video Playback | AVI, MP4, MPG, MOV, and WMV | AVI, MP4, MPG, MOV, and WMV |
| Second Camera Input Lane Watch | No | No |
| Cables | Power Cable, USB Extension Cable, Pre-Out Cable, and Microphone cable | Power Cable, USB Extension Cable, Pre-Out cable, Microphone, CAN Interface Connector |
| Unit Mounting Parts | No | Screw (M5 x 8) |
| Price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Alpine ILX-W650 vs ILX-407 – Similarities
Design
The Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 have a lot in common, and one of them is the design which you will notice after getting your hands-on with the device. Both the digital media receivers have a similar design, and you can’t actually notice any difference between them.
Moreover, there is no color option available apart from Black. When it comes to the screen bezels, then again, there is no difference between both offers similar wide bezels.
CarPlay and Android Auto
Most digital media receivers have android auto available in them, but they don’t usually have the Apple CarPlay. Apple CarPlay is only available in the high-end after-market digital media receivers, and the Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 are one of them.
Both of the Alpine media receivers have Apple CarPlay along with Android Auto. So, it doesn’t matter whether you have an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. You will be able to connect to the Alpine ILX W650 and 407.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay let you drive smarter and safer while using your phone for directions, calls, and messages.
Voice Control
If you are not gonna use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto while driving, then you might want to consider controlling the stereo head unit using voice commands.
Well, both the Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 come with voice assistants functionally, allowing you to control them using voice commands.
While both the devices have only Siri Voice Assistant, they don’t have the Alexa voice assistant, which may be a downside, especially for android users.
But for android users, both the devices offer Google Assistant, which is only available and limited to Android Auto.
Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, then both the stereo head unit offers a lot of different connectivity options. You can connect to them with a wire or wirelessly, as per your needs.
The first connectivity option that both devices offer is the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Apart from that, the Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 offer built-in Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to have hands-free calling along with wireless audio streaming.
On top of Bluetooth connectivity, both devices offer connectivity via USB, so you can play different types of audio using a USB cord. Moreover, you can also share photos and videos using a USB to the device.
Display
The Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-407 come with a WVGA panel. Both the devices have an anti-glare and touchscreen display. The display is 7 inches in size and has a resolution of 800 x 400 pixels.
There are a lot of gestures that you can use to control the volume, forward the videos, skip track, and pause the track while driving.
Both the Alpine stereo head units have navigation support. You can use Waze, Apple Maps, and Google Maps on both of the devices. For Android, you can use Google Maps and Waze, and for iOS, you can use Apple maps.
Warranty
You will get a one-year brand warranty with both of the Alpine devices. Whether there is a technical fault or a software-related issue, the brand will resolve the issue or will replace your unit completely under the warranty period.
File Playback
The best part about both the wireless media receivers is that they both support a wide range of file types. For audio, video, and photos, most of the file types are supported.
For instance, the JPG, PNG, and BMP file types are supported for viewing a photo, and AVI, MP4, MPG, MOV, and WMV file types are supported for watching videos.
Installation
Both the devices have similar installation. You are advised to get the device installed from the manufacturer or a third-party mechanic shop. You will get the screws in the box, and you will need some equipment to install the devices in your car.
Alpine ILX-W650 vs ILX-407 – Differences
HD Radio
The major difference between the ILX-W650 and ILX-407 is the HD Radio. The ILX-407 comes with an HD Radio feature, while the ILX-W650 does not have it. This means that the audio quality of the radio in ILX-W650 won’t be as good as ILX-407.
HDMI Input
The ILX-407 comes with HDMI support, while the Alpine ILX-W650 does not have it. The HDMI input can come in very handy when you want to connect any other devices like other screens to the device.
Customized Background
The Alpine ILX-407 comes with a customizable background. You can change different background settings, such as the color, and you can also upload your own splash screen.
The Equalizer
Another difference between the Alpine ILX-W650 and ILX-450 is that both have different types of sound equalizers. The ILX-W650 comes with a total of 9 bands which are parametric, while the ILX-407 comes with a total of only five graphic bands.
Alpine ILX-W650 vs ILX-407 – Pros and Cons
| Alpine ILX-W650 | Alpine ILX-407 |
| Pros ● Great sound quality ● Smooth touch screen ● Nine equalizer bands ● Easy to install | Pros ● Excellent sound quality ● Customizable backgrounds ● HD Radio ● HDMI input |
| Cons ● Volume controls are poor ● No HD Radio ● HDMI input is not supported | Cons ● Only 5 EQ bands |
| View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Alpine ILX-W650 vs ILX-407 – Which is Better?
The Alpine ILX-407 is a better choice in comparison to the ILX-W650 as it comes with HDMI input support, allowing you to connect to other screens and media devices.
Moreover, it comes with HD radio support which offers great sound clarity and no distortion. Apart from that, you can also customize the background or upload your own with the ILX-407 wireless media receiver.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you get frequent updates in Alpine ILX-W650?
Yes, the Alpine ILX-W650 gets frequent software updates for both Android and Apple.
Can you use a 512GB USB in ILX-407 or ILX-W650?
Yes, you can use a 512 GB USB stick in both of the wireless media receivers.
Does both the device come with all the wires in the box?
Yes, both of the devices have all the basic wires required to use them.
Conclusion
All in all, both the Alpine media receivers are a great choice to have in your car and at least better than not having any wireless media receivers.
Based on the comparison above, we found out that the Alpine ILX-407 is a superior choice in comparison to the Alpine ILX-W650 as it comes with better connectivity options like HDMI input. Moreover, it offers HD Radio which is missing in ILX-W650.
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