Cheap Wi-Fi add-on or serious astro tracker: which one actually helps?

What each product actually is

Product A, the Celestron 93973 Skyportal WiFi Module, is not a telescope or a mount on its own. It’s an add-on that lets compatible Celestron gear connect to the SkyPortal app for wireless control, alignment assistance, and easier navigation. Product B, the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack, is a complete portable equatorial tracking system designed to move your camera in sync with the stars for long exposures, panoramas, and time-lapse work. That means these products solve different problems: Product A improves control of existing kit, while Product B creates the tracking platform needed for astrophotography.

Display

If by display you mean the app/control experience, Product A wins on simplicity because it exists purely to make telescope control easier from a phone or tablet. SkyPortal is a well-known interface and the module’s job is to bridge your Celestron setup to that screen. Product B also uses Wi-Fi app control, but the real focus is not the app itself; it is the tracking head. For someone wanting a cleaner, more direct mobile experience with a compatible Celestron rig, Product A is the neater solution. For image-making, though, Product B’s “display” advantage is indirect: it gives you better-looking results on the camera sensor, which matters far more than app polish.

Winner: Product A for control convenience; Product B for photographic output.

Performance

This is where the comparison becomes decisive. Product A has no tracking performance of its own; it cannot improve exposure length, star trailing, or imaging quality unless it is paired with compatible Celestron equipment. Product B is built specifically to rotate your camera at sidereal rate, allowing much longer exposures of the Milky Way, constellations, and tracked nightscapes. In practical terms, from a dark UK site like the Brecon Beacons, Northumberland, or the Isle of Skye, Product B lets you collect far more light before stars smear into trails. For astrophotography performance, the Sky-Watcher wins by a huge margin because it is the actual performance tool.

Winner: Product B, by a landslide.

Build quality and design

Product A is a compact module, so its design is naturally simple, lightweight, and unobtrusive. There is not much to go wrong physically, and because it is a small accessory, it is easy to pack and keep with the rest of your kit. Product B is a more substantial piece of hardware with a motorised equatorial head, tripod interface, and the accessories needed for real field use. That extra complexity is exactly why it is more capable, but it also means more setup steps and more parts to manage in the dark, often with cold fingers and a damp British breeze. On pure build ambition and purpose, Product B is the better-engineered product; on simplicity and portability, Product A is easier to live with.

Winner: Product B for robust function; Product A for minimalism.

Battery life

Product A is a low-power accessory, so battery demand is modest and it is unlikely to be the thing that drains your observing session. Product B includes motorised tracking, and that means it needs its own power source and sensible battery planning for long nights out. For UK users heading to a dark-sky site, especially in winter when temperatures are low and batteries lose stamina faster, Product B requires more attention to power management. That said, its battery use is justified because it is doing real work. If battery simplicity is your main concern, Product A is easier; if you need long-exposure capability, Product B’s power draw is part of the package.

Winner: Product A for battery simplicity; Product B for capability.

Price and value for money

At £169, Product A is £240 cheaper than Product B, and that is a major difference. But value depends on what you are buying. If you already own compatible Celestron hardware and want app control, Product A can be very good value because it adds convenience without replacing your existing system. If you want to start or improve DSLR astrophotography, Product B offers far more real-world capability for the money because it unlocks tracked imaging, panoramas, and time-lapse work. In other words, Product A is good value as an accessory; Product B is better value as a creative tool. For most buyers comparing these two directly, the Sky-Watcher’s higher price is justified by the much bigger leap in what you can actually photograph.

Winner: Product A on upfront cost; Product B on overall capability per pound.

Game library/features

Neither product has a “game library” in the entertainment sense, but feature depth still matters. Product A’s feature set is narrow: wireless control, app connectivity, and easier operation of compatible Celestron systems. Product B is much richer in photography features: motorised tracking, portable equatorial operation, long-exposure support, nightscape shooting, time-lapse, panoramas, and app-based camera control. If you want more creative possibilities under the UK sky, especially where clear nights are rare and you want to make the most of every hour, Product B has the stronger feature set by a wide margin.

Winner: Product B.

Overall user experience

Product A is the better experience if your goal is to reduce cable clutter and make an existing Celestron setup easier to use. It suits observers who want convenience and already have the right mount or telescope. Product B is the better experience for anyone serious about photographing the night sky, because it turns a normal camera into a capable astro tool. Yes, it costs more and takes a little more learning, but the reward is enormous: sharper stars, longer exposures, and a much faster path into proper astrophotography. Under UK conditions, where light pollution is common and dark, clear skies are precious, Product B gives you far more return from each observing session.

Overall summary: if you are buying for astrophotography, choose the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack. If you already own compatible Celestron gear and only want wireless control, the Celestron Skyportal WiFi Module is the cheaper, simpler buy. But if these are the only two options on your shortlist and you want the product that delivers the bigger leap in capability, Product B is the clear winner.