I’ve run into some debate on the floor about which of the two flavors of XBee antenna gives the most range: Whip (left) or chip (right)?

Xbee radio board with a whip-style antennaXbee radio board with a chip-style antenna

I can’t get a straight answer from the floor, but science delivers thanks to MaxStream’s research on the issue. Turns out the antenna type only makes a difference for long-range outdoor applications:

XBee Antenna Performance

AntennaOutdoor (ft.)Indoor (ft.)
XBeeChip47080
Whip84580
XBee-PROChip1690140
Whip4382140

(Source: Page 3 of Application Note XST-AN019a.)

Photos: Whaleforset, Blankdots