Armed with a basic understanding of RF and a user’s individual needs, designers can now consider their RF options more intelligently. The initial decision will be whether to use a custom discreet design or a pre-made RF module. The chart shown gives advantages and disadvantages of both. In order to fairly compare the cost of a discrete vs. modular design, be sure to bear in mind the production, tuning and testing costs incurred in the production phase of a discrete design.