Products at a Glance
How we picked the best Netgear Nighthawk routers
Our team used their expertise to find and research the best Netgear Nighthawk routers. They picked several routers, compared them, and selected the ones that offered the most value for money. Furthermore, we are constantly looking for new Netgear Nighthawk routers to add to our list, so make sure to check back here soon for more options.
Product Reviews
- WiFi 6E
- Four Gigabit ports and one 2.5 Multi-Gigabit port
- Coverage of up to 3,500 sqft
- Overkill if not primarily used with a high-speed internet plan
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is our top pick on our list. With the latest WiFi 6E technology, the RAXE500 is capable of incredibly fast wireless speeds, and we think that it is a strong contender for one of the best WiFi 6E routers.
Powering the Nighthawk RAXE500 is a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, thanks to which it should be able to deliver great performance even under load. The thing that makes it stand out from the rest is that it’s a tri-band router, meaning it supports a single 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands.
The RAXE500 is also excellent when it comes to range, as it offers a coverage of up to 3,500 sqft. This makes it a great choice for a large home or office. On top of that, it can connect with up to 60 devices at the same time. As it features powerful specs, it should connect to multiple devices without compromising on the quality of the internet.
For connectivity, the router has four Gigabit ports and one 2.5 Multi-Gigabit port. There are also two USB 3.0 ports in case you want to connect your printer or external storage device with the router to share files over the network.
Whilst the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is a very advanced bit of gear, it has a user-friendly interface, and the setup is fairly straightforward. You can set up the RAXE500 through your mobile device by using the Nighthawk app. Furthermore, advanced network settings can be tweaked further on the web interface.
The RAXE500 does not offer any form of parental control. However, it does feature a robust security system – Netgear Armor. This system automatically blocks suspicious connections, scans devices for vulnerabilities, and provides excellent malware protection. Overall, we think that it is one of the best Nighthawk routers you can get today.
- Built for gaming
- Maximum speed of 5.4 Gbps per second
- Not a good choice if not used primarily for gaming
- Lack of features such as parental controls
The Netgear Nighthawk XR1000 is a gaming router in the Nighthawk range specifically designed for gaming, providing users with high-speed, dual-band WiFi 6 capabilities. We think that it is the best Netgear Nighthawk router for gaming.
With a maximum speed of 5.4 Gbps per second, the Netgear Nighthawk XR1000 is packed with features designed to provide gamers with high-speed, lag-free connections. On top of that, its 4 antennas provide great, far-reaching coverage. This, combined with the QoS (Quality of Service) feature, allows users to prioritize their router for specific services – such as gaming or streaming.
In terms of setup and configuration, the Netgear Nighthawk XR1000 uses an app that makes setup incredibly straightforward. You can also access more configuration options through the web interface. Since the XR1000 is specifically a gaming router, and all of its features, therefore, focus on gaming – there are a few blindspots that may be frustrating for some users.
The main issue is that the Netgear Nighthawk XR1000 lacks robust filter features and parental control options. If you have kids at home, you won’t be able to monitor their internet usage and habits. Regardless, the Netgear Nighthawk XR1000 is an incredibly capable router, and we think it deserves to be one of the best gaming routers due to its specs.
- Budget friendly
- Four gigabit LAN ports
- Dual-band
- Slightly lower specs
If you’re not looking for a Nighthawk router that won’t break the bank, we’d recommend the Netgear Nighthawk RAX29. We think it is the best budget Netgear Nighthawk router as it delivers great performance while remaining in the affordable category.
The Nighthawk RAX29 is a Wifi 6 router and is dual-band, which means that it is compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks. On top of that, it comes with three high-power antennas, which provide a decent range. This makes it suitable for small to medium homes, so we won’t recommend it for a house or office with multiple floors.
The router also comes packed with a powerful 1.5GHz triple-core processor, thanks to which it should perform smoothly even under load. As far as the ports are concerned, the RAX29 has four gigabit LAN ports on the back, which can be used to connect your PC or other devices using an ethernet cable for a stable connection. There’s also a USB 3.0 port on the side, which can be used to connect an external storage device.
The setup is also pretty simple and easy, as it can be done using the Nighthawk app. This app also lets you control your router from anywhere. Overall, the Netgear Nighthawk RAX29 is the best budget router for those who are on a tight budget.
If you’re looking for more affordable options, we’d recommend checking out our top picks for the best budget routers.
- Mesh system
- Coverage of up to 4,500 sqft
- Can connect with up to 25 devices
- Extenders are expensive
- Only one LAN port on extenders
Mesh routers are excellent for large homes or offices as they provide great coverage thanks to the extenders that come with them. For this, we recommend the Netgear Nighthawk MK63S mesh system.
The Nighthawk MK63S supports WiFi 6 and is dual-band. The version we selected comes with a total of three units. One of them is the central router, and the other two act as the satellite extender. All three of them offer a combined coverage of up to 4,500 sqft, which also makes it a great Netgear Nighthawk router for range. In case you want to further increase the range, you can purchase another satellite extender and increase the range by another 1,500 sqft.
For connectivity, the router itself comes with 1 Gigabit LAN port and 1 Gigabit WAN port. The extenders only come with a single Gigabit LAN port, but you will be able to use them to connect your PC, consoles, or other devices. On the inside, the router features a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 128GB flash, and 256MB RAM. With these specs, it should operate smoothly even under heavy load. The device can also connect with up to 25 devices at the same time, which makes it a strong contender for one of the best routers for multiple devices.
The mesh system can seem complicated to set up, but it can done within a minute using the Nighthawk app, which also lets you test your internet speed, monitor data usage, and much more. Overall, the Netgear Nighthawk MK63S is the best Netgear Nighthawk mesh router, and we would highly recommend it for large homes and offices.
- WiFi 6 router
- Can support a high-speed internet plan
- 2,500 sqft range
- Overkill if not used with a high-speed internet plan
- Should've been a tri-band router considering the price
If you’re on the hunt for the best mid-range Netgear Nighthawk router, then we’d recommend the RAX43.
To begin with, the Netgear Nighthawk RAX43 comes with WiFi 6 and offers dual-band functionality. On top of that, it can support speeds of up to 4.2 Gbps, so it can be paired with a high-speed internet plan. Based on this, it should provide a seamless online gaming and streaming experience.
As far as wired connectivity is concerned, like some of the best gigabit routers, you get four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and a single Gigabit Ethernet WAN port. There’s also a USB 3.0 port, so you can connect your printer or storage devices directly to the router.
The RAX43 can also connect with up to 25 devices simultaneously and offers a coverage of up to 2,500 sqft. This makes it a solid choice for an apartment or house with around three bedrooms. And as it comes packed with a 1.5 GHz triple-core processor and 512 MB RAM, it should keep performing smoothly even when multiple devices are connected to it.
Overall, the Netgear Nighthawk RAX43 is a great choice as it offers excellent coverage, can support a high-speed internet plan, and can connect with up to 25 devices at the same time. You can also access Netgear Armor and Netgear Smart Parental Controls for free for 30 days, after which you’ll have to subscribe to their paid plan.
How to pick the best Netgear Nighthawk router
Here are some points you should consider before making the purchase.
WiFi standard
At the time of writing, WiFI 6 is the latest generation of WiFi, so you need to pick a router that supports it. While WiFi 5 routers are also decent, they are around 40% slower than WiFi 6 and are old. On top of that, having a WiFi 6 Netgear Nighthawk router will put you in a safe spot, as you won’t have to worry about upgrading any time soon. In case you want to explore options with the latest WiFi generation, check out our top picks for the best WiFi 6 routers.
Range
Good internet coverage will mean that your devices will receive good reception throughout your home/office. The further a device is from the source of WiFi, the lesser the signal. If you’re getting a router for a small apartment or office, you’ll be fine with any model. However, for a large home or office with multiple floors, you’d want to get a long-range router. Some of the best Netgear Nighthawk routers, like their mesh routers, offer a coverage of up to 4,500 sqft. This can be further increased using extenders. We suggest checking out our top picks for the best routers for WiFi range in case you want something that can help the WiFi signals everywhere.
Features
Make sure the router you’re getting comes with some additional features that can be accessed via an app. Netgear Nighthawk routers can usually be controlled via the Nighthawk app, through which you can control the router from anywhere and access some features such as Parental Controls, Internet Speed Tests, and more.
Price point
It is important to remember that if you’re looking for a premium Netgear Nighthawk router, you should be prepared to pay a high price for it. This is because most of their routers that come with the latest WiFi standard, offer great coverage, and come packed with features are priced at $300 or above. As for the budget options, they are anywhere between $100 to $200. So, keep your budget in mind while exploring their routers.
Is the Netgear Nighthawk worth it?
If you’re looking for top performance and don’t mind shelling out the money, we’d say it’s worth it. The latest models come with WiFi 6 and are either dual or tri-band. Netgear also makes mesh systems, which are ideal for large homes and offices.
How many devices can a Netgear Nighthawk router handle?
This will depend on the router you’re getting. For instance, the Netgear Nighthawk MK63S mesh system can handle up to 25 devices at the same time.
Our Verdict
For us, the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is the best Netgear Nighthawk router. It’s capable of incredibly fast Wifi speeds, has Wifi 6E technology, and an incredibly effective security system – Netgear Armor. On top of that, the router has a coverage of up to 3,500 sqft and can connect with 60 devices simultaneously.