As a significant advancement in home networking technology, Netgear’s RS700S BE19000 Wi-Fi 7 router represents a major addition to the Nighthawk family. The RS700S stands out as a router designed for the modern connected home with exceptional performance and features. After extensive testing and evaluation, it proves to be a great router.
Key Features and Specifications
- Model: RS700S (the “S” denotes the included one-year trial of Netgear Armor)
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Maximum Speed: Up to 19 Gbps
- Processor: Quad-core 2.6 GHz
- Memory: 2 GB RAM, 512 MB storage
- Dimensions: 11.09 x 5.59 x 4.88 inches (281.70 x 142 x 124.03 mm)
- Weight: 3.61 lbs (1.635 kg)
- Ports:
- 2 x 10 Gbps Multi-Gig ports (1 WAN, 1 LAN)
- 4 x 1 Gbps LAN ports
- 1 x USB 3.2 port
High-Quality Design
Its vertical design resembles a portable boombox. Its modern aesthetic not only enhances its visual appeal, but also allows efficient heat dissipation without the need for an internal fan. The router has a large heatsink, ensuring reduced maintenance and longer life cycles. The RS700S offers lower power consumption while maintaining advanced hardware features than its competitors, including Asus’s RT-BE96U.
Optimum performance
Wi-Fi Performance
As one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers, the Netgear RS700S outperformed the Asus RT-BE96U by a small margin. It displayed impressive throughput in real-life tests:
- Close Range (15 feet): Achieved speeds of 1.773 Gbps.
- Mid-Range (50 feet): Maintained 691.8 Mbps.
- Long Range (90 feet): Delivered 40.6 Mbps.
Multi-Link Operations (MLO), which connect multiple bands to improve throughput, are anticipated to be enabled in a firmware update.
Multi-Device Handling
Thanks to its efficient bandwidth allocation, users can enjoy smooth streaming, gaming, and video conferencing thanks to the RS700S.
Wired Performance
Netgear’s RS700S boasts two 10 Gbps ports, making it Netgear’s first standalone router to support true multi-gigabit networking. In real-world scenarios, the router averaged 6 Gbps, significantly outperforming many competitors. This makes it a great choice for gamers and streaming 4K video.
NAS Capabilities
It can be used as a mini Network-Attached Storage (NAS) server, sharing files, and acting as a DLNA media server. Tests with an external SSD revealed read speeds close to 250 MB/s.
Setup and Configuration
A Nighthawk mobile app or web interface simplifies tasks such as network management and device monitoring. Advanced settings are available through the web interface.
Interface and Features
The router’s user interface features familiar Nighthawk settings including:
- Standard LAN/WAN configuration.
- IP reservation and port forwarding.
- Guest network settings.
- VPN support for OpenVPN.
Despite some free features like QoS and a traffic meter, the router lacks the robust capabilities of competitors like Asus and TP-Link.
Security Features
RS700S comes with Netgear Armor, providing essential cybersecurity protection against malware and cyber threats after the free trial. RS700S will cost $99.99/year after that. Parents can get parental control add-on for $69.99.
Mesh Capabilities
A mesh-ready version of the RS700S is supported by Wi-Fi EasyMesh technology, enabling users to link multiple units in a cohesive Wi-Fi network. This feature was not operational during testing, suggesting a firmware update may be needed.
Pricing and Availability
It offers advanced features and performance which make it a worthy investment for tech-savvy users, despite its premium price of $699.99.
Overall
Netgear Nighthawk RS700S routers are undoubtedly the best available Wi-Fi 7 routers, excelling in speed, coverage, and multi-device support. Although it may lack some features, its reliability and design make it a compelling choice for anyone seeking to upgrade their network at home.
If you’re looking for a single broadcasting device, the RS700S is an excellent choice. With its cutting-edge technology and proven reliability, the Nighthawk RS700S is the perfect router for your home network.
