The design of the Nighthawk RAX70 makes it look like a router from the future. Aside from that, it packs powerful hardware and the latest features. However, like most Netgear routers, it does cost high. Is it worth the premium price? Let's find out!
Netgear Nighthawk RAX70 Specs
| Wireless Standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Aggregated Speed | AX6600 (6600 Mbps) |
| Band Frequency | Tri-Band |
| 2.4 GHz Speed | 600 Mbps |
| 5 GHz (1) Speed | 1200 Mbps |
| 5 GHz (2) Speed | 4800 Mbps |
| WiFi Range | Up to 2,500 Sq Ft |
| Maximum Device Capacity | 40 |
| Ports | 4 x Gig LAN + 1 x Gig WAN + 1 x USB 3.0 |
| Suitable Internet Plan | Up to 1 Gbps |
| App Support | Yes |
| QoS Prioritization | Yes |
| MU-MIMO | Yes |
| OFDMA | Yes |
| LAN Aggregation | Yes |
| Security Standard | WPA3 |
| Processor | 1.5GHz Quad-Core Broadcom BCM 6755 |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| NAND Storage | 256 MB |
| Dimensions | 13.66 x 8.19 x 6.50 inches |
| Weight | 2.58 Pounds |
| Release Date | October 2020 |
Netgear RAX70 Review: After 3 Weeks
I set up the RAX70 to manage the Gigabit internet at my home for three weeks straight. This allowed me to test it inside out.
I tracked its performance over several important metrics and variables including WiFi speeds, coverage, network stability, overall performance, and ease of management.
Below is my detailed review of the Netgear RAX70, segregated into different parts.
Wireless Speeds & Suitability
Supporting the latest wireless standards and operating on three simultaneous bands (tri-band), RAX70 brings a wealth of bandwidth to any modern household.
The speed capacity of 6.6 Gbps translates to individual top speeds as follows:
| 2.4 GHz: 600 Mbps | 5 GHz (1): 4800 Mbps | 5 GHz (2): 1200 Mbps |
Anything less than a gigabit connection would be underutilizing the capacity of this router, but I really wish it had a 2.5G WAN to support multi-gig connections.
A gigabit plan from Comcast Xfinity was paired and the proximity test (20 feet from the router) on the 5 GHz frequency bands came up with impressive figures raking up 925 Mbps in download and 38.2 Mbps in upload.
Even on the second floor, the speeds were still clocking 512 Mbps in downloads and 23 Mbps in uploads. Approximately 70 ft away from the routing device, the gadgets were pulling some serious numbers, with 228 Mbps on downloads and 18 Mbps on uploads.
As I ventured outside my home, further into my detached garage, I still had signal strength to make video calls. The device exhibited an impressive long-range performance. On the 2.4 GHz, the speeds registered 452 Mbps and 29 Mbps.
WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity
The two fold-able wings on the sides, come with a pair of powerful beamforming antennas that disperse signals up to an area spanning 2,500 square feet. My duplex test center hardly had any dead spots.
With advanced features like MU-MIMO and OFDMA, it makes it easier for even larger households with plenty of devices.
It could handle a couple of 4K streaming devices, along with a multitude of mobiles, tablets, and smart home gadgets counting over 33, credit to its tri-band operation.
Design & Wired Connectivity
With unfolding wings branching out from the sturdy black chassis, the AX6600 is amongst the heaviest router weighing 2.58 pounds, and has a larger footprint of 13.66 x 8.19 x 6.50 inches in all its expanded glory.
You can find all 4 gigabit LAN and one gigabit WAN port spaced out comfortably. There's also a USB 3.0 port on its rear, with heat vents distributed on the front and the rear.
The Netgear RAX70 comes with LAN Aggregating capacity allowing you to achieve multigigabit speeds for a client device. The wired download speeds were maxing out at 967 Mbps, while uploads peaked at around 41 Mbps.
Security Features
The RAX70 supports the latest WPA 3 encryption standards. You get access to basic parental controls, a guest network, and VPN support without the paid subscription.
For $100 a year, a Netgear Armor premium subscription gives you top-tier commercial protection against the vulnerabilities of the internet.
With frequent vulnerability assessments, your home network is guarded against intrusions, DDoS attacks, malware, ransomware, and other malicious content.
Furthermore, the subscription also gets comprehensive parental controls, making it one of the most secure wireless routers.
Netgear RAX70 Setup
Irrespective of which way you choose to go, the portal or the mobile app, Netgear makes the setup a walk in the park.
Once the Nighthawk app connects to the device, the sequence of steps hardly took me a little over 10 minutes to get the device running.
The remote management option lets you keep a tab on the internet consumption of family members, while you are away from home. A feature that comes in handy when you have kids at home.
Hardware & Other Features
A Quad Core Broadcom BCM6755 chipset can clock up to 1.5GHz and is the engine in charge of this heavy-weight router, complemented by 512 MB RAM and 256 MB storage.
The hardware could pull through two 4K videos without dropping connections or getting stalled by buffering; a feat possible only by some of the heavy-weight routing units.
Frequently Asked Questions
The high-powered, optimized internal antennas, hidden beneath the large wings-like structure, ensure the Netgear RAX70 would make it a light work of covering areas up to 2,500 square feet.
The Broadcom-based processor with four processing cores enables the router to easily handle up to 40 devices in a household. A combination of heavy streaming devices, gaming consoles, workstations, and mobile gadgets.
For most households, the RAX70 will be overkill, but if you are automated with plenty of devices to cater to, the Netgear router is a worthy investment in futureproofing your home network.
Conclusion
Allow the smart connect feature in the router to choose the best possible frequency, and stave off a load of switching networks as you move around the house. If you pick up the Netgear router on a sale, that would make it a steal.
