Released in 2016, the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 is a premium gaming router (WiFi 5 + WiGig) that supports 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 60GHz bandwidths. It has four antennas, two USB 3.0, six ethernet LANs, and one WAN port for connectivity. Like the best router, it boasts a quad-core 1.7GHz processor and supports WPA, WPA2, WPS, and WPA2-Enterprise security. It offers double firewall protection, standards-based Wi-Fi security, and a hybrid VPN for secure connections. Other smart features include geo-filter, Plex media server, MU-MIMO, and bandwidth prioritization. But this isn’t a standalone mesh system and lacks backhaul support.
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43
Router
Netgear Nighthawk XR700 Review
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79
Mixed Reviews
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2
Experts
85
793
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The Netgear Nighthawk XR700, a fast and premium router, is perfect for mid-sized households with extensive data usage, and the slightly slow download speeds shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.
$290.00
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Product Snapshot
Overview
Released in 2016, the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 is a premium gaming router (WiFi 5 + WiGig) that supports 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 60GHz bandwidths. It has four antennas, two USB 3.0, six ethernet LANs, and one WAN port for connectivity. Like the best router, it boasts a quad-core 1.7GHz processor and supports WPA, WPA2, WPS, and WPA2-Enterprise security. It offers double firewall protection, standards-based Wi-Fi security, and a hybrid VPN for secure connections. Other smart features include geo-filter, Plex media server, MU-MIMO, and bandwidth prioritization. But this isn’t a standalone mesh system and lacks backhaul support.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Netgear Nighthawk XR700 is ideal for mid-sized homes with high data consumption, achieving a throughput of 101Mbps over 2.4GHz and 539Mbps over 5GHz (and even faster over 60GHz), ensuring minimal latency. However, its modest download speeds (71Mbps at 2.4GHz and 393.1Mbps at 5GHz) rank in the lower third of our certified tested routers.
The drop in internet speeds as you move away from the router isn’t steep, so that you can enjoy a seamless gaming experience from a distance, but the signals get weak going through walls and ceilings. It’s suitable for mid-sized homes, given its 25.11-meter range, and the installation process is straightforward with the Nighthawk app or a web browser.
Reason to Buy
- Fast Wi-Fi speed
The Netgear Nighthawk XR700 is good for medium-sized households seeking low-latency performance for competitive gaming and 4K, 8K, AR, and VR streaming.
Its triband network (AD7200 rating) has a throughput of 101Mbps over 2.4GHz and 539Mbps over 5GHz (and even faster over 60GHz), ensuring a secure and stable connection even with crowded networks.
- Adequate range
While its 82-foot range provides sufficient coverage for two to three-bedroom households, this distance ranks in the bottom third of our certified, tested routers. For a model that offers mesh networking, read our Razer Sila AC3000 review. And for wider coverage, check out our Netgear Orbi RBKE963 review.
- Quick setup
You can use the user-friendly Netgear Nighthawk app or web browser to set up the router, which hardly takes more than a few minutes.
In collaboration with Netgear, NetDuma crafted the interactive and customizable DumaOS, allowing users to prioritize bandwidth, amplify speeds, and oversee network resources.
Reason to Avoid
- Slow download/upload speeds
The router’s download and upload speeds are a bit slow at 71Mbps (2.4GHz), 393.1Mbps (5GHz), and 18Mbps upload (2.4GHz and 5GHz).
Although the download speeds are a bit slow and consequently fall in the lower third of our verified tested routers, it’s sufficient as long as the network isn’t packed with too many devices consuming vast amounts of data simultaneously.
- Average WiFi signal strength
WiFi signal strength drops majorly when going through walls and ceilings.
- No parental controls
Although you get content filtering to restrict access to certain websites, there are no dedicated parental controls.
Netgear Nighthawk XR700 Specs
 | # of LAN Ports | 6 |
 | # of Phone Ports | n/a |
 | # of WAN Ports | 1 |
 | App Compatible | Yes |
 | Available Storage | 512MB |
 | Band Technology | Tri |
 | Data Encryption Type | WPA2-PSK |
 | Energy Star Certified | No |
 | Frequency Bands | 2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz, 60Ghz |
 | Integrated Modem | No |
 | LAN Ports | 6 Gb Ethernet |
 | MU-MIMO Support | Yes |
 | Mesh System | Yes |
 | Number of Antennas | 4 |
 | Parental Controls | Yes |
 | Processor Cores | Quad |
 | Processor Speed | 1.7GHz |
 | Quality of Service Prioritization | Yes |
 | WiFi Range | – |
 | WiFi Speed | 10 Gb |
 | Wired Speed | 1000 Mb |
 | Wireless Standard | AC, AD, N |
All Specs
Test Results
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| 2.4 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s) | 71 |
| 2.4 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s) | 18 |
| 5 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s) | 393.1 |
| 5 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s) | 18 |
| Router Range (ft) | 82.5 |
| Latency (ms) | 0 |
| 6 Ghz Download speed (Mbits/s) | 0 |
| 6 Ghz Upload speed (Mbits/s) | 0 |
All Tests
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Product Comparison
 Netgear Nighthawk XR700 Review | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Score | 79 | 86 | 83 | 81 |
Ranking | # 24 / 43 | # 4 / 43 | # 8 / 43 | # 18 / 43 |
Market Context |
Released in 2016, the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 is a premium gaming router (WiFi 5 + WiGig) that supports 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 60GHz bandwidths. It has… |
The Netgear Nighthawk XR700 and Netgear Nighthawk XR500 attain a maximum bandwidth of 800Mbps at 2.4GHz and 1733Mbps at 5GHz. However, the XR700 goes a… The Netgear Nighthawk XR700 and Netgear Nighthawk XR500 attain a maximum bandwidth of 800Mbps at 2.4GHz and 1733Mbps at 5GHz. However, the XR700 goes a step further with its 60GHz channel having a bandwidth of 4600Mbps to minimize congestion and latency. Moreover, the XR700 features seven ethernet ports (one WAN and six LAN) for increased wired connectivity, whereas the XR500 has only five (one WAN and four LAN). For more details, check our Netgear Nighthawk XR500 review. |
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 boasts faster download speeds of 413.89Mbps at 2.4GHz and 803.48Mbps at 5GHz for efficient 4K and VR streaming compared to the… The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 boasts faster download speeds of 413.89Mbps at 2.4GHz and 803.48Mbps at 5GHz for efficient 4K and VR streaming compared to the Netgear Nighthawk XR700’s 71Mbps (2.4GHz) and 393.1Mbps (5GHz) download speeds. Moreover, its 32-meter range outperforms the XR700’s 25.11-meter range, making it apt for medium to large-sized homes. To know more, read this Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 review. |
The TP-Link AX11000 houses eight Gigabit LAN ports for enhanced wired connectivity, whereas the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 has only six LAN ports. The AX11000 is… The TP-Link AX11000 houses eight Gigabit LAN ports for enhanced wired connectivity, whereas the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 has only six LAN ports. The AX11000 is a triband router that reaches a maximum bandwidth of up to 1148Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 4804Mbps on each of the two 5GHz bands. This drastically surpasses the 800Mbps at 2.4GHz and 1,733Mbps at 5GHz max bandwidth of the XR700. For an in-depth review, find our TP-Link AX11000 review here. |
# of LAN Ports | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
# of Phone Ports | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
# of WAN Ports | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
App Compatible | Yes | n/a | Yes | Yes |
Available Storage | 512MB | 256MB | 512MB | 512MB |
Band Technology | Tri | Dual | Tri | Tri |
Data Encryption Type | WPA2-PSK | WPA, WPA2-PSK | WPA3 | WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK |
Energy Star Certified | No | No | No | No |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
79
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
85
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
79
Expert Score Breakdown
Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight.
86.71Category Trust Score
80Looking for an online advantage when up against the world’s best gamers? Netgear’s Nighthawk XR700… read moreBy:
Brian Nadel
74.71Category Trust Score
80The Netgear Nighthawk XR700 is the mother of wireless gaming routers, a features and performance… read moreBy:
Jeremy Laird
Customer Score Breakdown
- 82
(
4.1/5
)
591Ratings
- NR
(
NR/5
)
Ratings
- 96
(
4.8/5
)
202Ratings
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