NetGear Orbi 970 Series Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Black Edition Review

Netgear has a rich history for high-end consumer routers, and while routers are rarely something to get excited about, the new NetGear Orbi is one of the rare occasions that it can be. When it comes to providing network coverage to larger workspaces or homes, the Orbi Quad Black is extremely powerful, promising whole home coverage thanks to its base unit and satellite units. This setup helps to reduce the chances of WiFi dead zones, but also ensures you can get massive network speeds to take advantage of super-fast fiber internet and network attached devices. There’s just one major issue, it doesn’t come cheap. Actually, it’s near ruinously expensive. However, if you need a lot of flagship networking hardware, the Orbi 970 Series has it all.

As you can see, compared to the popular Orbi 770 series, the Orbi 970 is a lot more expensive, coming in at £2199.99 for the triple pack system; that’s the base unit plus two satellite units. However, it offers up to 200 concurrent devices, double that or the Orbii 770, as well as quad-band networking, 27 Gbps network speeds, 10GbE LAN ports, and coverage of around 8200 sq. ft. Of course, that’s total overkill for most users, but for the ultra-fast speed internet lovers with extensive amounts of tech and smart home devices, it’s going to be ideal.

Key Features and Specifications

The Orbi 970 3-Pack WiFi 7 Mesh System (RBE973SB) represents a significant leap forward in home networking, boasting cutting-edge WiFi 7 technology that delivers blazing-fast speeds up to 27Gbps. Its quad-band design ensures seamless connectivity for a large number of devices. The inclusion of a 10 Gig internet port, alongside multiple 10Gbps and 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, caters to the most demanding users. With features like Multi-Link Operation, Preamble Puncturing, and robust NETGEAR Armor security, this system is primed for the future of high-bandwidth applications, from 8K streaming to gaming and plenty in between.

• WiFi 7 Technology:
  • Provides significantly faster speeds compared to previous WiFi generations.
  • Offers speeds up to 27Gbps.
  • Backward compatible with older WiFi devices.
• Quad-Band WiFi:
  • Utilises a quad-band system with an enhanced dedicated backhaul for consistent performance.
  • Allows for optimal distribution of network traffic.
• 10 Gig Internet Port:
  • Equipped with a 10 Gig internet port to support the fastest available internet speeds.
  • Also has 10 gigabit LAN ports, and 2.5 gigabit ports.
• 360° Whole-Home Coverage:
  • Designed with high-performance antennas to provide comprehensive coverage throughout the home.
  • Coverage up to 8,200 sq. ft. for the 3 pack system.
• High Device Capacity:
  • Supports connectivity for up to 200 devices simultaneously.
• Enhanced Performance:
  • Optimised for 8K streaming, gaming, video conferencing, and other high-bandwidth applications.
  • Multi-Link Operation.
  • Preamble Puncturing.
• Security:
  • Includes NETGEAR Armor software for enhanced network security and device protection.
  • WPA3.
• Ethernet Ports:
  • Includes 10Gbps and 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports for fast wired connections.
• Design:
  • New antenna design, for better signal.
  • Black colour.
• Technical Details:
  • Quad-core 2.2GHz processor.
  • 4GB Flash and 2GB RAM.
  • 12 internal antennas.