Orbi vs. Nighthawk AC1900 (R7000)

Smart WiFi is the new name of the game in residential wireless tech, and there are now many devices on the market that offer high-tech routers that promise to blow your existing router out of the water.

There’s no denying that an outdated router can cause some noticeable problems when it comes to your network. Whether it’s WiFi dead zones where you can’t get a great signal, or slower speeds overall due to aging hardware, it’s certainly true that brand new network technology can make all the difference.

But how much better is a “smart” system? These networks are often a good deal more expensive than a traditional router, and it’s easy to start wondering whether they’re worth the extra expense.

Below we take a look at the Netgear Orbi vs. Nighthawk AC1900 to try to find an answer to that question. Is the Orbi head and shoulders above the more traditional Nighthawk router? Or is all that “smart” technology just meaningless hype?

Let’s break down what each device has to offer so you can decide whether to join in on the mesh network revolution, or keep things more traditional with an older, high-quality gateway.