Arris Surfboard SB6141 Vs SB6190 – Which modem provides universal compatibity?
Looking for a great high speed cable modem? Well, the Arris Surfboard SB6141 and SB6190 are two of the best modems in the market. The following is a comprehensive review highlighting their major features and differences.
Arris has been in the modem making business for many decades now. They’ve provided us with some of the best cable modems and among them are the Surfboard SB6141 and SB6190. The former was released first and featured high bandwidth and overall great performance. The SB6190 on the other came way later and is a much more improved version of the SB6141. Being from the same manufacturer, there is little to separate these two when it comes to physical design. However, they differ in the following ways
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Arris Surfboard SB6141 and SB6190?
Model |
Arris Surfboard SB6141 |
Arris Surfboard SB6190 (Winner) |
Download speed |
Up to 343 Mbps |
Up to 1400 Mbps |
Upload speed |
Up to 131 Mbps |
Up to 262 Mbps |
Number of channels |
4 up channels
8 down channels |
8 up channels
32 down channels |
Ethernet ports |
1 |
1 |
Cable approved |
Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, SuddenLink |
Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, SuddenLink, Mediacom |
DOCSIS |
3.0 |
3.0 |
Processor chipset |
Broadcom |
Intel Puma |
Availability |
Arris Surfboard SB6141 VS SB6190 – How do they compare?
Streaming capabilities
The best way to test the performance and speed of a cable modem is to look at it streaming capabilities. This is done by a series of tests that look at the behavior of the modems when streaming very high resolution videos and how long it takes to download large files. Here, the Surfboard SB6190 takes the win. The modem boasts speeds of up to 1400 Mbps for the download speed and 262 Mbps for the upload speed. This is more than enough to stream in 4K as well as download large gigabit files in just a few minutes. The SB6141 on the other hand does download speeds of up to 343 Mbps and 131 Mbps for uploads. It is a better choice for simple everyday use rather than high performance handling. If raw power and speed is what you want, the SB6190 should be your pick
Design
It’s important that the modem you pick is attractive and practical in terms of space and placement in the house. Usually, larger modems are less practical since they consumes too much space or look out of place with your home décor. With these two modems, there is little to separate them since Arris uses similar designs for the Surfboard series. However, the SB6190 is smaller and therefore more practical for home use. Both are matte white or black in color and feature LED icon lights at the front. The matte ensures fingerprints do not stick on the surface. On both sides, the modems are beveled for breathability and cooling. The SB6141 features a Motorola logo that may be confusing for some. But this is simply because the company acquired the Mororola brand, Zoom, responsible for manufacturing modems. All in all, the SB6190 is stunning, smaller and goes well with any interior décor
Compatibility is cable internet providers
When looking for a modem, always select one that supports as many cable internet providers as possible. For our case, the SB6190 is such a choice. The modem supports all the major ISPs in the US from Charter, Cox and Comcast, among others. While this is also true for both, the SB6141 is not compatible with newer providers such as BrightHouse. This may present major issues for people under this provider. Therefore, always go for the safer choice – the Surfboard SB6190
Gigabit Ethernet Ports
Here, we have a tie with both modems coming with one Ethernet port each. Theoretically, the ports should provide up to 1 Gbps of data transfer speeds. However, this translates to about 130 Mbps on the SB6141 and 200 Mbps on the SB6190. The presence of one port also means performance boosting features such as link aggregation (LAG) are not supported.
Pricing
Another top consideration when choosing between the SB6141 and SB6190 is the cost. The SB6141 excels in this category because of its affordability and value for money. While it provides lower speeds, the modem costs less than a hundred bucks. On top of this, it saves you money that is otherwise spent on renting out the IPS provided modem.
Arris Surfboard SB6141 VS SB6190– A comparison review
Arris Surfboard SB6141
- Approved on Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum (Charter, Time Warner, Brighthouse Networks), Cox, Mediacom,...
- Wired modem only. Does not include WiFi router or VOIP Telephone adapter. Gigabit Etherent port to...
Among the top selling Arris cable modems, the SB6141 sits right at the top of the list. Released in 2017, the modem saw a huge amount of sales and this mainly because of the value for money buyers get. First, the modem is quite affordable yet offers very decent performance compared to its competitors in the same price range. Furthermore, it is compatible with all the major internet service providers such as Comcast Xfinity, Charter, Comcast, among others. When it comes to speed and performance, there isn’t much this modem cannot do on a day to day basis. Basics such as surfing, downloading relatively large files and streaming in high resolutions is possible. However, intensive use such as pro gaming may be a problem for the modem. It has also been reported to have consistency issues over prolonged use.
The SB6141 comes in either black or white. It features a plastic body with a matte finish that prevents dirt from accumulating on the surface. At the back, there’s a gigabit Ethernet port, a coaxial port where the ISP cable goes to and a power port. And last but not least, the modem comes with a one year warranty
Pros
- Great modem for day to day use in large households
- The unit features a solid casing for ultimate durability
- Beautiful and attractive design that goes well with the home décor
- Arris SB6141 is affordable and offers excellent value for money
Cons
- It lacks consistency and stability in performance
Arris Surfboard SB6190
- Tom's guide #1 cable Modem choice 2 years in a row. Compatible with major U.S. Cable Internet Providers...
- DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem best for cable internet speed plans up to 400 Mbps
The SB6190 is one of Arris’ few high performance devices. A reason for this is that it performed so well, both in sales and speed, that there was little reason for the brand to make any more performance models. Released in 2018, the modem boasts amazing speeds of up to 686 Mbps and 131 Mbps for the download and upload speed respectively. This is made possible by two amazing features it is equipped with. First, it supports DOCSIS 3.0 that allows speeds of up to 1.5 Gbps and secondly, the modem comes with 32 down channels and 8 upstream channels. Moreover, the modem features a gorgeous box shape design that is small and compact for easy positioning in the house. There are four LED icons at the front that add a lovely glow to the modem. With this top performance and design, it’s hard to go wrong with the SB6190
Pros
- The SB6190 is offers compatibility with many ISPs
- Fast internet speed allows for streaming and large file downloads
- It is a very easy modem to setup and configure
- Comes with two year warranty and superb customer service
Cons
- The intel chipset is prone to high latency
Conclusion
To wrap up, the best modem depends on your needs. The SB6141 is a great choice for regular day to day use while the SB6190 is tailored towards high performance such as pro gaming
Final Verdict -So which is better, Arris Surfboard SB6141 or SB6190?
All factors considered, the Arris SB6190 is the better modem. This is because it offers great value for money while still offering almost double the speed of the Arris SB6141.
FAQs
-
Does the SB6141 support DOCSIS 3.0?
Yes. It is equipped with this feature to boost its performance
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Which modem may suffer from high latency?
The SB6190 is prone to high latency due to the Intel Puma chipset that powers it.
