Netgear AC1200 vs.Netgear AC1750 vs. Netgear AC1900 – the battle between three Netgear budget routers
When it comes to the task of getting the best routers, you want to remain connected within your home or workplace. You need a router that accommodates all your devices, which your ISP might not give you. In this case, it is important to do the homework of comparing different routers before making a purchase – such as the AC1200, AC1750, and AC1900.
The process of choosing a good router is understandably challenging – we have faced this problem before, and it is not an old issue. Among the many brands available is Netgear, a brand with an outstanding reputation and that you may have considered before – but that does not mean all their offerings will necessarily work for you.
When you check the three routers, all of them are of the AC standard, which means that they all support the 802.11ac networking standard. The number after the AC tells you the total theoretical speed. In the case of the AC1200, total speed is 1200 Mbps, the AC1750 gives a total speed of 1750 Mbps, while the AC1900 gives a total speed of 1900 Mbps. That does not mean that higher speeds are always better though, as our observations on the three will tell you.
The reason behind the high speed in Netgear routers – including these three options –is the TurboQAM technology, which boosts the throughput of each band, although it gives more boosts to the aging 2.4GHz band rather than the 5GHz one.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the AC1200, AC1750, and AC1900?
Netgear AC1200 |
Netgear AC1750 |
Netgear AC1900 (Winner) |
|
Dimensions (inches) |
8.1 x 10.2 x 4.1 (the most portable option) |
11.2 x 7.2 x 2.4 (a mid-size option, yet still the same performance as the AC1900) |
11.2 x 7.3 x 1.9 (the bulkiest choice) |
Wireless communication standard |
802.11ac |
802.11ac |
802.11ac/n/b/g/a |
Upload speeds |
6 Mbps |
10 Mbps |
20 Mbps |
Download speeds |
40 Mbps |
50 Mbps |
90 Mbps |
Throughput speeds (average) |
74.1 Mbps |
400 Mbps |
431 Mbps – 5GHz |
AC1200 vs. AC1750 vs. AC1900 – How they compare
Build and design
Among these three routers, the AC1900 is the largest in its footprint, though the reason behind this is the design that makes it remain in a flat position. The manufacturer decided to make up for this flaw by housing the router in a plastic casing, which is very strong. A major plus is that it will not attract fingerprints, therefore making it easier to wipe clean.
Other than the usual features, it also includes a VPN, where you can set up two guest networks (one for each band), and plenty of OpenDNS customizable settings. Like the other two routers, it also includes a QoS (Quality of Service) feature that will allow for management of both downstream and upstream speeds, which is also present in the AC1200 and AC1750.
The design of the AC1750 and AC1200 are also quite big, as the AC1200 measures 8.1 x 10.2 x 4.1 inches, making it bigger than most budget options, and the AC1750 is 11.2 x 7.2 x 2.4 inches. They will not be very different in appearance, since they are both glossy black, and will have LED indicators, as well as a series of ports such as LAN ports, WPS buttons, and WAN port.
Setup
Among the three, the AC1200 is the easiest to set up, as you will only need to connect the router to an internet source and PC, and allow the Genie utility app to guide you through the rest. In a similar way to the AC1200 and AC1750, the AC1900 is quite easy to set up. All the three use the Netgear Genie app for the main setup job, though you can also use the web interface to do the same (though with some limitations).
In the case of the AC1900, the router will include a pre-set Wi-Fi network ID and password, which are on its label that is on the bottom, and this will be specifically for the 2.4GHz band. For the 5GHz band, you will put the name of the 2.4GHz network plus the suffix of ‘-5G’, while the password remains the same. Using this information, you will use the included cable to plug the router to an internet source, then switch it on, and you are all set.
Performance
The AC1900 has many advantages in its performance rating. One major point to note is its support of all existing Wi-Fi clients, regardless of the Wi-Fi standard they use, making itself a true dual-band router option. When you use its impressive 5GHz band, it will give you a throughput of up to 1.3 Gbps, while its 2.4GHz band offers you up to 600 Mbps of throughput. We found very high speeds of 431 Mbps on its 5GHz band, though it did not impress much on the 2.4GHz band, only showing 64 Mbps for long range and 117 Mbps for short range.
The speeds of the AC1750 are also good, though not as much as the AC1900. The actual throughput here is about 390 to 400 Mbps in short range, not much of a deviation from the expected results. On the other hand, the AC1200 delivered very impressive throughput as well, especially considering it is the most ‘budget pick’ of the three – with a score of 74.1 Mbps in close range. Its 5GHz band gave a throughput of 331 Mbps, but the file transfer speed is a major issue we have – with a speed of 25.6 Mbps.
AC1200 vs. AC1750 vs. AC1900 – A comparison review
AC1200 – Overview
- Maximum Range : 1200 Sq Ft
- Fast WIFI Performance: Get up to 1200 square feet wireless coverage with AC1200 speed (Dual band up to...
The AC1200 is a relatively affordable option, and it offers the dual-band 802.11ac technology, making it similar to the AC1750 and AC1900. It also includes plenty of management settings, as well as a USB port.
While you may not get the same level of performance that a premium router will give you, and you will also not get the latest technology in the wireless connectivity sector.
Pros
- Comes with plenty of management settings
- Gives dependable dual-band performance
- Quite affordable compared to most options
Cons
- Only has a USB 2.0 port
- Antennas are non-removable
AC1750 – Overview
- Maximum Range : 1500 Sq Ft
- Recommended for up to 25 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect...
Thanks to the increasing number of good AC routers from different brands, it may come as no surprise that the Netgear AC1750 might be on your list of possible picks. Along with other AC1750 routers, it was among the first to use the 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity technology.
However, it still has some weaknesses that push it down in the list of favorable router choices, though you might not be put off by these too much as it is very affordable.
Pros
- Easily affordable
- Very stylish design
- The 5GHz band is impressive in speed
- Great connectivity
Cons
- The 2.4GHz band has some issues with slow connection
AC1900 – Overview
- Fast wifi performance: Get up to 1800 square feet wireless coverage with AC1900 speed (Dual band up to...
- Recommended for up to 30 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect...
The AC1900 does not have much difference from the previous two picks on this list, though it happens to be the most advanced option in terms of both design and speeds. It beats out the other two in its throughput rating, and has very high reliability of connection even for longer distances.
Like the AC1750 though, it tends to experience some issues with its 2.4GHz band. But aside from that, it does not have much in the way of negative press.
Pros
- Very good performance on its 5GHz band
- The mobile app has a great set of very useful features
- Very affordable and high value for money
Cons
- It is bulky
- It experiences issues with connecting to the 2.4GHz band
- The web interface lacks a parental control feature
Verdict: So which is better? The AC1200, AC1750, or AC1900?
It was a tough call to pick among these three, but we have to say that the overall winner is the AC1900 because of its overall speeds and reliability in connection, factors that the AC1200 and AC1750 struggle with. It has numerous advantages over the AC1200 and AC1750, as long as you can contend with the annoying 2.4GHz band.
Frequently asked questions
If I was to use a Netgear wireless extender with any router, can it work?
Yes, as Netgear extenders are meant to be ‘universal’. This means they can work well with any router, not just a Netgear router like the AC1200, AC1750 or AC1900.
What do the LEDs on my Netgear router mean?
These lights will show you the state of connection between your devices, the router, and internet.
