Netgear R6900 vs.Netgear R7000 – A battle of two netgear routers
You might assume that the plenty of routers in the market will make your ultimate choice easier on you – but it is not that easy. Seeing so many brands all promising the same benefits and strong connectivity can make you think that they are all the same, but this is not the case.
Such is the case of the R6900 and R7000, both from the Netgear Company. The R6900 and R7000 are part of this system, as they are both very similar; the R7000 being a sort of ‘slight upgrade’ on the R6900.
Making the choice between both seems challenging – even for us, it was difficult distinguishing the two at first. They have two major contrasts; their sizes (with the R6900 being larger) and their coverage (with the R7000 having more coverage in a home). While their theoretical speeds are both 1900 Mbps, there is only one that is considered better – and you will see the reasons behind that.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the R6900 and R7000?
Netgear R6900 |
Netgear R7000 (Winner) |
|
Dimensions (in inches) |
13.7 x 10.1 x 3.1 (the bulkier router choice) |
11.2 x 7.3 x 1.9 (slightly smaller option) |
Wireless communication standard |
802.11ac/n/g/b |
802.11ac/n/g/b/a |
Average throughput (close proximity) |
80 Mbps (2.4GHz), 250 Mbps (5GHz) |
91 Mbps (2.4GHz), 353 Mbps (5GHz) |
Upload speeds |
70 Mbps |
20 Mbps |
Download speeds |
10 Mbps |
100 Mbps |
Netgear R6900 vs. R7000 – How they compare
These two routers are very similar in their outlook and performance, and can even be considered as follow-ups of each other – the R7000 being a slight upgrade of the R6900. They do have their distinctions though, which are:
Design
While these two look very similar in appearance, the R6900 is the bigger router. It measures 13.7 x 10.1 x 3.1 inches, and weighs slightly more than 3.4 pounds. Both of them can operate vertically and horizontally though, and both have a wide base that makes them steady and not prone to slipping on surfaces.
There is another difference; the R6900 has only one USB 2.0 port, while the R7000 has both USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports. The R6900 antennas are also longer, although they also use beam forming as with the R7000 to increase signal coverage – in fact, the R6900 is a better choice if you want more coverage, as the R7000 tends to struggle in that area.
Performance
The coverage of the two routers differs slightly. The R6900 covers a range of 1800 square feet, while the R7000 is slightly ahead 2000 square feet. There is an additional thing to keep in mind as well, and that is the speed limits: the R6900 has an average throughput of 250 Mbps on the 5GHz band in close proximity and the 2.4GHz band has a throughput of 80 Mbps.
The R7000 has a slightly higher throughput, as its 5GHz band has a throughput of 353 Mbps in close proximity, and the 2.4GHz band has a throughput of 91 Mbps at the same distance.
Netgear R6900 vs. R7000 – A comparison review
Netgear R6900 – Overview
- Maximum Range : 1800 Sq Ft
- Recommended for up to 30 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect...
There is plenty to like about the Netgear R6900 router – these include the cool design, very good speeds (particularly on the 5GHz band), and strong QoS (quality of Service), which helps in better prioritization of internet bandwidth. Since the R6900 does not use the 802.11ac standard – instead using the 802.11n standard that might be the reason why its throughput is lower than the R7000.
Pros
- Very slick design
- Excellent levels of range
- The 5GHz band has great throughput
- Strong capability for VPN
Cons
- Only has a USB 2.0 port
- The 2.4GHz band has middling speeds
Netgear R7000 – 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 Netgear R7000 is a sort of improvement from the R6900, although it does have its struggles especially with maintaining longer ranges. However, as an affordable option, it does have plenty of saving points that make it a worthwhile choice. It is important to keep in mind that its performance depends on whether your home is older or newer, as the older homes will have more dead zones because of losing signals with the network.
Pros
- Very good combined throughput
- Affordable
- Antennas are detachable
- It has both USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports
- Uses open-source firmware
Cons
- Struggles with maintaining longer ranges
- Has a very large in-wall AC adapter
Verdict: So which is better? The Netgear R6900 or R7000?
When all is said and done, both the R6900 and R7000 routers are very similar in their performance. However, our winner for this review is the R7000, because of its high throughput – even though it struggles with maintaining very long range, it is still worth the pick in the long term.
Frequently asked questions
How many devices can I connect to the Netgear R6900 without sacrificing bandwidth?
Since the R6900 coverage on average is up to 1800 square feet, it will still provide you with enough bandwidth to connect up to 30 devices.
If I have Comcast and want to update my R6900, will I need to update the Wi-Fi network as well?
Updating the network is not necessary. However, you will need to update the router itself – this is because any router can work well with any signals or speeds that the best modem-router Comcast combinations will produce.
Will I get a firewall in the Netgear R7000?
No, not really. Instead of a firewall, consumer routers like R7000 and R6900 include a web UI control.
