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NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 — Wi-Fi 6E · AXE11000
NETGEAR

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500

Wi-Fi 6E · AXE11000

86
/ 100
From $599
VS
ASUS RT-BE96U wins by 6
ASUS RT-BE96U — Wi-Fi 7 · 19 Gbps tri-band · 10G WAN
ASUS

ASUS RT-BE96U

Wi-Fi 7 · 19 Gbps tri-band · 10G WAN

92
/ 100
From $599
Specdex verdict

ASUS RT-BE96U takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 lands at 86 and ASUS RT-BE96U at 92. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 6 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 if…

  • ✓Current-gen Wi-Fi
  • ✓App-driven setup
  • ✓Parental controls (brand-dependent)

Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…

  • ✓10G WAN + 10G LAN
  • ✓Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
  • ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Throughput

ASUS RT-BE96U

Compared on the throughput sub-score

ASUS RT-BE96U leads on throughput (96 vs 86).

Features

ASUS RT-BE96U

Compared on the features sub-score

ASUS RT-BE96U leads on features (96 vs 84).

Range

ASUS RT-BE96U

Compared on the range sub-score

ASUS RT-BE96U leads on range (90 vs 86).

Value for money

Tie

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 86
vs
92 ASUS RT-BE96U

Score breakdown

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500
86
throughput 86
range 86
features 84
value 82
ease 0
ASUS RT-BE96U
92
throughput 96
range 90
features 96
value 0
ease 78

Specs side-by-side

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 versus ASUS RT-BE96U — full spec comparison
Spec NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 ASUS RT-BE96U
Standard
Wi-Fi 6E
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band
Throughput
AXE11000
—
Total bandwidth
—
19000 Mbps
WAN
—
10 Gbps
LAN
—
1× 10G + 4× 1G
USB
—
2× USB 3.0
Coverage
—
~3500 sq ft

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500

Pros
  • +Current-gen Wi-Fi
  • +App-driven setup
  • +Parental controls (brand-dependent)
Cons
  • −Advanced features sometimes subscription-gated
  • −Range varies
  • −Firmware stability improves over time

ASUS RT-BE96U

Pros
  • +10G WAN + 10G LAN
  • +Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
  • +AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
Cons
  • −Antennas not removable
  • −Pricey vs Wi-Fi 6E
  • −Web UI cluttered

FAQ: NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 vs ASUS RT-BE96U

Which is better, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 or ASUS RT-BE96U? +

ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 worth the price? +

At $599, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in throughput.

Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +

At $599, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in throughput.

Does NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 or ASUS RT-BE96U last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for throughput, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 or ASUS RT-BE96U? +

ASUS RT-BE96U — leads on throughput (96 vs 86). Compared on the throughput sub-score.

Which is better for features, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 or ASUS RT-BE96U? +

ASUS RT-BE96U — leads on features (96 vs 84). Compared on the features sub-score.