NETGEAR
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Wi-Fi 7 BE19000 · 10 GbE WAN
89
/ 100
From $699
VS
ASUS RT-BE96U wins by 3
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 RS700S lands at 89 and ASUS RT-BE96U at 92. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S if…
- ✓True Wi-Fi 7 BE19000
- ✓10 GbE WAN + 10 GbE LAN
- ✓Great range
Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…
- ✓10G WAN + 10G LAN
- ✓Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S 89
vs 92 ASUS RT-BE96U
Score breakdown
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
89 throughput 92
range 94
features 86
value 80
ease 0
ASUS RT-BE96U
92 throughput 96
range 90
features 96
value 0
ease 78
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S | ASUS RT-BE96U |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band |
| Bands | Tri-band | — |
| Ports | 1× 10 GbE WAN + 1× 10 GbE LAN + 4× 2.5 GbE | — |
| Total bandwidth | — | 19000 Mbps |
| WAN | — | 10 Gbps |
| LAN | — | 1× 10G + 4× 1G |
| USB | — | 2× USB 3.0 |
| Coverage | — | ~3500 sq ft |
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Pros
- +True Wi-Fi 7 BE19000
- +10 GbE WAN + 10 GbE LAN
- +Great range
Cons
- −Armor subscription for advanced features
- −Bulky
- −Pricey vs ASUS/eero
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 RS700S vs ASUS RT-BE96U
Which is better, NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S or ASUS RT-BE96U? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S worth the price? +
At $699, NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in range.
Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +
At $599, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in throughput.
Does NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S 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.