ASUS RT-BE96U
Wi-Fi 7 · 19 Gbps tri-band · 10G WAN
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Wi-Fi 7 BE19000 · 10 GbE WAN
ASUS RT-BE96U takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-BE96U lands at 92 and NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S at 89. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…
- ✓10G WAN + 10G LAN
- ✓Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
Pick NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S if…
- ✓True Wi-Fi 7 BE19000
- ✓10 GbE WAN + 10 GbE LAN
- ✓Great range
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testThroughput
ASUS RT-BE96UCompared on the throughput sub-score
ASUS RT-BE96U leads on throughput (96 vs 92).
Range
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700SCompared on the range sub-score
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S leads on range (94 vs 90).
Features
ASUS RT-BE96UCompared on the features sub-score
ASUS RT-BE96U leads on features (96 vs 86).
Value for money
ASUS RT-BE96USpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
ASUS RT-BE96U more score per dollar ($599 vs $699).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS RT-BE96U | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band | Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000) |
| Total bandwidth | 19000 Mbps | — |
| WAN | 10 Gbps | — |
| LAN | 1× 10G + 4× 1G | — |
| USB | 2× USB 3.0 | — |
| Coverage | ~3500 sq ft | — |
| Bands | — | Tri-band |
| Ports | — | 1× 10 GbE WAN + 1× 10 GbE LAN + 4× 2.5 GbE |
ASUS RT-BE96U
- +10G WAN + 10G LAN
- +Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- +AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
- −Antennas not removable
- −Pricey vs Wi-Fi 6E
- −Web UI cluttered
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
- +True Wi-Fi 7 BE19000
- +10 GbE WAN + 10 GbE LAN
- +Great range
- −Armor subscription for advanced features
- −Bulky
- −Pricey vs ASUS/eero
FAQ: ASUS RT-BE96U vs NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Which is better, ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +
At $599, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in throughput.
Is NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S worth the price? +
At $699, NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in range.
Does ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S 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, ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S? +
ASUS RT-BE96U — leads on throughput (96 vs 92). Compared on the throughput sub-score.
Which is better for range, ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S? +
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S — leads on range (94 vs 90). Compared on the range sub-score.