ASUS
ASUS RT-BE96U
Wi-Fi 7 BE19000 · Quad-band · 10 GbE
93
/ 100
From $699
VS
ASUS RT-BE96U wins by 4
NETGEAR
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Wi-Fi 7 BE19000 · 10 GbE WAN
89
/ 100
From $699
Specdex verdict
ASUS RT-BE96U takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-BE96U lands at 93 and NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S at 89. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…
- ✓Dual 10 GbE ports
- ✓AiMesh support
- ✓VPN Fusion
Pick NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S if…
- ✓True Wi-Fi 7 BE19000
- ✓10 GbE WAN + 10 GbE LAN
- ✓Great range
Score breakdown
ASUS RT-BE96U
93 throughput 94
range 92
features 96
value 84
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
89 throughput 92
range 94
features 86
value 80
Specs side-by-side
Spec
ASUS RT-BE96U
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Standard
Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000)
Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000)
Bands
Quad-band
Tri-band
Ports
2× 10 GbE + 4× 2.5 GbE
1× 10 GbE WAN + 1× 10 GbE LAN + 4× 2.5 GbE
Antennas
8 external
—
ASUS RT-BE96U
Pros
- +Dual 10 GbE ports
- +AiMesh support
- +VPN Fusion
Cons
- −Large
- −Pricey
- −Firmware learning curve
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
FAQ: ASUS RT-BE96U vs NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Which is better, ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +
At $699, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in features.
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.