ASUS
ASUS RT-BE96U
Wi-Fi 7 · 19 Gbps tri-band · 10G WAN
92
/ 100
From $599
VS
ASUS RT-BE96U wins by 1
NETGEAR
NETGEAR Orbi 970
Wi-Fi 7 · BE27000
91
/ 100
From $1,699
Specdex verdict
ASUS RT-BE96U takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-BE96U lands at 92 and NETGEAR Orbi 970 at 91. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 1 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 Orbi 970 if…
- ✓Current-gen Wi-Fi
- ✓App-driven setup
- ✓Parental controls (brand-dependent)
ASUS RT-BE96U 92
vs 91 NETGEAR Orbi 970
Score breakdown
ASUS RT-BE96U
92 throughput 96
range 90
features 96
ease 78
value 0
NETGEAR Orbi 970
91 throughput 91
range 86
features 89
ease 0
value 82
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS RT-BE96U | NETGEAR Orbi 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Total bandwidth | 19000 Mbps | — |
| WAN | 10 Gbps | — |
| LAN | 1× 10G + 4× 1G | — |
| USB | 2× USB 3.0 | — |
| Coverage | ~3500 sq ft | — |
| Throughput | — | BE27000 |
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
NETGEAR Orbi 970
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
FAQ: ASUS RT-BE96U vs NETGEAR Orbi 970
Which is better, ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Orbi 970? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. 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 Orbi 970 worth the price? +
At $1,699, NETGEAR Orbi 970 delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in throughput.
Does ASUS RT-BE96U or NETGEAR Orbi 970 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.