Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Layer-7 firewall · 10 GbE · No subscription
Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)
Wi-Fi 7 quad-band · 27 Gbps · 10G WAN
Firewalla Gold Pro SE takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Firewalla Gold Pro SE lands at 90 and Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) at 89. That puts Firewalla Gold Pro SE ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Firewalla Gold Pro SE if…
- ✓10 GbE WAN + LAN
- ✓Best layer-7 protection without subscription
- ✓On-device Family Mode + DNS filtering
Pick Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) if…
- ✓Three-pack covers up to 9000 sq ft
- ✓Premium build quality
- ✓10G WAN + multi-gig LAN
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testFeatures
Firewalla Gold Pro SECompared on the features sub-score
Firewalla Gold Pro SE leads on features (100 vs 92).
Throughput
TieCompared on the throughput sub-score
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Ease of use
Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)Compared on the ease of use sub-score
Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) leads on ease (86 vs 84).
Value for money
Firewalla Gold Pro SESpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Firewalla Gold Pro SE more score per dollar ($729 vs $2,299).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Firewalla Gold Pro SE | Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 | — |
| RAM | 8 GB | — |
| Storage | 128 GB | — |
| Ports | 10 GbE × 2 + 2.5 GbE × 4 | — |
| Concurrent connections | 500K+ | — |
| Standard | — | Wi-Fi 7 quad-band |
| Total bandwidth | — | 27000 Mbps |
| WAN | — | 10 GbE |
| LAN | — | 4× 2.5 GbE on router + 1× 10 GbE per satellite |
| Coverage | — | ~9000 sq ft (3-pack) |
Firewalla Gold Pro SE
- +10 GbE WAN + LAN
- +Best layer-7 protection without subscription
- +On-device Family Mode + DNS filtering
- −Steeper learning curve vs eero
- −No built-in Wi-Fi (need separate APs)
- −Mobile-app-centric setup
Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)
- +Three-pack covers up to 9000 sq ft
- +Premium build quality
- +10G WAN + multi-gig LAN
- −Most expensive mesh on the market
- −Armor security subscription separate
- −App polish trails competitors
FAQ: Firewalla Gold Pro SE vs Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)
Which is better, Firewalla Gold Pro SE or Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)? +
Firewalla Gold Pro SE scores 90 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Firewalla Gold Pro SE worth the price? +
At $729, Firewalla Gold Pro SE delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in features.
Is Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) worth the price? +
At $2,299, Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in range.
Does Firewalla Gold Pro SE or Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) 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 features, Firewalla Gold Pro SE or Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)? +
Firewalla Gold Pro SE — leads on features (100 vs 92). Compared on the features sub-score.
Which is better for ease of use, Firewalla Gold Pro SE or Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973)? +
Netgear Orbi 970 (RBE973) — leads on ease (86 vs 84). Compared on the ease of use sub-score.