NETGEAR
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500
Wi-Fi 6E · AXE11000
86
/ 100
From $599
VS
ASUS RT-BE96U wins by 6
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 RAXE500 lands at 86 and ASUS RT-BE96U at 92. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 6 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 if…
- ✓Current-gen Wi-Fi
- ✓App-driven setup
- ✓Parental controls (brand-dependent)
Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…
- ✓10G WAN + 10G LAN
- ✓Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 86
vs 92 ASUS RT-BE96U
Score breakdown
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500
86 throughput 86
range 86
features 84
value 82
ease 0
ASUS RT-BE96U
92 throughput 96
range 90
features 96
value 0
ease 78
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 | ASUS RT-BE96U |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band |
| Throughput | AXE11000 | — |
| Total bandwidth | — | 19000 Mbps |
| WAN | — | 10 Gbps |
| LAN | — | 1× 10G + 4× 1G |
| USB | — | 2× USB 3.0 |
| Coverage | — | ~3500 sq ft |
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500
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
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 RAXE500 vs ASUS RT-BE96U
Which is better, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 or ASUS RT-BE96U? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 worth the price? +
At $599, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in throughput.
Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +
At $599, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in throughput.
Does NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 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.