What makes Netgear’s Orbi Mesh system so expensive?
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If you’re in the market for a new router upgrade, you may have had a shock when checking the price of Netgear’s Orbi system of mesh networking nodes. A three-pack of the latest model series, Netgear Orbi 970, has a suggested retail price of $1,999.99. Additionally, some features are locked behind paid subscriptions. You have to pay $7.99 per month for advanced parental controls, plus at least $99.99 per year for Netgear’s add-on security suite.
This means you could pay hundreds of dollars a year on top of the initial purchase, depending on how you use your Wi-Fi. The main reason Netgear Orbi units are so expensive is the high-end hardware built into the mesh system, delivering speeds in excess of 2Gbps. Both the Orbi 870 and 970 series use Wi-Fi 7, the latest Wi-Fi standard that you can also use right now with the latest gadgets.
There are cheaper Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems, like the TP-Link BE3600, but they lack some features like tri-band coverage and expanded channel usage. Plus, Orbi’s Ethernet port, combined with its maximum Wi-Fi coverage and speeds, means you can easily get the most out of even multi-gigabit internet plans. The benefits and dollar cost of the latest Netgear Orbi models will be mostly wasted if you don’t have these kinds of plans and cutting-edge technologies to boot.
The costs mainly relate to the material
With Netgear Orbi router technology, you can take full advantage of next-level home internet plans. The Orbi 970 system’s Ethernet ports alone give you bang for your buck. In addition to the 10GbE Internet port that plugs into your modem, you have another 10GbE LAN port on each node that you can use either as a device connection or to wire a powerful link. Then you have four additional 2.5 GbE ports for any use on the main router, plus two more on each satellite.
This is generous for mesh systems; most offer a more limited set of Ethernet ports. If you do a lot of LAN cabling, you know how annoying it can be to run out of places to plug in. More built-in ports mean you have less need to buy a network switch, so on that score you may be saving money with Netgear Orbi. Then there’s the cover.
The Orbi 970 system promises 3,300 square feet of wireless coverage per node, and Wi-Fi 7 technology allows for better management of each device. Reviews like this one from ZDNET praise the extensive coverage that, even at the edges, gives you better speeds than some conventional routers at their peak. Combined with the stability benefits of a premium mesh system, a Netgear Orbi purchase allows you to take full advantage of those premium 2 or even 8 GB fiber plans you may have heard about.
Are you not at the forefront of progress? Give your wallet a break
It’s hard to justify purchasing a Netgear Orbi mesh system unless you’re an early adopter buying the latest technology and upgrading to the highest internet speeds the providers offer. After all, the higher gigabit tiers offered by ISPs are themselves quite expensive and still not available in most areas. The need for exceptional Wi-Fi coverage and heavy use of that Wi-Fi are also requirements.
The purchase might also make sense if you plan to make significant upgrades to both your ISP plan and wireless technology in the near future. Otherwise, purchasing an Orbi system just puts undue strain on your wallet. Although another advantage of the Orbi system is its long-term support, NetGear’s firmware update schedule doesn’t extend as far as that of more affordable mesh competitors.
If your router’s wired ports tend to go unused, mesh systems with a more modest port selection will be a good fit for you. As always, it’s important that you consider the size of your home before investing in a router solution. Nodes that each project a net coverage of more than 3,300 square feet can easily exceed what you actually need. Carefully considering your mesh Wi-Fi options across the price range is well worth your time.
