Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 Review: The Streaming Workhorse
The Verdict
If your household is constantly fighting over bandwidth while streaming Netflix, downloading games, and taking Zoom calls, the Nighthawk RAX50 is the cure. Its AX5400 speeds cut through congestion flawlessly on any FTTP or NBN 100+ connection.
Check Latest Price →Built for Device Congestion
The standard routers handed out by Sky, Optus, and Virgin Media start choking when you connect more than 10 or 15 smart devices. The Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 is built specifically to solve this. Utilizing a powerful 1.5GHz triple-core processor and 6 streams of Wi-Fi 6 data, it efficiently manages traffic for over 25 devices simultaneously without causing buffer wheels on your TV.
Speed and Range Testing
During our speed tests on a Gigabit connection, the RAX50 delivered near-wired speeds (upwards of 800 Mbps) when in the same room. More impressively, the four high-powered external antennas pushed a solid 350 Mbps through a double-brick wall at a distance of 40 feet. It is more than capable of covering a standard 3-bedroom, 2,000 sq ft home.
Netgear Armor Security
One of the standout features of the Nighthawk ecosystem is the integration of "Netgear Armor" (powered by Bitdefender). This protects every device on your network from malware and phishing links before the threats even reach your phone or PC. However, be aware that this is only a free trial, and Netgear will ask for a paid subscription to keep the security features active after 30 days.
The Good
- Excellent bandwidth management for 25+ devices
- High speeds over the 5GHz band
- Sleek, futuristic design
- Simple setup via the Nighthawk app
The Bad
- Netgear Armor and Parental Controls require a paid subscription
- Lacks a multi-gig (2.5G) WAN port