Netgear has took the covers off of the latest and greatest Orbi Wi-Fi mesh system: the Orbi 970 Series adds Wi-Fi 7 to the mix at the end of last year, and it’s now available to buy worldwide.
The new flagship Orbi system – as you’d expect – has a feature list the will make you want to chuck your existing Wi-Fi router in the bin.
The previous Orbi top-dog 960 Series added Quad-band Mesh WiFi 6E to the mix but all that seems pretty ancient now with the Orbi 970, which offers triple the (potential) speed on offer.
With speeds peaking at a mind-boggling 27Gbps, this 970 Series should be more than future proof as it’s designed with not just multiple 4K streams in mind, but 8K as well, along with HD video calls, gaming marathons, and immersive VR experiences.
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What sets the Orbi 970 Series apart, aside from that sweet 320MHz Wi-Fi 7 action, is its unique Quad-Band technology and Enhanced Dedicated Backhaul.
This tech combines a dedicated 5GHz band with a 6GHz band (these work separately with Wi-Fi 6E) to double the connection speed between the router and satellites, achieving a blazing-fast 10 Gig wireless backhaul.
In simpler terms, this means less lag and faster data delivery, even when every device in your home is online – and the system can handle up to 200 online devices at a time.
The Orbi 970 router is a powerhouse, featuring a 10 Gig internet port for your incoming connection, a 10 Gig Ethernet port alongside four 2.5 Gig Ethernet ports.
On the 970 Satellites, you’ll still get that 10 Gig Ethernet port, alongside a pair of 2.5 Gigabit ports.
Design-wise, the Orbi 970 Series sports a sleek cylindrical form factor that not only looks a darn site better than the traditional Orbi blocks, but is also engineered for optimal coverage, thanks to its 12 high-performance internal antennas.
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A three point Orbi 970 system – one router and two satellites – gives a range of up to 8,200 square feet; a 10% increase compared to the Orbi 960 Series.
If you need more, you greedy swine, extra satellites can be added, each extending coverage by up to 2,700 square feet.
All of this is managed through the excellent Orbi app, which has a range of access, privacy and parental controls, and it’s all compatible with Alexa or the Google Assistant.
None of this comes cheap, of course; below is the breakdown of the 970 Series packages, which are all available direct from Netgear right now.
⢠RBE973: Router and 2 Satellites â 3 pack, $2,299.99 / £2,199.99
⢠RBE972: Router and 1 Satellite – 2 pack, $1,699.99 / £1,599.99
⢠RBS970: Add-on Satellite, $899.99 / £799.99
We’ll be sure to get our hands on the new system as soon as possible to publish a full review.
