Netgear now has a slightly less expensive Wi-Fi 6 Orbi mesh router

Netgear is launching a second model of its Orbi mesh router with Wi-Fi 6 support, following a high-end model released last fall. This new version, eloquently called RBK752, is more of a mid-range model, offering slightly lower performance at a slightly lower price. However, this is still an Orbi router, so it’s still expensive – $ 450 for a router and a satellite. The high-end model, the RBK852, offers the same package for $ 700.

While cheaper, this new model is still a fairly capable mesh system. The RBK752 is a three-band system, which means it has a dedicated radio to serve as a wireless link between the units, and offers four user-oriented connectivity streams with a theoretical maximum speed of 4.2Gbps. That is less than eight transmissions and 6 Gbps on the RBK852.

The Orbi system has consistently received high marks for its reliability and performance. It does have a few downsides, though: Mesh nodes are significantly larger than those of competitors like Eero and Nest, making them more difficult to hide around the house. These particular models are also much more expensive – you can get a Wi-Fi 5 mesh system for half the price, though you’d be less prepared for the future.

Image: Netgear

Netgear is formally launching the RBK752 today, although it has been rolling out in stores for the past month or two. Additional satellites will be available for $ 280, and there will be a $ 600 package with a router and two satellites. An important note for existing Orbi owners: You can mix and match Orbi units with Wi-Fi 6, so that the RBK852 can connect to the RBK752, but you cannot link one of these newer Orbi units to Orbi units with Wi-Fi 5 oldest. That won’t matter to new buyers, but it does mean existing owners won’t be able to upgrade their system by adding a newer unit.

In addition to the new Orbi model, Netgear also recently launched a new Nighthawk router designed to sit in the middle of its line. The RAX50 is a six-stream Wi-Fi 6 router with support for full-width 160MHz broadcasts for increased performance. It is available now for $ 299.