Head-to-head · Best Gaming Routers

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S vs TP-Link Archer BE800

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S and TP-Link Archer BE800 score essentially the same (4.2 vs 4.2). Pick the one whose trade-offs match your priorities — the strengths and watch-outs below are where they actually differ.

Ranked #4 in Best Gaming Routers

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S

4.2

3 sources$599.99as of Aug 1

NETGEAR's first Wi-Fi 7 router earns its keep on real-world coverage. Tom's Guide praised the RS700S's throughput 'at medium distances where it's most needed in the home,' and TechRadar called it 'blistering performance.' A 10 Gig port and 3,500 sq ft of BE19000 coverage make it a strong whole-home gaming pick, and setup is unusually painless. It is pricey and not the fastest up close, but it is dependable.

Strengths

— Blistering Wi-Fi 7 performance, strong at the medium distances most homes need
— 10 Gig internet port for multi-gig broadband
— Covers up to 3,500 sq ft with tri-band BE19000 Wi-Fi 7

Watch-outs

— Premium price among traditional home routers
— Not the fastest at very close range versus rivals
— Lacks the front info screen of the TP-Link Archer BE800

$599.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #2 in Best Gaming Routers

TP-Link Archer BE800

4.2

3 sources$329.99as of Aug 1

The Archer BE800 is the value flagship. Tom's Guide called it 'the fastest and most capable traditional router available,' and XDA scored it 8/10 for reliable, high-throughput Wi-Fi 7. Dual 10Gbps ports plus four 2.5Gbps ports give it a strong multi-gig backbone, and it held up flawlessly under heavy mixed load in testing. There is less gaming-branded software here than on ASUS gear, but the raw speed and the value make it a top gaming pick.

Strengths

— Among the fastest traditional routers tested, with strong 6GHz Wi-Fi 7 speed
— Dual 10Gbps ports (one SFP+) plus four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports
— Distinctive design with a customizable LED info screen

Watch-outs

— Expensive among traditional home routers at around $550-600
— Less gaming-specific software than the ASUS ROG models
— 6GHz range is limited, as with all Wi-Fi 7 routers

$329.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S

Trades the close-range speed crown of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro and TP-Link Archer BE800 for the strongest medium-distance, whole-home coverage in the group, and pairs it with the easiest setup. It costs more than the TP-Link Archer BE800 in some configurations and lacks that router's info screen, while sitting a generation ahead of the Wi-Fi 6 ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000.

TP-Link Archer BE800

The value-flagship of the group: it delivers Wi-Fi 7 speed approaching the pricier ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro for less money, with dual 10Gbps ports that match it on the wired front. It is a safer, more proven buy than the TP-Link Archer BE900, and a generation ahead of the Wi-Fi 6 ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, though it lacks the deep gaming software of the ASUS ROG models.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S	TP-Link Archer BE800
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000), tri-band	Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000), tri-band
Speed	Up to 19 Gbps	—
Internet Port	10 Gig (10GbE)	—
Coverage	Up to 3,500 sq ft	Whole-home tri-band
Setup	NETGEAR Nighthawk app	—
Security	NETGEAR Armor (1-year included)	HomeShield
Antennas	Internal (upright design)	8 internal
LAN	Multi-gig Ethernet	—
Wired	—	2x 10Gbps (1 SFP+) + 4x 2.5GbE LAN
USB	—	USB 3.2
Display	—	Customizable LED info screen
Mesh	—	EasyMesh support

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