Best Cable Modems · head-to-head

NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 vs Hitron CODA56

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Hitron CODA56 is cheaper at $209.99. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 or Hitron CODA56?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Hitron CODA56 is the cheaper at $209.99.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.

Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 Hitron CODA56
US price $299.99 $209.99
BrandNETGEARHitron
Released
Docsis version 3.1 3.1
Max download (Gbps) 2.5 2.5
Max upload (Gbps) 1 1
Channel bonding 32x8
Ofdm channels 2x2
Ethernet ports 3 1
Max ethernet speed (Gbps) 2.5 2.5
Link aggregation Yes No
Mid split support Yes
Active queue management
Weight grams 495 464

Sources — NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000: netgear.com (verified 2026-07-11). Hitron CODA56: us.hitrontech.com (verified 2026-07-11).

What's the difference between the NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 and Hitron CODA56?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 11). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Ethernet ports: NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 3 vs Hitron CODA56 1
  • Link aggregation: NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 true vs Hitron CODA56 false
  • Weight grams: NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000 495 vs Hitron CODA56 464

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

NETGEAR Nighthawk CM3000

Only one whitelisted tester — Tom's Guide's 2026 cable-modem roundup (updated 17 Feb 2026) — covers the CM3000, as qualitative buying-guide prose with no published benchmarks for this model. It praises the future-proof 2.5 Gbps download ceiling, sleek Wi-Fi 7-ready vertical design, and extra gigabit ports for link aggregation, but flags the $299 price (most expensive in the roundup) and that it only makes sense with a rare, pricey multi-gig internet plan. (1 sourced review.)

Praised: Future-proof multi-gig download ceiling (up to 2.5 Gbps); Sleek vertical, Wi-Fi 7-ready design with a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port; Extra gigabit ports enabling link aggregation.

Flagged: Most expensive modem in the roundup at $299; Only worthwhile with a rare/expensive multi-gig internet plan.

Hitron CODA56

Only one whitelisted tester, Tom's Guide, covers the CODA56, naming it best-budget cable modem. Critically, the reviewer openly states they have not hands-on-tested this exact model, so no lab numbers exist; the recommendation rests on the reviewer's long-term reliability with a different (1 Gbps) Hitron modem. Praise centers on value and 2.5GbE futureproofing; flagged for running warm and not being optimized for Xfinity's fastest upload speeds. (1 sourced review.)

Praised: Standout value for a DOCSIS 3.1 multi-gig modem; 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port for futureproofing; Easy plug-and-play setup.

Flagged: Can run warm; Not optimized for Xfinity's fastest upload speeds; Reviewer did not hands-on-test this exact model; no lab measurements.

← All cable modems compared · Open data