# Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 (Netgear) and Ubiquiti UniFi Express (Ubiquiti) among wi-fi routers. Ubiquiti UniFi Express is the cheaper of the two at $149.

## Side by side

| Spec | Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 | Ubiquiti UniFi Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $699.99 | $149 |
| Brand | Netgear | Ubiquiti |
| Released | 2021-10 | 2023 |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Max speed (Mbps) | 10800 | 2402 |
| Bands | Tri-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz) | Dual-band (2.4 GHz 573.5 Mbps + 5 GHz 2402 Mbps), 2x2 MU-MIMO |
| Coverage (sq ft) | 3500 | 1500 |
| Ports | 1x 1 Gbps WAN, 4x 1 Gbps LAN, 1x 2.5 Gbps Multi-Gig (configurable WAN/LAN), 2x USB 3.0 | 1x 1 Gbps WAN (RJ45), 1x 1 Gbps LAN (RJ45) |
| Mesh | No | Yes |
| Processor | Quad-core 1.8 GHz | Dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 1.0 GHz |

## Key differences

- Wi-Fi standard: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
- Max speed (Mbps): Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 10800 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express 2402
- Bands: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz) vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express Dual-band (2.4 GHz 573.5 Mbps + 5 GHz 2402 Mbps), 2x2 MU-MIMO
- Coverage (sq ft): Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 3500 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express 1500
- Ports: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 1x 1 Gbps WAN, 4x 1 Gbps LAN, 1x 2.5 Gbps Multi-Gig (configurable WAN/LAN), 2x USB 3.0 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express 1x 1 Gbps WAN (RJ45), 1x 1 Gbps LAN (RJ45)
- Mesh: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 No vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express Yes
- Processor: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Quad-core 1.8 GHz vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express Dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 1.0 GHz

## What reviewers say

**Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500** — Two whitelisted testers (Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide) lab-benched this exact RAXE500. Both praise record-setting close-range throughput (Tom's Guide measured 2.396 Gbps at 15 feet, boosted by the 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E band) but flag steep falloff with distance and a very high ~$599 price. Tom's Hardware additionally found severe congestion/QoS problems and did not recommend the router; Tom's Guide did not run a congestion test and named it Editor's Choice. RTINGS not found. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500: https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/2021/07/netgear-nighthawk-raxe500-product-guide-everything-you-need-to-know/ (smallnetbuilder.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Ubiquiti UniFi Express: https://techspecs.ui.com/unifi/cloud-gateways/ux (techspecs.ui.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/wifi-routers/netgear-nighthawk-raxe500-vs-ubiquiti-unifi-express/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 ($699.99) vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express ($149) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/wifi-routers/netgear-nighthawk-raxe500-vs-ubiquiti-unifi-express/
License: CC BY 4.0.