Netgear
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
$699.99
Released 2021-10
Best Wi-Fi Routers · head-to-head
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Ubiquiti UniFi Express is cheaper at $149. Every spec and price links to its source.
Ubiquiti
Ubiquiti UniFi Express
$149Cheaper
Released 2023
Which is better: the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 or Ubiquiti UniFi Express?
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Ubiquiti UniFi Express is the cheaper at $149. Get the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 for the stronger spec sheet, the Ubiquiti UniFi Express to spend less.
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Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| 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 |
| Release | 2021-10 | 2023 |
Sources — Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500: smallnetbuilder.com (verified 2026-06-15). Ubiquiti UniFi Express: techspecs.ui.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 and Ubiquiti UniFi Express?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (7 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- 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 false vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express true
- Processor: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Quad-core 1.8 GHz vs Ubiquiti UniFi Express Dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 1.0 GHz
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
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, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Class-leading throughput at close range, boosted by the 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E band; Distinctive winged design.
Flagged: Throughput drops off sharply with distance; best used close up; Very expensive (~$599), roughly triple a high-end Wi-Fi 6 router; Bundled security/support becomes a paid subscription after the trial (~$70/yr).
Ubiquiti UniFi Express
No sourced tester review yet.