NETGEAR Orbi 970 (RBE973SB) vs eero Max 7
Both official tables list Wi-Fi 7 and 10 Gbps Ethernet. NETGEAR publishes a combined class-style figure; eero does not.
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Best for: Wi-Fi 7, official 27 Gbps official combined class, quad-band, 6 official Ethernet ports, up to 10 Gbps
Check price at AmazonBest for: Wi-Fi 7, tri-band, 4 official Ethernet ports, up to 10 Gbps
Check price at AmazonSpec-by-spec comparison
Green marks the better published figure. "Not listed" means the manufacturer doesn't publish it.
| Spec | NETGEAR Orbi 970 (RBE973SB) | eero Max 7 | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Wi-Fi generationThe official Wi-Fi generation published on the maker's specification table (Wi-Fi 5, 6, 6E or 7). | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 | 20% |
| Official combined PHY rateThe official BE/AX/AC class number (for example BE10000 = 10,000 Mbps). If the class token is not listed, we add the official per-band PHY rates and label that figure computed. eero's 'wireless speeds up to' claims are not this field. | 27000 Mbps | Not listed | 35% |
| Fastest official Ethernet portThe fastest official Ethernet port on the main unit (router or primary node), from the maker's port table or official technical-spec PDF. | 10 Gbps | 10 Gbps | 30% |
| Official Ethernet port countHow many official Ethernet ports the main unit has. Satellite-only ports on a mesh pack are not added to this count. | 6 ports | 4 ports | 15% |
| Official Wi-Fi class (spec table or official title) | 27 Gbps official combined | Not listed | info |
| Sum of official per-band PHY rates (computed) | 5000 Mbps | Not listed | info |
| Official radio bands | Quad-band | Tri-band | info |
| Official spatial streams | 16 | 20 | info |
| Official Ethernet wording | • Create separate WiFi Networks: matter the layout, from the front door to the - (1) 10 Gig internet WAN port3 backyard. - Main Network: Primary network for your - (1) 10 Gbps Ethernet LAN port family's devices • Unleash Incredible Speed—Whether Multi-Gig - (4) 10/100/1000/250… | Tri-band 2x2/4x4/4x4 MU/SU-MIMO 2.4 GHz: 2x2 5 GHz: 4x4 6 GHz: 4x4 Four ethernet ports Use case: Gateway or extender Placement: Sitting on a flat surface Size: 7.24 x 8.73 x 3.54 in (184 x 222 x 90 mm) Coverage: Up to 2,500 sq ft per device Supported devices: 200+ devices Conn… | info |
| Source note | Ethernet port count and speed taken from the official technical specification (PDF or support article) for this model. | Official comparison table does not publish an IEEE class number (BE / AX). Combined PHY class is Not listed. | info |
| Maker coverage claim (official table; not scored) | Not listed | Up to 2,500 sq ft per device | info |
| Size (official table) | Not listed | 7.24 x 8.73 x 3.54 in (184 x 222 x 90 mm) | info |
| Official wired speed claim (not a single-port rating) | Not listed | Up to 9.4 Gbps | info |
| Official wireless speed claim (not an IEEE class number; not scored as combined PHY) | Not listed | Up to 4.3 Gbps | info |
| Official channel width | Not listed | 20, 40, 80, 160, 240, 320 MHz | info |
| MeshPick score | 10.0/10 | 5.9/10 | 100% |
Where each one comes out ahead
NETGEAR Orbi 970 (RBE973SB)
Better published figure on: Official Ethernet port count.
What we like
- Official table lists Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Official table lists a quad-band radio
- Official table lists a 10 Gbps Ethernet port
- Official table lists 6 Ethernet ports on the main unit
Watch out for
eero Max 7
No scored spec where it is strictly ahead; its case rests on the strengths below.
What we like
- Official table lists Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Official table lists a tri-band radio
- Official table lists a 10 Gbps Ethernet port
Watch out for
- Maker table we used does not publish an IEEE class number (BE/AX); combined PHY rate is Not listed
Verdict
Orbi 970 publishes an official 27 Gbps combined figure and official 10 Gbps ports; eero Max 7 publishes official 10 Gbps ports but no IEEE class number.
- NETGEAR Orbi 970 (RBE973SB): NETGEAR official technical specifications PDF: RBE973SB_TS
- NETGEAR Orbi 970 (RBE973SB): NETGEAR official technical specifications PDF
- eero Max 7: eero official mesh Wi-Fi product comparison
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