Introduction

After the review of the Orbi Wi-Fi system went live, I was initially considering covering other company products before getting back to NETGEAR. But it just so happened that products announced at CES were coming to market in various regions, and I was asked if I could cover another NETGEAR product right after. This one happens to be different enough in intended application from the Orbi that I agreed, partly also because I had personally seen it at CES. NETGEAR is a massive brand in the networking field to where they are able to create new divisions to address the needs of the market. As such, 2018 saw their new Nighthawk PRO Gaming division which has a specific, new set of networking products introduced. Perhaps, it is good research from their part, seeing how a "gaming" branded product can be seen as more lucrative if the past few years of PC DIY products have shown us anything, but NETGEAR tells us there is more to the eye than the name suggests, and that the Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 router more than merits the moniker. Time to put it through the paces then, and thanks again to NETGEAR for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp.


At first glance, the Nighthawk XR500—as will be referred to henceforth to save on time—looks no different than most other routers that make up the Nighthawk family of Wi-Fi routers. Indeed, we have a more traditional form factor as opposed to what we saw with the Orbi and other such Wi-Fi systems that are designed with aesthetics in mind to fit in the living room just as much as in a dark corner, with a rectangular base and external antennas that can be oriented to suit your needs. There are LEDs on the front with legends associated with them for, presumably, function over form, but this thankfully does not make it a gaming router by itself. No, what makes this special is what is ticking inside and the software support for it, which we will get to in due time. So let us get on with the review as we take a look at the specifications below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

First impressions are often long-lasting, and in this case, NETGEAR does a good job throughout their product line when it comes to properly distinguishing one lineup from another. For example, the Orbi kit we saw before came packaged in a white cube with blue accents and black printing, which worked well with the predominantly white router and satellite units. In this case, the XR500, as part of the Nighthawk Pro Gaming division, has a more aggressive packaging complete with a colorful black and orange box that comes in a plastic wrap. On the front is the name and logo for the new lineup, along with the product name and some salient features listed on the left, with a large illustration of the router in the center. It is only on the bottom that the NETGEAR name is seen, and this continues on the back as well with no "NETGEAR" mention anywhere, but, rather, more marketing features presented in detail. Indeed, here is where we get our first look at the gaming-specific features on the router. On the sides are more features and specifications along with a sticker for retail logistics. A flap on either end helps keep the contents inside in check during transit.


With the box opened, we see a more traditional packaging employed internally since the contents are kept inside a cardboard tray box that protects against shipping and handling mishaps. The router is seen immediately, present inside a plastic wrap, and accessories are seen underneath it in the box. These include a quick start guide (online copy here), Nighthawk Pro Gaming sticker, and general product guide of NETGEAR connected home devices that they hope customers would be interested in as well. Not included as a hard copy, but available online is an extremely detailed product manual I recommend going through, especially if this is your first time setting up a router. It is also a useful guide for the gaming-specific software features, as well as the more technical options you may perhaps not be familiar with.


The power adapter plugs into a wall socket, and I have here the US-specific version. It accepts as input a 110–240 VAC supply at 50–60 Hz and takes up 1.5 A, and outputs 3.5 A on a 12 VDC line for a maximum power draw of 42 W. The cord is long at nearly five feet and terminates in a plug that goes into the power jack on the router itself. NETGEAR also provides a single Ethernet cable that is approximately two feet long and terminates in RJ45 connectors on both ends. The cable has yellow insulation on 24 AWG wiring and is rated for CAT 5e transmission (1 Gbps up to 100 m, so plenty enough for this cable and product), as well as an operating temperature of 75 °C. I would have preferred to see NETGEAR include at least two cables, and both be black in color rather than the generic OEM yellow we see here.


The last set of items in the box are the four external antennas to be used with the Nighthawk XR500. Each of these comes individually wrapped for protection against dust getting into the crevices and bends, which is handy as they have sockets that allow them to bend and rotate. The antennas come numbered (two as 1, and then one each as 2 and 3) as well to show that they are meant to be screwed in place in order as per matching numbering on the router, which we will examine on the next page.