This review took longer than I would have liked, first since this is our very first WiFi 6 networking product review, which meant a lot more tests than usual. Then came the buggy firmware I had to work around, which involved talking with NETGEAR to get it resolved. This part was a revelation of how much better pro-support tends to be, one I certainly will miss when reviewing the next product. As if had not been enough, the UK and its ongoing third COVID wave made things worse. Either way, here we are, and I suppose I can't complain about not having had enough time to test something.

Since this is our first WiFi 6 product review, I tested the Orbi Pro SXK80 in multiple configurations, including Wireless N at 2.4 GHz (very good performance), Wireless AC at 5 GHz (not as impressive), and Wireless AX (WiFi 6) at 5 GHz (fantastic performance). It was almost like the satellite unit barely helped with the throughput in Wireless AC mode even through signal strength clearly was excellent. I also tested WiFi 6 on 2.4 GHz for a quick check, and it of course was better than Wireless N at 2.4 GHz, too. All said, if you have WiFi 6 products or are looking for a more future-proof setup, the Orbi Pro is a very capable networking solution. What differentiates it from NETGEAR's own Orbi lineup, which we will look at soon as well, is its more business-oriented design. It is intended for smaller businesses and prosumers, with NETGEAR Insight providing a lot more features on top of that excellent support system. Insight Premium also cuts out most of the fluff that comes with the consumer products in favor of options to cover remote monitoring and increased security, which helps run a small business effectively without a dedicated IT team if configured correctly. Sadly enough, user errors are still unaccountable by NETGEAR Insight.

Not quantifiable, yet arguably one of the more important features are those in NETGEAR Insight you are really paying for with the Orbi Pro. You get a one-year subscription for all the premium features, following which you have to decide whether it is worth the cost or not. A business owner may well find it worth it, but that is a call to be made on a case-by-case basis. The basic operating features remain free, of course, be it on the mobile app or web portal. As such, you will still get more than the consumer-friendly Orbi products do when it comes to customization. The dedicated customer support and forum is also part of the feature set, and I suppose the firmware bug issue that came up during testing was a good example of it working—just not as fast as I would like, and it should not have happened in the first place. Standards are higher for such networking solutions, especially with a price point that is nothing to scoff at. Ultimately, it is a networking solution that is currently on sale in the US and hopefully soon elsewhere. I am happy to recommend it at the lower price thus, especially given it solves a niche problem fairly well.