Netgear launches its most affordable Wi-Fi 7 mesh system

Netgear has introduced the Orbi 370, its most budget-friendly Wi-Fi 7 mesh system to date. This system is priced at $350 for a router and two satellites, offering a highly competitive entry point into Wi-Fi 7 technology. The lower cost is achieved through several deliberate trade-offs in its specifications. Netgear positions the Orbi 370 for users with moderate Wi-Fi demands, stating a total bandwidth of 5 Gbps. However, it features a single 2.5-gigabit internet port, capping the maximum speed to any single device at 2.5 Gbps. Crucially, the Orbi 370 is a dual-band system, utilizing only the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios. It omits the 6 GHz band and the wider 320 MHz channels, which are key features of Wi-Fi 7. For households with internet speeds of two gigabits or less, these limitations are unlikely to be noticeable. Mesh systems are still an excellent solution for eliminating Wi-Fi dead zones in homes. In contrast, Netgear's premium Orbi 970 model boasts 27 Gbps total bandwidth, a 10-gig internet port, and quad-band capabilities, but at a significantly higher price of around $2,000.