Today, Netgear has quietly listed the new Nighthawk MK83 on their website, offering a significant upgrade to the affordable Netgear Nighthawk MK63 I reviewed last year.
The main difference with the new Netgear Nighthawk MK83 is the inclusion of a second 5Ghz channel that offers 4×3 AX up to 1800Mbps. This channel will then be used as the backhaul, which will offer significant throughput improvements for the satellite speakers.
Netgear is also stating that it can cover quite a bit more area at 6,750sq.ft giving you a 50% increase. Presumably, the dedicated backhaul allows you to space things further apart before the connection gets too weak to be usable.
You also get a few more Ethernet ports, with each satellite having two, and the router itself having three plus the WAN port.
This spec then places the Netgear Nighthawk MK83 just below the Orbi RBK753 Mesh system. Unlike the Orbi, the Nighthawk MK83 uses EasyMesh which will theoretically allow it to be paired up with mesh devices from different vendors (similar to how many powerline products work).
Netgear Nighthawk MK83 vs MK63 vs Orbi RBK753 Mesh WiFi System Comparison Table
| Netgear Mesh WiFi 6 System | Nighthaw MK83 | Nighthaw MK63S | Orbi RBK753 |
| Includes | One (1) Tri-band Mesh WiFi 6 Router (MR80) Two (2) Tri-band Mesh WiFi 6 Satellites (MS80) |
One (1) Mesh WiFi 6 Router (MR60) Two (2) Mesh WiFi 6 Satellites (MS60) |
One (1) Orbi Router (RBR750) Two (2) Orbi Satellites (RBS750) |
| Wi-Fi Rating | Tri-band AX3600 (2x 5GHz and 1x 2.4GHz) |
Dual-band AX1800 (1x 5GHz and 1x 2.4GHz) |
Tri-band AX4200 (2x 5GHz and 1x 2.4GHz) |
| Dedicated Backhaul Band | 5GHz | No | Yes |
| Wired Backhaul | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions (Each Unit) | 5.51 x 5.51 x 3.62 in 14 x14 x 9.2 cm |
4.8 x 4.8 x 2.5 in 12.2 x 12.2 x 6.35 cm |
9.1 x 7.2 x 2.8in |
| 5GHz Wi-Fi Specs | 2×2 AX: Up to 1200Mbps Up to 80Mhz channel width |
2×2 AX: Up to 1200Mbps Up to 80Mhz channel width |
2×2 AX: Up to 1200Mbps Up to 80Mhz channel width |
| 5GHz Wi-Fi Specs | 4×3 AX: Up to 1800Mbps Up to 80Mhz channel width |
N/A | 4×4 AX: Up to 2400Mbps Up to 80Mhz channel width |
| 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Specs | 2 x 2 Wi-Fi 6 up to 600Mbps Up to 40Mhz channel width |
2 x 2 Wi-Fi 6 up to 600Mbps Up to 40Mhz channel width |
2 x 2 Wi-Fi 6 up to 600Mbps Up to 40Mhz channel width |
| Wi-Fi Security | WPA3 / WPA2 / WPA | WPA3 / WPA2 / WPA | WPA3 / WPA2 / WPA |
| Coverage | 6,750sq.ft | 4,500sq.ft | Up to 7,500 sq. ft. |
| AP Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Port / Media Server | None | None | None |
| Gigabit Port | Router (MR80): 1x WAN, 3x LAN Satellite (MS80): 2x LAN |
Router – 1 x WAN GbE + 1 x GbE Satellite – 1 x GbE |
Router 1x WAN, 3x LAN Satellite 2x LAN |
| Link aggregation | None | None | Yes |
| Processing Power | Quad-Core 1.5GHz processor 256MB flash / 512MB RAM |
Quad-Core 1.5GHz processor 128MB Flash / 256MB RAM |
Quad-Core 1.4GHz processor 512Mb Flash / 1GB RAM |
| Price | $499 (3-pack) | $299 (3-pack) | $549.99 |
Price & Availability
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
NETGEAR Nighthawk Whole Home Mesh WiFi 6 System MK63 -… | £327.44 | Buy on Amazon |
 |
NETGEAR Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System (RBK753)… | £606.20 | Buy on Amazon |
The new system has launched on the US Netgear site with no buy it now options, just a notify me form. A third party retailer suggests availability will be from July 2021, but there is no word of when the UK will get it.
For ease of comparison, I will use the current USD prices from Netgear. The 3-pack MK83 comes in at $499 while the MK63 is $299 and the Orbi RBK753 $549.99
In the UK, the MK63 normally retails for around £260, but has seen the price jump recently. The RBK753 was £559 but currently £612.94.
Posted by Mighty Gadget Blog: UK Technology News and Reviews
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