Netgear Launches Nighthawk X10 Router With 802.11ad Support, Built-in Plex Media Server

by Brandon Hill — Wednesday, October 19, 2016, 11:23 AM EDT

If you’re looking to splurge on the latest and greatest wireless router out there that throws in everything but the kitchen sink, Netgear has you covered. The company just announced its flagship Nighthawk X10, which it claims is the world’s faster router.

At the heart of the Nighthawk is a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, which Netgear says is the fastest available in a consumer-grade router. As you might expect, the router incorporates six Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and MU-MIMO technology to enable unfettered simultaneous streaming to your gaggle of wireless devices. You’ll also find four external Active Antennas that help the Nighthawk X10 maximize range and throughout your home.

The Nighthawk X10 is also one of the first routers to support Quad-Stream Wave 2 Wi-Fi and the new 802.11ad Wi-Fi standard (AD7200 — 4600+1733+800Mbps). 802.11ad operates at 60 GHz as opposed to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands common with today’s 802.11ac routers. While the 5GHz band currently tops out at 1,733 Mbps, the 60 GHz band can theoretically provide up to 4,600 Mbps of throughput.

“The superior capabilities of ‘802.11ad will greatly enhance the user experience when dealing with applications that require the transferring of large amounts of data,” writes Michael Thelander, President of Signals Research Group. “802.11ad also provides approximately one-tenth the latency as compared to 802.11ac, which is absolutely critical for applications like virtual reality or augmented reality.”

We should also mention that the Nighthawk X10 incorporates two USB 3.0 ports which leads us to another industry first according to Netgear: the ability to serve as a Plex Media Server without the need for a complementary PC. All you need to do is plug in a thumb drive or external hard drive to a free USB 3.0 port and setup your streaming media server. You’ll also find a 10Gb fiber port on the back for speedy backups to a Netgear ReadyNAS along with a free six-month subscription to Amazon Drive or all your off-site backup needs.

The Netgear Nighthawk X10 is priced at $499.99 and is available now to purchase in the United States.

Tags: Netgear, plex, nighthawk x10

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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