MU-MIMO Router Head-to-Head: Linksys EA7500 vs. Netgear Nighthawk X4S
Linksys EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900
The Linksys EA7500 dual-band router looks rather subdued as far as routers go, and offers up to 600Mb/s on its 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300Mb/s on its 5GHz band. It features a Qualcomm 1.4GHz dual-core CPU, and three removable antennae. It's full list of features and specifications are available below...
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| WiFi Band | Simultaneous Dual-Band WiFi - 2.4GHz + 5GHz |
| Beamforming | Implicit & Explicit Beamforming for 2.4 & 5GHz bands |
| Number of Ethernet Ports | Five (5) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports: 1 WAN & 4 LAN |
| Number of USB Ports | Two (2) USB ports: 1 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0 |
| Key Features |
The Linksys MAX-STREAM AC1900 features MU-MIMO, the latest advance toward uninterrupted, simultaneous Wi-Fi connections.
Devices such as HD streaming media players, 4K TVs, tablets, and game consoles use a lot of bandwidth. But with MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology, the MAX-STREAM AC1900 sends advanced Wi-Fi to multiple devices at the same time and same speed. Your whole family can play, stream, and work at once, without experiencing lag or buffering - at up to 2x the speed of a non-MU-MIMO router.*
The Linksys MAX-STREAM AC1900 features MU-MIMO, the latest advance toward uninterrupted, simultaneous Wi-Fi connections. Devices such as HD streaming media players, 4K TVs, tablets, and game consoles use a lot of bandwidth. But with MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology, the MAX-STREAM AC1900 sends advanced Wi-Fi to multiple devices at the same time and same speed. Your whole family can play, stream, and work at once, without experiencing lag or buffering - at up to 2x the speed of a non-MU-MIMO router.*Our MAX-STREAM AC1900 Multi User-MIMO Router offers two dedicated Wi-Fi bands that deliver combined speeds of up to 1.9 Gbps. It also allows you to make your time online more efficient: simply assign high-bandwidth activities, like 4K video streaming, to the high-speed 5 GHz band, and leave basic activities like email to the 2.4 GHz band. Enjoy fast-paced Wi-Fi activities such as online multiplayer gaming with the MAX-STREAM AC1900. Powered by a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, it is capable of handling three simultaneous data streams. This results in improved Wi-Fi performance and faster Wi-Fi speeds to more devices. Direct Wi-Fi signals to each of your mobile devices to increase signal strength and coverage with our MAX-STREAM Wi-Fi router using Beamforming technology. Play video games, listen to music, check emails, shop online, stream HD movies, and more, without having to worry about dropped signals. |
| Security | 64/120-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2-Personal,WPA2-Enterprise |
| Processor | Dual core 1.4GHz processor |
| Memory | 256MB |
| Physical Specifications | Dimensions: 10.12 x 7.24 x 2.2in (257 x 184 x 56mm) Weight: 1.12lb (.51kg) |
| Package Content | EA7500 Router 3x antenna Ethernet cable Quick install guide Power adapter |
As you can see, aside from the MU-MIMO technology, this is a very straightforward router with features we’ve all seen before. One feature that is not hardware-related, but worth mentioning is the software. Linksys offers an extremely robust software package, both on your PC for managing the router and a decent mobile app too that lets you monitor and control the router from a mobile device.
Like all AC routers it offers beamforming technology to improve performance, and Linksys says it can support up to 12 connected devices with beamforming. This level of performance allows the company to classify it as a router for a “medium household” as opposed to large business.
The Linksys EA7500 offers four Gigabit LAN ports and one Gigabit WAN port. The rear also sports one USB 2.0 port and one USB 3.0 port, a WPS button, reset, and an on/off switch. There are no connections or ports on any other part of the router, so you don’t have to worry about wires dangling off the sides.
