However, when you opt for such high-speed internet plans, you must check whether you have the right modem for it or not. If not, you can simply grab one from our list as we have shortlisted some of the best gigabit modems from the market on the basis of the following factors such as:
Broadband Standard: The broadband standard that the modem uses makes a huge impact on the way it performs. At the moment, the latest broadband standard that’s in use is the DOCSIS 3.1 which is capable of delivering max internet speeds up to 10Gbps and is almost 10 times better than its predecessor DOCSIS 3.0 standard. Max Supported Internet Speed: Although the DOCSIS 3.1 standard supports up to 10Gbps speed, there are not many ISPs out there that offer such fast internet plans yet. With that said, modems that offer max supported internet speeds up to 1 Gbps or slightly better such as 1.4 Gbps or 2.5Gbps are good options to pick as the high-end 10Gbps modems are very pricey. Compatibility: It’s important to know that not all ISPs allow you to use third-party modems with their connection. That said, you should always check if the modem that you are choosing is compatible with your current ISP. As for the modem options that we have picked, almost all of them are compatible with most of the leading ISPs such as Cox, Spectrum, etc.
By keeping in mind these three major things, you can easily compare the modem options and find the best one for yourself. Apart from these few factors, there are a few other things that a customer can check. So, to cover it all, we have already included all the important information in a detailed buying guide which is present in this article down below. Therefore, if you are a customer looking for a new modem for the first time, reading the “Buying Guide” will be quite helpful for you. Until then, let’s quickly jump to the list of best gigabit modems that we have shortlisted from th”e market.
Best Gigabit Modems Tabulation
Best Gigabit Modems Reviews
1. NETGEAR Gigabit Modems
Best Router for Cox Best Modem Router Combos for Comcast Best DOCSIS 3.1 Modems Best Modems for Gaming Best Modem For Xfinity
Netgear has one of the widest range of modems as well as Wi-Fi routers available and is an extremely popular brand out there because of its high-quality offerings. From such a reputed brand, we have picked the Cable Modem CM1000 to mention in the first spot of our list, simply because it comes for a very fair price and does its job pretty well. Firstly, let’s talk about its design, the CM1000 comes in a diamond shape design, since it stands vertically, it doesn’t take much space on the desk either. In addition to that, the overall build quality of this modem is fantastic and it looks absolutely premium. Taking a look at the specifications, it’s based on the DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard. Hence, it offers an exceptionally stable internet connection, thanks to the 32×8 Channel Bonding and additional OFDM 2×2 channels which offer an enhanced experience. The best part is that it supports a max internet speed of 1 Gbps, and is compatible with all major cable providers such as Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum, COX. Talking about the connectivity ports, it only comes with a single gigabit ethernet port that can be used with any Wi-Fi router. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 1Gbps Has 1 Gigabit Ethernet port Compatible with Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum, COX Comes with a 1-year warranty
Pros:
Build quality is very impressive Has OFDM 2×2 channels Works with any router
Cons:
No way to update its firmware
2. Motorola Gigabit Modems
Motorola is yet another highly popular brand that offers some of the best gigabit modem options in the market. Hence, if you are looking for a premium modem, Motorola is a good brand to go with. Talking about the Motorola MB8600 Cable Modem, one big reason for why this is so expensive is that it’s based on the latest DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard, and is also backward compatible with DOCSIS 3.0 as well. Apart from that, one special fact about this cable modem is that it uses the Active Queue Management technology which highly improves the quality of your internet experience by reducing the internet latency to provide you with a very stable internet connection at all times. Moreover, since the max internet speed supported by this cable modem is 6Gbps, you can enjoy the best internet plans offered by the major ISPs like Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum, etc, as it’s compatible with all of them. Moreover, there’s one gigabit ethernet port available on this modem that will allow you to use this modem with almost any Wi-Fi router of your choice. Coming over to its design, it definitely looks brilliant, and thanks to the vertical orientation, it doesn’t take much space either. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 1Gbps Has 1 Gigabit Ethernet port Compatible with Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum, etc. Comes with a 2 year long warranty
Pros:
Features AQM for reducing internet latency Easy setup Future-safe as it supports more than 1Gbps speed
Cons:
A little expensive
3. ARRIS Gigabit Modems
Arris is yet another major player in this industry whose reliable modem options are scattered all over the market as it’s quite popular for making high-end affordable modems. One of the best offerings from Arris is its SURFboard SB8200 Gigabit Cable Modem which is a DOCSIS 3.1 modem that is engineered to deliver a max internet speed of up to 2 Gbps. Hence, not only this modem will be suitable for the 1 Gbps plans that most ISPs offer these days, but also it’s future-safe so it can be a great option for you to pick. Thanks to the DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard, this modem utilizes 32×8 channel bonding along with additional OFDM 2×2 channels that help it deal with the internet latency and reduce it. Although, looks-wise, we are not personally a big fan of it. However, the way it performs is truly fanatics as it can outshine most other modem options in this list with ease. If we take a look at the backside of this modem, you will find that it comes with 2 gigabit ethernet ports which are great. One thing that you should note about Arris SURFboard SB8200 is that it doesn’t work with DSL or Fiber internet providers such as ATT Verizon, CenturyLink. However, with cable providers such as Cox, Spectrum, etc, it works great. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 2Gbps Has 2 Gigabit Ethernet port Compatible with Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum, etc. Comes with a 2 year long warranty
Pros:
Future-ready Compatible with all cable providers Fast and efficient performance
Cons:
Setup takes a little long
4. NETGEAR C7800 Gigabit Modems
Coming up next, in case you are thinking of upgrading both your modem as well as the router, you can check out the C7800 Nighthawk Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo offered by Netgear. Since it offers you two different devices in one package, the pricing is surely higher than other modem options that we have gone through so far. However, if we talk about its performance, it features a fantastic and reliable DOCSIS 3.1 modem which is engineered to handle max internet speeds up to 2 Gbps. That said, it’s ready to work with all the major ISPs like Spectrum, Cox, and Xfinity that offer 1 Gbps plans. Apart from that, since it has a dual-band Wi-Fi router built-in, you will be surprised to know it can reach wireless speeds up to 3200 Mbps which is quite impressive. Moreover, it has 4 external antennas that offer amazing coverage providing signals over an area of up to 3000 sq. ft. Not just that, you can even connect up to 45 devices to it at the same time, it won’t fail to deliver its best performance of any of the connected devices. As far as the connectivity ports are concerned, the C7800 modem router combo comes with 4 gigabit ethernet ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports. As for the warranty, Netgear offers a 1 year long warranty for all its offerings. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 2Gbps Has 4 Gigabit Ethernet port Built-in AC3200 Wi-Fi router Comes with a 1 year long warranty
Pros:
Wireless coverage is quite impressive Easy to set up Offers plenty of connectivity ports
Cons:
A little costly
5. ARRIS SBG8300 Gigabit Modems
Next up, if you are looking out for an affordable modem router combo, Arris also has quite a wide range of such options available that you can check out, and of them is this SURFboard SBG8300 gigabit cable modem router combo. Although it doesn’t look like a Wi-Fi router at all as there are no external antennas on this device, it comes with an AC2350 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router built-in which is quite surprising. That said, the max wireless speed of the router can reach up to 2350Mbps which pretty much explains that you will be easily able to use 1Gbps plans that most ISPs offer these days. Moreover, you can easily set up this device using the SURFboard Manager App right from your smartphone which barely takes 2 minutes to install. Talking about the performance of this modem, it is engineered to work with cable plans up to 4Gbps speed. That said, it’s quite ideal for what most ISPs currently offer, and even for the high-speed plans upcoming in the future. It’s been made possible, thanks to the DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard which adds 2×2 OFDM channels to this modem along with its 32×8 downstream and upstream channels. If we move to the backside of this modem router combo, there are 4 gigabit ethernet ports given on this device which is quite satisfactory. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 4Gbps Has 4 Gigabit Ethernet port Built-in AC2350 Wi-Fi router Comes with a 2 year long warranty
Pros:
Affordable modem router combo Quick setup with SURFboard Manager App Compatible with Alexa also
Cons:
No USB ports are given
6. NETGEAR Gigabit Modems
As we have mentioned multiple times about Netgear’s wide collection of cable modems, the CM700 is quite suitable for those who are looking for a budget-friendly option. Starting with it’s design, it looks pretty much like the CM1000 modem that we discussed above, as the CM700 also falls in the same line-up. It has a diamond-shaped design that stands upright which makes it take less desk space. Moving over to its performance, it’s one of the best cable modems for this price as it supports a max internet speed of 1.4Gbps and even comes with a gigabit ethernet port capable of handling up to 1000Mbps speed. It’s quite ideal for fast internet speed plans, thanks to the 32×8 downstream and upstream channel bonding. Although it’s based on the earlier DOCSIS 3.0 broadband standard, it can still deal with a max internet speed of 1.4 Gbps which makes it future-safe up to some extent while staying as affordable as possible. Talking about its warranty, Netgear has the policy to offer a 1 year long warranty for all its products. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.0 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 1.4Gbps Has 1 Gigabit Ethernet port Compatible with Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum, etc. Comes with a 1 year long warranty
Pros:
Highly affordable Compatible with most cable ISPs Small footprint
Cons:
Not compatible with fiber plans
7. ARRIS Gigabit Modems
In case you are tired of paying the rental fees for the cable modem to your ISP, you can put an end to it by bringing home this amazing and fast cable modem option offered by Arris, which you already know is one of the best brands out there. If we take a look at its specification, it’s the only modem on this list that comes with a 2.5G ethernet port which definitely performs faster than the standard gigabit ports. In addition, it also has an additional gigabit port as well. Thus, you can use that to set up a second network if needed. Apart from that, if you are concerned about the max-supported internet speed of this Surfboard S33 cable modem, it’s engineered to handle all internet plans up to 1.2Gbps efficiently. Since it’s a DOCSIS 3.1 modem, it supports 32×8 downstream and upstream channel bonding along with OFDM 2×2 channels for additional connection stability. With this modem, you can simply use any Wi-Fi router and it even works with almost all the cable providers including the major players like Suddenlink, Xfinity, Cox, Mediacomm, Spectrum, etc. One of the best parts about this modem is that it has a very sleek and small design, so it’s easy to set up and place anywhere easily. Best Features:
Uses DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard Supports max internet speed up to 1.2Gbps Has 1 Gigabit Ethernet port and a 2.5G Ethernet port Compatible with Suddenlink, Xfinity, Cox, Mediacomm, Spectrum, etc. Comes with a 2 year long warranty
Pros:
Compact and stylish design Performance is top-notch Quick and simple setup process
Cons:
A little expensive
Buying Guide for the Best Gigabit Modem
In case you are the kind of person who likes to enjoy movies in the highest quality possible and have multiple devices running at the same time having a high demand for the internet, you definitely need a fast internet connection. To upgrade to a fast internet connection that could reach speeds up to 1Gbps, the first thing that you will have to replace is your modem. While some ISPs offer their own modem too, they charge you monthly for it which can get highly costly in the long run. That said, you should replace it with one of your own modems, as it will not only perform better but will also save you a lot of that rental money. Hence, if you are looking out for a new modem in the market right now, this buying guide will help you in choosing the best one for yourself. In this buying guide, we will be telling you about all the important factors about modems that everyone should consider checking before buying it. Hence, without wasting any time, let’s start discussing!
1. Broadband Standard
First of all, one thing that you should be aware of is the technology that’s trending at the moment. The way a modem performs highly depends on the broadband standard that it’s using. With that said, you must know that the latest broadband standard at the moment is DOCSIS 3.1 which is about 10 times faster and better than the previous DOCSIS 3.0 standard. In DOCSIS 3.1 standard, modems function better due to the faster signal processing OFDM technique which provides several additional upstream and downstream channels which results in faster internet speed. DOCSIS 3.1 standard is actually capable of delivering up to 10Gbps speed while the DOCSIS 3.0 can only deliver up to 1Gbps. Although, for now, most ISPs only offer up to 1Gbps plans only, so both DOCSIS 3.1 and 3.0 modems will work fine.
2. Max Supported Internet Speed
As we just discussed, the DOCSIS 3.1 modems are capable of offering internet speeds up to 10Gbps. On the other hand, the DOCSIS 3.0 standard limits at 1 Gbps only. However, if we take a look at what most ISPs are offering these days, there’s barely any internet provider that offers a plan of more than 1Gbps. Thus, you can simply check the max supported internet speed of any modem and buy the one that suits your needs accordingly. Although there are modem options available in the market that could support up to 10Gbps speeds, there’s no point in buying those as no ISP out there offers such fast internet plans yet. That said, you should stick to DOCSIS 3.1 or DOCSIS 3.0 modems that support up to 1Gbps speed as they are the most logical options to choose at the moment.
3. Compatibility
Yet another important thing that you should check before buying a new modem is whether your ISP allows you to use third-party modems or not. Also, if your ISP does allow you to use a third-party modem, you should also check if the modem supports your ISP or not. If we talk about the modem options that are listed in this article, most of the modems are compatible with all the leading ISP brands such as Suddenlink, Xfinity, Cox, Mediacomm, Spectrum, etc.
4. Gigabit Ports
While you look out for gigabit modem options in the market, there’s one thing that most people usually forget to check, and that is the number of ports. While most of the modem options come with just one ethernet port, you will also come across several options that offer 2 or more ethernet ports as well. Having multiple ethernet ports on the modem allows you to set up multiple connections, which is highly useful and majorly done in offices. Apart from that, you should confirm that the ethernet port on the modem is actually a gigabit port that can deliver 1 Gbps speed.
5. Design and Build Quality
Unlike the old-age modem options, the ones that are available these days are absolutely not hideous. With that said, you can definitely find a stylish modem option in the market which you won’t need to hide anywhere behind the curtains. In fact, don’t forget to check for the build quality as the modem should be well-built so that it can easily survive a few drops in case it drops accidentally. Apart from that, some modem options even come with the wall-mounting option, so you can also look forward to it.
6. Warranty
Lastly, one of the most important things that you should keep in mind while buying a new modem is that you should only go with the brands that are trusted and popular. It’s because in case you face any problem with the modem, the popular brands are generally good at providing good and efficient technical support to help their customers. Apart from that, another reason for buying from the top brands is that they generally offer warranty for their products which can be highly useful for the customers. While some popular brands offer a 1 year long warranty, there are also some brands that even offer a 2 year long warranty which is even better.
Conclusion
If you have reached here, we hope you have already gone through the list of the best gigabit modems that we personally shortlisted for you all. As we believe, all the important information and specification about each and every modem option is clearly mentioned, so it must not be hard for anyone to compare and find the best suitable modem option for themselves. However, if you have any doubts, we recommend you to go through the buying guide once as it can really help you in choosing the right modem from the list. In case you are still feeling confused to pick, you can also consider choosing one from our personal recommendations as well:
For those of you who are looking for a simple and affordable option, the NETGEAR Gigabit Modems is one of the best choices to pick. It’s compatible with almost all the cable providers and can simply work with up to 1Gbps internet plans. Not just that, it works on the latest DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard, so it’s fast and reliable. On top of that, its design and build quality are good and it also comes with a 1 year long warranty. On the other hand, if you are looking for a premium and fast modem option, we personally like the Motorola Gigabit Modems a lot. It’s based on the latest DOCSIS 3.1 broadband standard and is built to deliver max internet speed of up to 6Gbps. That said, it’s compatible with all the major cable providers and will work with their 1Gbps plans very well. On top of that, it comes with a 2 year long warranty also. In case you want to upgrade your cable modem as well as the router too, the ARRIS SBG8300 Gigabit Modems Dual Band Wi-Fi Router is the best option. It can offer wireless speeds up to 2350 Mbps while handling cable plans up to 1 Gbps speed very efficiently. Moreover, it offers decent coverage and comes with 4 gigabit ethernet ports. Moreover, it takes about 5 minutes to set up and even comes with a 2 year long warranty as well.
Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also post any questions down there if you have any! Comment * Name * Email * Website
Δ
