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The Netgear A8000 Nighthawk AXE3000 Wi-Fi 6E USB 3.0 Adapter is a extremely anticipated improve for a lot of. Shortly add Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 6 to any current Home windows PC.

And in my exams, the brand new USB dongle proved to be a great choice for individuals who have a Wi-Fi 6 (or later) router and a pc with out Wi-Fi or nonetheless utilizing a legacy normal. I would even be beneficiant if I mentioned it is handy, quick, and dependable sufficient to be value its comparatively excessive $100 price ticket.

Here is the underside line: When you have a Home windows 11 laptop, and you’ll improve any Home windows 10 machine to 1, take into account getting an A8000 at this time.

Dong’s word: I first revealed this publish as a brand new piece on September 21, 2022 and up to date it to a revision on January 26, 2023.

Netgear A8000: One USB dongle to help all of them, so long as they’re operating Home windows 11

Whereas there have been Wi-Fi 6 USB adapters available on the market, such because the Asus USB-AX56, D-Hyperlink DWA-X1850, or TP-Hyperlink Archer TX20U Plus, for fairly a while, the Netgear A8000 is the primary. , and it is nonetheless the one one, that helps Wi-Fi 6E, that I do know of.

Earlier than this, you may get Wi-Fi 6E on a pc by way of PCIe-based improve, which may be numerous work. With the Netgear A8000, you simply must insert the adapter into the USB port in your laptop. And you’ll even transfer it from one laptop to a different with ease.

To qualify as a Wi-Fi 6E adapter, the A8000 should be a tri-band selective adapter. It has all three Wi-Fi bands together with 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz.

Consequently, it’s the first USB Wi-Fi adapter designed to work with all current and future Wi-Fi stations (routers and entry factors).

Netgear A8000 vs. Intel AX210: {Hardware} Specs

The A8000 makes use of a Wi-Fi 6E chip from MediaTek and doesn’t help the 160 MHz channel width. Consequently, it has a high pace ceiling of 1200 Mbps (1.2 Gbps).

Secondly. the Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6E card helps 160 MHz and may ship as much as 2400 Mbps on the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band.

That being mentioned, the Intel AX210 beats the Netgear A8000 by way of pace and affordability. Nevertheless, it lags behind in ease of use.

Identify	Netgear Nighthawk AXE3000 Wi-Fi 6E USB 3.0 Adapter	Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 Gig+ Adapter
Mannequin	A8000	AX210
Pseudo Wi-Fi Bandwidth	AXE3000	AXE5400
most roof pace	1200Mbps	2400Mbps
2.4GHz band (Bandwidth)	2×2 AX: As much as 600Mbps (20/40MHz)	2×2 AX: As much as 600Mbps
5GHz band (Bandwidth)	2×2 AX: As much as 1200Mbps (20/40/80MHz)	2×2 AX: As much as 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz)
6GHz band (Bandwidth)	2×2 AXIS: As much as 1200Mbps (20/40/80MHz)	2×2 AXES: As much as 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz)
safety help	WPA, WPA2, WPA3	WPA, WPA2, WPA3
Interface	USB 3.2. Technology 1 (5Gbps) USB 2.0 (diminished efficiency)	PCIe adapter or NGFF 2230 M.2 slot
required {hardware}	USB-A port. Or USB-C to USB-A adapter (not included)	Set up required
platform help	Win 11: 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz Win 10: 2.4GHz, 5GHz	Win 11: 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz Win 10: 2.4GHz, 5GHz (6GHz controller)
US worth (in Evaluate)	$99.99	≈ $20

A regular USB Wi-Fi companion system

Regardless of the Wi-Fi 6E novelty, the A8000 is normal for a USB Wi-Fi adapter.

It’s a dual-stream (2×2) adapter with a complete of 3000 Mbps of bandwidth: 600 Mbps on its 2.4 GHz band and 1200 Mbps on every of the opposite two bands. Like all Wi-Fi adapters, the A8000 can solely join to 1 band at a time, so theoretically the quickest pace you may get is 1200 Mbps.

However 1.2 Gbps is mostly the pace of all different AX1800 Twin Band Wi-Fi 6 USB adapters (600 Mbps + 1200 Mbps).

By way of safety and options, based on Netgear, the A8000 helps WPA3 safety, which is required for any Wi-Fi 6E system. It options Netgear Specific Beamforming which will increase pace when used with a Netgear router.

Netgear A8000 (vs A7000): A way more compact adapter

By way of look, the brand new A8000 shares an identical bodily design to the earlier A7000 Wi-Fi 5 USB adapter, however is now rather more compact. It’s nearly half the scale of its legacy cousin.

Nonetheless, it is comparatively cumbersome, about twice the scale of a typical USB stick. In comparison with the tiny USB controller that comes with it, it is a lot greater.

And like its greater cousin, the brand new adapter additionally options USB 3.2 Gen 1, often known as USB 3.0, which is capped at 5 Gbps. In my check, it additionally labored with a USB 2.0 port however, unsurprisingly, at considerably slower information charges.

The adapter comes with a cradle to accommodate a desktop laptop. On a laptop computer, you’ll be able to insert it straight right into a USB-A port. After that, open your built-in antenna and also you’re good to go.

The A8000 doesn’t function USB-C nor does it include a converter. Nevertheless, when you have a USB-Ca-USB-A adapter, it additionally works with a USB-C port. That was the case in my expertise.

Nearly a plug-and-play setup with no 6GHz love for Home windows 10

Out of the field, the Netgear A8000 features a small USB that accommodates the motive force software program. Run the installer and plug the adapter into the pc’s USB port, and also you’re achieved.

The one-time preliminary setup course of is similar whether or not you are operating Home windows 10 or 11. Nevertheless, you can use the adapter’s 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band with Home windows 10.

Whereas that is disappointing, it is to be anticipated, contemplating that Microsoft has given the Intel AX210 adapter the identical therapy: the corporate makes use of 6GHz help as an incentive to pressure customers to improve the working system.

Netgear A8000: Wonderful sub-Gigabit efficiency

The Netgear A8000 carried out properly in my exams.

My check laptop may simply hook up with the 6GHz or 5GHz band at 1.2Gbps at a negotiated and sustained charge of round 900Mbps, which is the norm.

The adapter has the identical vary as another Wi-Fi adapter: the vary is principally decided by the broadcaster (router/entry level). And it labored the identical means when examined with a Netgear AXE500, AXE300, or another Wi-Fi 6E. or Wi-Fi 6 router.

And it labored properly in my exams, too, even after an extended interval of heavy masses. General, it turned out to be a good way to improve a pc to Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E.

Conclution

The Netgear A8000 Nighthawk AXE3000 Wi-Fi 6E USB 3.0 Adapter is a simple means so as to add Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E to a Home windows laptop.

Its easy plug-and-play design makes it rather more engaging than its Intel AX210 counterpart, sufficient to justify its excessive worth and slower efficiency.

Are you trying to make your previous Home windows laptop rather less dated? Get one at this time!