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 assessments, the brand new USB dongle proved to be an excellent possibility for many who have a Wi-Fi 6 (or later) router and a pc with out Wi-Fi or nonetheless utilizing a legacy commonplace. I would even be beneficiant if I mentioned it is handy, quick, and dependable sufficient to be value your comparatively stiff $100. price tag.

Here is the underside line: If in case you have a Home windows 11 laptop, and you may upgrade any machine with Home windows 10 to at least one: contemplate getting an A8000 right this moment.

Dong’s observe: I first revealed this put up 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 assist all of them, so long as they’re operating Home windows 11

Whereas there have been Wi-Fi 6 USB adapters in the marketplace, such because the Asus USB-AX56the D-Link DWA-X1850or the TP-Link Archer TX20U Plus — for fairly a while, the Netgear A8000 is the primary, and nonetheless the one, to assist Wi-Fi 6E, so far as I do know.

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

To qualify as a wifi adapter 6e, the A8000 have to 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 assist 160MHz Bandwidth. Consequently, it has a high pace of 1200 Mbps (1.2 Gbps).

Secondly. the Intel AX210 The 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 when it comes to pace and affordability. Nonetheless, it lags behind in ease of use.

Title	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 assist	WPA, WPA2, WPA3	WPA, WPA2, WPA3
Interface	USB 3.2. Technology 1 (5Gbps) USB 2.0 (lowered efficiency)	PCIe
required {hardware}	USB-A port. Or USB-C to USB-A adapter (not included)	Installation required
platform assist	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 Overview)	$99.99	≈ $20

A regular USB Wi-Fi companion gadget

Regardless of the Wi-Fi 6E novelty, the A8000 is commonplace 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 at least one 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).

When it comes to safety and options, in keeping with Netgear, the A8000 helps WPA3 safety, which is required for any Wi-Fi 6E gadget. It options Netgear Specific Beamforming which will increase pace when used with a Netgear router.

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

When it comes to look, the brand new A8000 shares an analogous bodily design to the earlier one. A7000 USB Wi-Fi 5 adapter however now it’s way more compact. It’s virtually 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 similar to its greater cousin, the brand new adapter additionally contains USB 3.2 Gen 1, often known as USB 3.0, which has a restrict of 5 Gbps. In my take a look at, it additionally labored with a USB 2.0 port however, unsurprisingly, at considerably slower knowledge charges.

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

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

Virtually 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 comprises the driving force software program. Run the installer and plug the adapter into the pc’s USB port, and also you’re accomplished.

The one-time preliminary setup course of is identical whether or not you are operating Home windows 10 or 11. Nonetheless, 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 assist as an incentive to power customers to improve the working system.

Netgear A8000: Glorious sub-Gigabit efficiency

The Netgear A8000 carried out effectively in my assessments.

My take a look at laptop might simply connect 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 some other Wi-Fi adapter: the vary is principally decided by the broadcaster (router/entry level). And it labored the identical approach when examined with a Netgear AXE500, AXE300or some other Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 6 router.

And it labored effectively in my assessments, too, even after an extended interval of heavy hundreds. Total, 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 straightforward approach so as to add Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E to a Home windows laptop.

Its easy plug-and-play design makes it way more enticing 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? To get one right this moment!