If you’re working with a small network at home, there is no need to spend extra bucks on a premium router when a lower and less expensive one is enough. Small homes entail a floor area of 600-1500 sq. ft. and a Netgear AC750 vs AC1200 router should be enough.
The next question is: which works best? This review compares the Netgear AC750 vs AC1200 so you can choose the perfect fit for your network. With the reputable Netgear brand behind these routers, we assure you that while these devices are far from perfect, they are still the best in their category.
With its dual-band frequency, it is a great upgrade from an N+300 router. As the first member of the AC family of routers from Netgear, the R6050 gets a 4-star rating for functionality, ease of management, and security features.
PROS
CONS
With the Netgear R6230 AC1200 router, you can connect up to 20 wireless devices and 4 other wired devices with its Gigabit ports. Best for small homes, it also offers a reliable internet connection up to 1,200Mbps. It also works with most operating systems so you don’t have to worry if one of your devices is outdated.
PROS
CONS
Stand Out Features
Connectivity
When comparing the Netgear AC750 vs AC1200 in terms of connectivity, it is almost obvious that the Netgear AC1200 is the better choice. Aside from its higher potential combined speed of 1,200 Mbps, it also works on an 880HMz processor, making it faster than lower-rated processors. Both work on a dual-band frequency, so even if you have a newer network, these Netgear routers will perform well.
The Netgear AC750 and the Netgear AC1200 also have dynamic QoS for optimized gaming and streaming. But the Netgear AC1200 has more advanced features compared to the Netgear AC750 which makes it a real winner between the two.
Security Features
Aside from the basic security features such as WPA/WPA2 encryption, both Netgear routers also have parental control features, guest Wi-Fi access, and DoS protection for your own good. These are basic routers so don’t expect much from them.
How to Choose a Wireless Router?
- Choose a router with a RAM of at least 128MB. The ideal is 256MB or higher for faster processing, but if you’re into gaming or video streaming, the best router to choose should feature 512MB RAM or more. Prepare for the extra expense, though, because they don’t come cheap. Skip also the single-processor routers which may be cheap but will give you the headache of a lifetime.
- Stick to dual-band or tri-band routers. The more bands there are, the lesser chances are of congestion. Think of your router bands as the highway. If it has only two lanes, traffic builds up but if it has 6 lanes or more, the traffic is distributed among the lanes. To continue serving the old networking devices, though, multiple band routers work on a 2.4GHz band while the rest works on 5GHz bands.
- Do not buy a router lower than an AC1200 standard. Those are outdated and won’t give you optimum connection when used in newer networks. Read here for the reasons why you need an AC wireless router.
- A Smart router is the best. Smart router means it comes with a smartphone app so you can remotely manage it. But be sure your router can be configured manually, so won’t have issues when setting it up.
- Look for extra features. Gigabit ports, USB ports, advanced QoS, parental controls, VPN and firewall protection, as well as smart home integration also helps. These advanced features come with more cost, so you may end up with an expensive router.
Conclusion
The clear winner in this comparison review is the Netgear AC1200 R6230. We recommend the Netgear AC1200 if you’re using the internet for basic browsing. It has better features overall compared to the Netgear AC750 R6050 and supports gaming and video streaming, which comes as a surprise since routers lower than AC1750 do not really deliver that experience.
