Winner
Updated November 2026
Data from the official Asus and NETGEAR sites.
2026 verdict
For most buyers in 2026, Asus RT-BE9700 is the safer pick over NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 because of Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), max Wi-Fi speed, and mesh Wi-Fi.
It builds its lead on Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), max Wi-Fi speed, and mesh Wi-Fi, then backs it up with a stronger showing on LAN port count and LAN 2.5 gbps RJ45 ports. NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 is the better fit only for buyers who prioritize price and rating above everything else here. That keeps the verdict firmly in favor of Asus RT-BE9700.
News by email
Still comparing? Get what's new by email
New releases and the smart home news worth knowing, in your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
The biggest differences
Where these two are furthest apart, and by how much.
- Max Wi-Fi Speed+94%Asus RT-BE97009.7 Gbps vs 5 Gbps
- LAN Port Count+67%Asus RT-BE97005 vs 3
| Feature | Asus RT-BE9700 | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.99 | $179.00 | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 |
| Rating | 3.9 | 4.3 | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 |
| Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | YES | NO | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 9.7 Gbps | 5 Gbps | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| Mesh Wi-Fi | YES | NO | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| LAN Port Count | 5 | 3 | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| LAN 2.5 Gbps RJ45 Ports | 4 | 0 | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| WAN & Failover | Multi-WAN, WAN Failover | None | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| USB Storage | FTP, Samba, Time Machine, Media Sharing | None | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| MLO (Multi-Link Operation) | YES | NO | Asus RT-BE9700 |
| Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) | YES | YES | Tie |
| WPA3 Encryption | YES | YES | Tie |
Winner
$249.99
- + Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax): YES
- + Max Wi-Fi Speed: 9.7 Gbps
- + Mesh Wi-Fi: YES
- - Price: $249.99 vs $179.00
- - Rating: 3.9 vs 4.3
$179.00
- + Price: $179.00
- + Rating: 4.3
- - Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax): NO vs YES
- - Max Wi-Fi Speed: 5 Gbps vs 9.7 Gbps
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Asus RT-BE9700 or NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140?
Asus RT-BE9700 has the stronger overall profile in this comparison, especially for Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), max Wi-Fi speed, and mesh Wi-Fi.
What is the biggest difference between Asus RT-BE9700 and NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140?
Price is one of the clearest differences: Asus RT-BE9700 lists $249.99, while NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 lists $179.00.
Which one looks better on price?
Asus RT-BE9700 is listed at $249.99, while NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 is listed at $179.00. NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 (better spec).
Who should buy Asus RT-BE9700?
Choose Asus RT-BE9700 if your priority is Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and max Wi-Fi speed and that matters more than price.
Who should buy NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140?
Choose NETGEAR Nighthawk RS140 if your priority is price and rating and that matters more than Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax).
Spotted something wrong on this page? Tell us and we will fix it.
Our store on AmazonShop our ideas on AmazonLists of the smart home setups we would put together ourselves, ready to add to your Amazon cart.Shop on AmazonFull comparison table
Compare all 48 Routers side by side
You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Routers in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.
- 48 Routers
- 82 specs compared
- 76 filters
- Routers
UniFi Dream Router 7
- Routers
UniFi Express 7
- Routers
Cloud Gateway Ultra
- Routers
Outdoor 7
- Routers
Deco BE63
- Routers
6
- Routers
Archer AX21
- Routers
7
- Routers
Deco X55
- Routers
Nighthawk RS700S
- Routers
Deco BE23
- Routers
Archer AXE75
- Routers
Archer BE400
- Routers
Nighthawk RS90
- Routers
Pro 7
- Routers
Archer AX55 Pro
- Routers
RT-BE88U
- Routers
Deco BE25
- Routers
RT-BE90U
- Routers
Archer BE230
- Mini PCs
Ascent GX10 (128GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
Chromebox 5a (Celeron 4GB + 128GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 13 Pro Slim (i7 16GB + 512GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 14 Pro Tall (Ultra 7 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 15 Pro+ (Ultra 9 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 15 Pro Slim (Core 5 16GB + 512GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 16 Pro (Ultra X7 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG GR70 (RTX 5070 32GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5060 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5070 Ti 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5080 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5080 64GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5070 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5070 32GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5070 Ti 32GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5080 32GB + 2TB)
- Routers
ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI
- Routers
ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro
- Routers
ROG Strix GS-BE12000