Netgear M6: Better 5G, Wi-Fi at a Higher Cost

Almost two years after the launch of the Nighthawk M5 for those needing a fast 5G connection on the go, Netgear today announced its second mobile router of the same cellular standard, the Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot Router (model MR6150.)

The new little router shares a similar design but now comes with faster speeds all around.

According to Netgear, the M6 “raises the mobile broadband experience to new heights by upping the maximum 5G speed that can be supported and adding 160MHz capability to connect with the latest WiFi 6 client devices.”

And the support for the 160MHz channel width is indeed significant for the Wi-Fi speed.

Nighthawk M6: Faster performing hardware

The first thing to note about the M6 is the fact it runs on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon SDX62 Mobile Platform with improved Wi-Fi specs.

Specifically, Netgear says the new router supports Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with up to 3600Mbps of total bandwidth — 700Mbps (2.4GHz) + 2900Mbps (5GHz) or more than twice that of the previous model.

The M6 includes a removable 5040mAh battery to deliver up to 13 hours of usage and Netgear says, by default, the 2.4GHz band is turned off to save battery life.

Netgear says the new router can handle up to 32 Wi-Fi clients simultaneously and when plugged into a power source its range can cover up to 2000 ft² (186 m²) — the actual coverage depends on the environment and will vary.

On the cellular side, the M6 is slated to be 20% faster than the M5, with up to 2.5Gbps over 5G. It also supports 4G where 5G is not available.

Below are the new M6’s hardware specs compared to those of the previous model

Netgear M6 vs M5: Hardware specifications

Familiar design, “modem” mode ready

Like the case of the M5, the M6 is easy to use.

The 5G mobile hotspot has a touchscreen and two nativigaton buttons for users to mange basic settings. On top of that, it also has a web user interface with in-depth access to more network settings and features.

The hardware uses a USB-C port for charging and has a Gigabit network port which enables it to host a wired device or work as a backup Internet source for a regular router that supports Dual-WAN, in the role of a separate cellular “modem.”

For better cellular reception, there are two antennas ports to host external 5G antennas (not included).

Overall, here are the highlights of the new M6 mobile router, per Netgear:

• Next-Level Sub-6 5G Performance: 5G Internet with speeds up to 2.5Gbps
• Faster Speeds with WiFi 6: Up to 3.6Gbps of Wi-Fi 6 bandwidth to up to 32 Wi-Fi devices simultaneously.
• Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon SDX62 Chipset: Latest 5G-enabled chip from Qualcomm with a modem that features Sub-6 bands and n77 C-Band Support. The M6 meets the 3GPP Release 16 standard and it’s upgradable in the future via firmware updates. 
• Intuitive Touch Screen Interface: 2.4-inch LCD touchscreen for quick access to basic settings.
• Secure and Reliable Network: The M6 supports VPN and password protection.
• In-Home Performance Mode: Up to 2000 ft² of Wi-Fi coverage when plugged into a wall socket.
• Unlocked: The device is unlocked and works with any nano SIM card. (In the US it works best with AT&T and T-Mobile networks.)
• HPUE Support: Enables better 5G range. Pick up a 5G signal at the outer edges of 5G coverage areas, even where other devices cannot.

Availability and pricing

The Netgear MR6150 Nighthawk M6 5G Mobile Hotspot 5G Router is available now at Netgear’s website and carries a hefty suggested price of $799.99, $100 more expensive than the M5 at its launch.