Skip to main content
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800) - AC2600 Wireless Speed (up to 2600 Mbps) | Up to 2500 sq ft Coverage & 45 Devices | 4 x 1G Ethernet, 2 x 3.0 USB, and 1 x eSATA Ports
NETGEAR

NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800)

Bottom line: The NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router ($72.00 on Amazon as of 2026-10-06): Quad Stream 4x4 on both bands, up to 800 + 1733 Mbps; main trade-off: wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) only, no Wi-Fi 6 or 6E bands.

$72.00

As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →

Mike Perry — Hardware researcher since 2014. For home networking and Wi-Fi gear, synthesises manufacturer specs and independent reviews rather than first-hand lab testing. Core beat: GPU performance across gaming, rendering, and local-LLM inference.

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓ Quad Stream 4x4 on both bands, up to 800 + 1733 Mbps
  • ✓ 160MHz channel support pushes up to 2.53Gbps to one 5GHz client
  • ✓ 1.7GHz dual-core CPU keeps throughput up under load
  • ✓ Two USB 3.0 ports plus eSATA for attached storage and printers

Cons

  • ✗ Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) only, no Wi-Fi 6 or 6E bands
  • ✗ 2500 sq ft ceiling leaves large or multi-floor homes short
  • ✗ 160MHz needs a matching 4x4 client to hit rated speed
  • ✗ Four amplified external antennas make for a bulky footprint

Manufacturer description

The NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S (R7800) is a Quad Stream AC2600 router built for households that push a lot of traffic at once. Its 4x4 antenna arrangement on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands delivers dual-band speeds of up to 800 + 1733 Mbps, and 160MHz channel support means a single 5GHz client can pull the full-fat throughput NETGEAR rates at up to 2.53Gbps. A 1.7GHz dual-core processor handles the routing load, so 4K streams and game sessions do not stall when the network gets busy. Coverage reaches up to 2500 square feet with four amplified antennas and Beamforming, and NETGEAR rates the R7800…

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the networking category. NETGEAR's networking lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.

Common buyer scenarios for networking of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast is the Nighthawk X4S R7800?

It is rated AC2600: up to 800 Mbps on 2.4GHz and 1733 Mbps on 5GHz. With 160MHz channel support, NETGEAR rates peak WiFi throughput at up to 2.53Gbps to a compatible client.

How much area does the R7800 cover?

Up to 2500 square feet, using four amplified antennas and Beamforming to focus signal toward connected devices. NETGEAR classifies it for very large homes.

How many devices can the R7800 handle?

NETGEAR recommends up to 45 devices for streaming video, gaming, browsing, and smart home connections. MU-MIMO serves multiple clients at once rather than one at a time.

Does the R7800 support Wi-Fi 6?

No. It is an 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) router with Quad Stream 4x4 MU-MIMO. Wi-Fi 6 clients will connect but negotiate down to ac speeds.

What ports does the Nighthawk X4S have?

Four 1-gigabit Ethernet ports for wired computers, consoles, and streamers, plus two USB 3.0 ports and one eSATA port for a shared drive, a printer, or personal cloud storage.

Key Features

  • Fast wifi performance: Get up to 2500 square feet wireless coverage with AC2600 speed (Dual band up to 800 + 1733 Mbps). WiFi Band-Simultaneous Dual Band WiFi - Tx/Rx 4x4 (2.4GHz)+ 4x4 (5GHz)
  • Recommended for up to 45 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices.
  • Wired ethernet ports: plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and other nearby wired devices with 4 x 1 gigabit ethernet ports.
  • Loaded with advanced technology: Designed with a 1.7GHz dual core processor, 4 amplified antennas, Beamforming, MU-MIMO, Dynamic QoS, Amazon Alexa Voice Controls, and more.
  • Usb connections: Share a storage drive and printer with any connected device, and create a personal cloud storage to access from anywhere, using the 2 x 3.0 USB and 1 x eSATA ports.

Full Specifications

BrandNETGEAR
ColorBlack
Weight1g
Voltage120240 volts
Coverage2500 square feet
Frequency5 GHz
Model NameR7800-100NAS
Unit Count1 Count
Antenna TypeFixed
ConnectivityWireless, USB, WiFi, 2.4GHz
Model NumberR7800-100NAS
Control MethodVoice
Connection TypeWired
Controller TypeVoice Control
Mfr Part NumberR7800-100NAS
Number of Ports4
Special FeatureGuest Mode
Antenna LocationGaming, Home
Wi-Fi GenerationWi-Fi 5
Security ProtocolWPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK
Full listing titleNETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800) - AC2600 Wireless Speed (up to 2600 Mbps) | Up to 2500 sq ft Coverage & 45 Devices | 4 x 1G Ethernet, 2 x 3.0 USB, and 1 x eSATA Ports

Ready to buy?

NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800) - AC2600 Wireless Speed (up to 2600 Mbps) | Up to 2500 sq ft Coverage & 45 Devices | 4 x 1G Ethernet, 2 x 3.0 USB, and 1 x eSATA Ports is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.

Buy on Amazon — $72.00

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.

Related Networking

More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive

Browse all articles & guides →

More reviews from the SpecPicks archive

Browse all reviews →

Earliest SpecPicks reviews

Browse full archive →