10 Best Gigabit Modems
for December 2023

This cable modem from NETGEAR delivers fast speeds and user-friendly features. The Nighthawk CM1200 integrates DOCSIS 3.1, 4 gigabit Ethernet ports, and 32x8 channel bonding, and it supports download speeds up to 1Gbps and upload speeds up to 300Mbps. The modem can transfer files up to 3 times faster than previous versions of DOCSIS, and it supports 4K streaming. The CM1200 is compatible with all major cable internet providers, including Comcast Xfinity, CenturyLink, Cox, and Spectrum. It also works with Verizon, AT&T, and DSL providers, and it's compatible with DirecTV and DISH. The modem comes with a mobile app, so you can easily setup the modem and monitor your connection and speeds. The Nighthawk is also easy to set up, and it included an Ethernet cable, so it's ready to use right out of the box. The modem also has a built-in WiFi router, so it's ready to connect to all wireless devices in your home.

The NETGEAR CM1000 offers one of the fastest connections we tested. It consistently delivered download speeds of 150 Mbps on Comcast, as compared with just 40 Mbps from the former top pick, the Arris Surfboard SB6183. The CM1000 also delivered impressive upload speeds: 5 Mbps on Comcast (the Surfboard could only deliver 3 Mbps) and 2 Mbps on Spectrum. The CM1000's speeds were slightly slower than those on Cox, but Cox's network is notoriously slow, so the differences were modest. The CM1000's performance also held up on Wi-Fi speeds, with top speeds of 130 Mbps on Comcast and 145 Mbps on Spectrum. The CM1000's connection to Time Warner's network was much slower, though, with top speeds of just 40 Mbps and 50 Mbps, respectively. The CM1000's performance was consistent across all our tests, and we didn't have any problems connecting multiple devices to the modem. The CM1000's Web-based setup interface makes it easy to configure the modem; however, the setup process is tedious and requires you to configure several settings manually. The CM1000's LED indicators are color-coded to indicate which network mode the modem is currently in. The modem also has a single Ethernet port, and while a second port would be nice to have, it's useful for attaching an external hard drive to your modem for backup. The CM1000 is backed by NETGEAR's two-year warranty.

The ASUS CM-AX6000 is the fastest all-wireless router we've ever tested, topping our previous top performer, the NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 AD7200, by 2 to 3 Mbps. It's also the only router we've tested that supports the next-generation WiFi standard, WiFi 6. WiFi 6 is expected to provide up to 20 times the bandwidth of WiFi 5, and it's already available in many smartphones and tablets, including Apple's new iPhones 8 and X. The CM-AX6000's wireless speeds are still fairly slow, but it supports 4x4 MU-MIMO, which enables the router to simultaneously connect to four devices, or MU-MIMO 2×2, which enables the router to connect to two devices. It also supports dual-band, which allows it to split its WiFi signal between 2.4GHz and 5GHz, so devices connected to either band won't interfere with each other. The router's WiFi 6 performance is promising, but as its WiFi 5 performance showed, it hasn't been fully optimized yet, so it's currently the fastest router for most people. The CM-AX6000 also supports dual-band DOCSIS 3.1, so you can download HD videos at faster speeds, and it supports gigabit internet, so you'll never have to slow your connection down.

The ARRIS Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem is our best pick for cable internet subscribers who don't want to pay a modem rental. It's faster, has more downstream channels, and is cheaper than our previous pick (the Arris Surfboard SB6183), and it also supports 2.5 Gbps speeds on the 2 bonded channels. The Surfboard S33 has a setup wizard that lets you easily configure your modem, and it also has apps that you can download to your PC or smartphone to automatically configure your modem. The modem is also compatible with all major cable internet providers in the U.S., including Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, and other cable internet providers. The Surfboard S33 is faster than our previous pick, but it's slightly less reliable. The Surfboard S33 is prone to losing internet connections, often requiring you to restart the modem to get it back online. The modem's apps also aren't as easy to use as some, and you can't change some of its settings without a degree in engineering.

The RENEWED ARRIS Surfboard SBG8300-RB DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit Cable Modem & AC2350 Dual Band Wi-Fi 5 Router is the best cable modem for most people, thanks to impressive performance, a generous 4GHz Wi-Fi channel count, and top-of-the-line features. The modem is fast enough to support 4Gbps cable internet, and the router supports 5GHz bands, which are useful for video streaming and gaming. The modem is also particularly good at handling simultaneous streams, handling 32 downstream and 8 upstream channels simultaneously. The modem is easy to set up, and the SURFboard Manager app is intuitive and easy to use. The modem has a sleek black design, and it's small enough to fit on a bookshelf. The router is unusually large, but it supports up to 5GHz bands, so you can use both bands at the same time. The router's app isn't as intuitive or easy to use as the modem's, but it's well-designed and lets you set up Wi-Fi in your network on several different devices. The modem and router both support Alexa, so you can control your Wi-Fi settings with your voice. The modem and router have identical physical designs, but the router is significantly slower. The router is also more expensive than the modem.

The ARRIS SURFboard T25 DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit Cable Modem is the fastest modem we tested for Xfinity services. It delivered the fastest download speeds of all 4 of our Xfinity-tested modems, up to 1 Gbps. It also delivered the fastest upload speeds, with speeds nearly twice as fast as the speeds from all of our other tested modems. T25 also delivered exceptionally fast download speeds on Xfinity's highest speed tier, which is uncommon among modems. The SURFboard T25 supports both Comcast's Internet Essentials and Xfinity Internet service plans, making it a great choice for customers who subscribe to one of these programs but are looking for a fast cable modem. The modem's 32 downstream channels make it a better fit for speed tiers lower than 300 Mbps, and 8 upstream channels make it a better fit for speed tiers higher than 30 Mbps. The modem's two telephony ports make it easy for customers to connect their landline phones to their Xfinity Internet service. The modem's remote management feature lets customers manage their Xfinity Internet service from any computer or mobile device. The modem's router feature lets customers set up their own Wi-Fi network. Although it's faster than all of our other tested modems, the ARRIS SURFboard T25 DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit Cable Modem is still slower than the Comcast Xfinity X1 Voice Remote. The X1 Voice Remote is Comcast's voice-enabled remote control for Xfinity Internet service. The X1 Voice Remote provides faster download speeds than the SURFboard T25, and it also provides faster upload speeds. The X1 Voice Remote is a better choice for customers who want a fast cable modem and voice-enabled remote control.

The MG7540 is, by far, the fastest cable modem we've tested, providing speeds in excess of 1 Gbps, which is as fast as many traditional home networks. The only minor drawback is that it's not compatible with Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink and other fiber optic, DSL or satellite services. This modem is also installed in the wall, so you can't easily move it if you're renting your home, and it's fairly difficult to set up (the setup process is lengthy, especially if you've never done anything with routers before). This router also has some other drawbacks. It's fairly expensive, and it's fairly large (about the size of a table lamp), so it won't fit well in most homes. It also has some limitations that cable companies don't want you to know about, such as the fact that it's not compatible with certain Xfinity X1 features, and Comcast is likely to disable it if you're ever late on your bill. There's also a glitch in the router's setup process that occasionally prevents it from being connected to Xfinity. Despite these drawbacks, the MG7540 is still the best option for most cable customers, and it's the best cable modem we've tested.

The ARRIS SURFboard SBG8300 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem & AC2350 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router is one of the most powerful bundled routers we tested, and it's the only router we tested to support four (4) gigabit Ethernet ports, which is more Ethernet ports than any other router we tested. The SBG8300 is also one of the most powerful DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modems we tested, delivering download speeds of 4 Gbps and upload speeds of 2 Gbps. The dual-band AC2350 Wi-Fi router features four (4) gigabit Ethernet ports, which we found perfect for connecting multiple 4K TVs to our broadband service. The router also features 4 (4) 802.11ac 2.4GHz and 5 (5) 802.11a (5GHz) 2.4GHz radios, which we found perfect for our broadband service. The router also features 4 (4) 5GHz and 4 (4) 2.4GHz 5 GHz radios, which is more 5GHz radios than any other router we tested. The router also features 4 (4) 2.4GHz 5GHz radios, which is more 5GHz radios than any other router we tested. We liked the Netgear Nighthawk AC3200, but for faster speeds, the ARRIS SURFboard SBG8300 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem & AC2350 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router is the better choice.

The NETGEAR CM1000 is the fastest cable modem we've tested, and it's a solid performer overall. The CM1000 is DOCSIS 3.1 compatible, and it delivered above-average download speeds on all of the cable providers we tested it on, including Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, and RCN.

This modem + router combo is a good choice for many users. It has all the features of any modem+router combo we tested, including four gigabit Ethernet ports, a firewall, DHCP, DNS, and VPN support, and DLNA media sharing. Its WiFi is much better than the 802.11n performance of the 802.11n-only Arris TG862W, and it supports a wider range of WiFi frequencies and data rates. Most users will also like its industrial design, which is much sleeker than the futuristic, angular design of the 802.11n-only Motorola SB6141 (which is better for cable users) and the sharp, angular design of the Barracuda 720, which has better WiFi but much less Ethernet bandwidth. The Motorola MD1600 is reasonably priced, and it works well for non-bonded and non-vectoring DSL. Our only complaint is that the included Ethernet cables are too short.