TechiePassion is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Netgear CM600 VS CM700: A Detailed and In-Depth Comparison [2024]

Netgear CM600 VS CM700

Playing with your troops on CS: GO and the internet getting lagged can create a horrible experience for anyone. Just firing a bullet and you’re walking out of the game because of slow internet connectivity can not only be a matter of anguish but also shame. All of the online games do support the ISP plans that you’re paying for.

But what if your router does not support this?

Similar to the ISP cable and the optical fiber installed to your PC, the router is also responsible for delivering high-speed internet to your devices. Netgear has been a reliable brand while manufacturing the best routers all over the world. Specifically, when it comes to using the CM600 or even the CM700, there’s only one word that describes it all- impressive.

But, which one is good for you to choose from? Will picking any one of them meet your requirements to the fullest? You can get all the answers below if you go through this detailed comparison.

CM600 VS CM700: Channel Bonding

The channel bonding refers to the combination of downstream and upstream channels included with the product. It fairly acts as a mode of communication for any modem to upload and download data from another platform.

Thus, having a proper speed will not only provide you with faster internet, but it will also give you a reliable connection. There is a significant difference in the products according to the number of channels they can manage.

CM600 Netgear

NETGEAR Cable Modem CM600 - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum,...

Check Current Price

This model comes with a set of 24X8 channel bonding options available with the product. This means that the CM600 will offer you with a set of 24 downloading channel bonds and 8 uploading channel bonds. Both of them are equally important when you wish to download or upload a stream.

CM700 Netgear

NETGEAR Cable Modem DOCSIS 3.0 (CM700-1AZNAS) Compatible with All Major Cable Providers Including...

Check Current Price

This model comes with a set of 32X8 channel bonding. Because of this, you can get a set of 32 channels bonding for downloading your content. Thus, it is a bit higher than what you can get from the CM600 model. At the same time, you can get a set of 8 uploading channels with the CM700 modem. However, here, the set of uploading channels are similar to each other.

Winner: CM700

Netgear CM600 VS CM700: Speed

Speed is one of the biggest things that we thrive for in any modem that we look out to have. Of course, having a reliable speed allows us to easily stream movies to get fast connectivity and even get higher speeds to all the devices when the modem is connected to the router.

So if you are using a router at your home and willing to connect it with multiple devices, you’ll get a shared speed. So having a higher speed will always allow you to continue your work and do a lot of things together.

So the higher the speed that you can get, the better you can stream HD movies or videos. There’s a huge difference in speed when we compare the modems.

CM600

NETGEAR Cable Modem CM600 - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum,...

This device comes with high-speed stability and reliable options. When it comes to performance, the CM600 modem provides nearly a speed of 400 Mbps at the maximum. So if you keep downloading the content on one device, you will be getting a higher speed instantly and without any delay at all.

CM700

NETGEAR Cable Modem DOCSIS 3.0 (CM700-1AZNAS) Compatible with All Major Cable Providers Including...

CM700 is another impressive product when it comes to a fast internet connection. The stable speed of downloading the content clocks around 500 Mbps and is always reliable.

However, if you connect it to a single device, you are likely to get a speed of 1.4 Gbps for daily streaming. All of these will help you to complete your work as fast as possible and it always gives you the upper hand.

Winner: CM700

Netgear CM700 VS CM600: Buyer’s Experience

Buying any modem for your home will require you to have a good thought about the product. Of course, you will want to choose the product but after going through what the buyers have experienced.

Real-life tests and their results work magically to figure out how the product works. With accurate customer reviews, you can get a brief idea of what the problems will be and how you will be able to deal with it while using these modems.

CM600

NETGEAR Cable Modem CM600 - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum,...

One of the most important things that people have liked about this model is the easy compatibility option with all the ISPs available. Because of this, most of the buyers felt it was comfortable to deal with the product when they were changing the ISPs.

Some of the consumers said that “Instant speed upgrade!!”… This is mainly because he upgraded his modem with this model and found it to be reliable. Moreover, he kept his internet speed the same and still found it to be gaining almost 200% of speed to 300 Mbps.

CM700

NETGEAR Cable Modem DOCSIS 3.0 (CM700-1AZNAS) Compatible with All Major Cable Providers Including...

Most of the buyers are impressed with the model not because of only one reason but for several reasons as well. All of them have felt one thing in common- it gives a massive speed. To add on more to this product, it feels like this modem comes with easy to install an option that saves the users from spending money to install it.

Some of the consumers have said that “Best 3.1 DOCSIS Modem for Xfinity“… This is mainly because they could connect the modem to the XFINITY without any much to wait. It comes with easy configuration and auto-sensing technology that helped to set up.

Winner: CM700

Netgear CM600 VS CM700: Hardware Size

While installing the product, one must always consider the size and the space available for you to use. There are minute technical details and interior hardware configurations that can affect the size of your modem.

Of course, the size will never affect the speed, but it may affect your installation. If you do not have sufficient space to install the modem, purchasing it will never allow you to work with the modem.

So you need to be precise about the dimensions and the weight of the product if you want to mount it. Though both of them have similar designs, there are a lot of differences in speed.

CM600

NETGEAR Cable Modem CM600 - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum,...

The Netgear CM600 modem weighs around 907 grams which are relatively similar to most other models available from the manufacturer. Because of this weight, it becomes hard to mount the product on a wall. You will need proper support from the bottom and sides to keep it in a proper position.

Coming to the size of the modem box, it is roughly around 5.3 x 8.7 x 2.4 inches. Now if you consider all the updated models, you will feel that the size of the CM600 is relatively bigger.

CM700

NETGEAR Cable Modem DOCSIS 3.0 (CM700-1AZNAS) Compatible with All Major Cable Providers Including...

Netgear Cable Modem CM700 is another product that you will love to have anywhere in your home. Of course, the compact body of this modem is another added benefit to the product. To be specific with the dimensions, this product has around 6.6 x 5.2 x 1.7 inches of size. To be fair, it’s quite small.

So even if you place it vertically or horizontally, it will be easy to set up. However, when it comes to weight, the CM700 is a bigger advantage than most other routers. The weight is only 249 grams making this product one of the light-weight models available in the market.

Winner: CM700

Similarities of Netgear CM600 and CM700

Design

When it comes to similarities, the CM600 and the CM700 look the same in the design. Although there are some differences in the size and the weight, the design is quite alike. Both of them come with a stunning black appearance. Moreover, there are heavily sharp angled lines that can give a perfect contribution to the look.

Furthermore, there are unique triangular ventilation cuts that are kept for the air to pass through. It allows the modem to cool down easily. So to get them to work properly, you need to keep them in an upright position. Apart from this, both these modems have 5 LED lights on the left side of the body. They are bright and are responsible for proper indications.

DOCSIS 3.0

The DOCSIS is the latest generation of cable service standards set up by the telecommunication standards. It is responsible for the transmission of data over a cables wire. In most of the modem and Ethernet connections, this platform is used as a benchmark.

However, coming to the CM600 and the CM700, both of them include the DOCSIS 3.0 standard. Hence they are both reliable sources for data transmission.

Warranty

Having a higher warranty with any type of modem makes it sure that it will last longer. Unlike the local brands that are available on the market, reliable manufacturers put up a good warranty to show support for the products.

So having a higher warranty means that every consumer will get proper support from the manufacturer if there is any glitch on the performance. Also, a longer warranty means that the spare parts and the accessories will be available in the market for a long time. Coming to the similarities, both these modems have a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer.

ISP Compatibility

Modems must come up with an integrated Ethernet port that allows their compatibility with the entire major ISP available. However, this is another similar feature available between these two models. Both of them work well with almost all the major internet service providers all over the world that apply the DOCSIS 3.0 standards.

So it makes sure that the manufacturer is certified to get access to the internet connection. Netgear is a renowned manufacturer when it comes to such standards and all the routers are compatible with all the ISPs.

Router Compatibility

If you consider the working mechanisms of the routers, you’ll find a lot of similarities when it comes to the router compatibility. The CM600, as well as the CM700, have this feature as a common part in them.

Because of the mechanism, it allows you to simply plug in the Ethernet port of the modem to the router. Since they all have the same configuration of Ethernet power, it allows you to get high-speed internet service through the WiFi connectivity all over your home.

Ethernet Port

When you are purchasing a high-end router, having a compatible Ethernet port is necessary. With such high-speed internet access, both these modems are equipped with the Gigabit Ethernet port. Because of this, it allows you to easily connect and configure your modem to the router.

Moreover, this port is established and comes with multiple other specifications like auto-sensing techniques. Because of this, it allowed us to easily recognize the local speed and then have a proper configuration and it allowed us to set it up according to the needs.

Final Recount

Both of the CM600 and the CM700 are quite similar. Yes, there are slight technical differences in them, but if you look at the similarities, you’ll find a lot of them in common such as the compatibility, the Ethernet ports, and multiple other features. So choosing the ideal product that is right for you entirely depends on what you are looking for.

If you’ve gone through this entire guide, you’ll get to know about the similarities they have but at the same time, the speed also matters on what plan you are purchasing from your ISP. If you have picked up your requirements in terms of usage, you can choose the best model suitable for you.

As far as the best product in hand, I feel that the CM700 is the one to opt for. Yes, considering the budget, it is much higher than that of the Netgear CM600. But at the same time, the specifications like 32X8 channel bonding are unmatched. Overall, it is a powerful device that is capable of delivering you the best results.

Coming to the speed, you can set a bar of 500 Mbps. If you require more speed, the CM700 is the right pick. If you do not require higher speed and feel this is sufficient, the CM600 can be a good option for you.

Pros and Cons

Netgear CM600

NETGEAR Cable Modem CM600 - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum,...

Pros

Works with most ISP
Compatible with all routers
Includes an attractive design
Has a simple reset button

Cons

Comes with a tall footprint
Sale
NETGEAR Cable Modem CM600 - Compatible with Cable Providers Including Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum,...
  • Compatible with Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cox, Cablevision, and more. Requires Cable Internet Service
  • Not compatible with: Verizon, AT&T, or CenturyLink
  • Cable Modem only (no WiFi router).Memory: 8 MB NOR flash and 128 MB RAM
  • Support Cable Internet Service plans up to 300Mbps. Recommended for all speed tiers up to 500 Mbps. Separate router...

Netgear CM700

NETGEAR Cable Modem DOCSIS 3.0 (CM700-1AZNAS) Compatible with All Major Cable Providers Including...

Pros

Easy to install
User friendly
Works with all routers
High-speed internet services

Cons

It is not wall mountable
Sale
NETGEAR Cable Modem DOCSIS 3.0 (CM700-1AZNAS) Compatible with All Major Cable Providers Including...
  • Compatible with all major cable internet providers: Including certification by Xfinity by Comcast, COX, and Spectrum....
  • Save monthly rental fees: Model CM700-1AZNAS replaces your cable modem saving you up to 168 Dollars/year in equipment...
  • Speeds by carrier: Xfinity (up to 800Mbps), Cox (up to 500Mbps), Spectrum (up to 400Mbps).
  • Works with any Wi-Fi router: Connect any Wi-Fi router to this modem's Ethernet port to support all your wireless...

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Q1. Will the CM600 work perfectly with Cox?

A1. Of course, it will work perfectly with your Cox. Even though I have tried to set this up for my office work, I must say that it works perfectly. All that you need to do is to call the COX support and give them the brand name with the model number and the MAC address. They will tell you how to configure and you can start surfing the internet easily.

Q2. Can you use a phone to Ethernet splitter for voice to work?

A2. To be fair, it’s not an intelligent gizmo for your home. Neither any modem can have the Z-wave technology installed with this. So asking for a phone to Ethernet splitter will not be of any use for the voice commands. However, if you still wish to use a voice command system with the work, the one thing that you need to do is to get a new voice adapter compatible with the Netgear modem.

Q3. Will this modem transmit my Xfinity cable TV or just the internet?

A3. The main function of the CM600 or the CM700 is to provide a fast internet connection to your cable internet network. If there is no cable, either of the devices will not be able to transmit the network. The modem is specially designed to work with any optical fiber that will have an Ethernet port. So if your TV supports an external Ethernet, then you may be able to use this product.

Q4. Do I have to order a router separately?

A4. Any cable modem can have a direct configuration to a router or to a device that has an Ethernet port available. So the requirement of having an external router completely depends on how many devices you are willing to use the internet services on. If you are using mobile phones, laptops, or even on your TV with WiFi service, of course, you will need to install a router separately.

Q5. Can I get a 16×4 when I only need an 8×4?

A5. Well, I’ll be completely honest about it as this depends on the ISP download and the packages that you are paying for. If it’s completely for your home and you will know what your requirements are. Any 16X4 modem will have at least 16 downstream channels present. So you can always get a speed of 640 Mbps with the network. I would any day go for such a modem that will give me this support.

Q6. Can I plug this straight into my PS4?

A6. Well, the connectivity features for a PS4 is highly different from other gaming consoles. Thanks for this that I could get the option of connecting my modem with the PS4. In the case of the Xbox, it won’t get connected until all other devices are connected out of the network. So with the PS4, I can always say that you won’t have to worry much about the connectivity options. We have also written in-depth reviews about the Best Gaming Router for PS4 and Best Gaming Router for Xbox One. They might help you make the perfect choice for yourself.

Q7. Will this modem work with the Nighthawk A10?

A7. Of course, it will and it always does with mine. I must say that I have used both of these modems with my Nighthawk router and it stood out perfectly. Although you will need a good internet speed to use the features to the fullest! So you won’t have to worry at all about the modem and you can simply rely on any of them to compile with your router.

Final Verdict

Having a good router will always give you the upper hand to stream smoothly and without any interruptions. Yes, you may have some glitches at a time, but not having it frequently is the work of your router. Certainly with the help of a professional model like the CM600 or the CM700 can be highly impressive. They are both built to give you a lethal experience for your regular work.

When it comes to picking anyone out of the two, I’ll personally go for the Netgear CM700. Not because it comes with the ultimate specifications, but the hardware support and the configuration make this modem a beat to use. However, if you are meticulous about the prices, you can opt for the Netgear Cable Modem CM600. It’s also a gem to have in your home.

Last update on 2024-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API