Motorola MB8600 - Reviews, Prices, Specs and Alternatives

Technology today in its very nature is fleeting. One day you got the perfect setup and before you know it the next big thing comes and renders your stuff obsolete. Cable modems are a fine example of such. If you are proud of having the fastest internet package your ISP can offer, you’ve likely got your eye on one of the top shelf devices. DOCSIS 3.0 is the standard today for what modems use to access the internet. DOCSIS 3.1 then was released months later. But what does this new standard mean? Is it worth investing in a DOCSIS 3.1 modem, or is it simply hype?

Responsible for partly develiping the DOCSIS standard, Motorola gives us the MB8600. The question is, are all modems DOCSIS 3.1 compatible? No, they arent and only very few companies have access to this. But this modem gives you more flexibility by supporting DOCSIS 3.0 as well just in case your ISP hasnt updated yet. In terms of speed this modem is a beast requiring you to use all 4 Ethernet ports to max out its 3.8Gbps capacity. Thanks to its Full Band Capture technology, this modem will be useful in rural areas, or locations with poor signal quality as it maximizes signal input.

Even though this modem is a beast by today's standards, its greatest strength is its greatest weakness. The DOCSIS 3.1 format will not be used for a while as its still in its early stages. This means much, much cheaper modems will actually work at the same speed since its very likely since your ISP doesn't have DOCSIS 3.1 just yet. Its also quite pricey at the $150.00 range. So buying this today will depend on your objective, do you want to buy a Lamborghini to pick up your laundry? Or are you an Elon Musk fan and want to prepare for the future?