March 2023

Modems: MetaRanking

This page highlights the aggregate summary of Modem rankings posted by key online experts, as of March 2023.

Summary

Between 1 Mar 2023 and 4 Mar 2023, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 62 Modem endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.

27 Modems were endorsed in total, only 13 made it into this month's ranking (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included).

As of 4 Mar 2023, Arris SURFboard SB8200 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed modem with 7 expert endorsements. 1 expert out of 7 recommended it as the '#1 modem' this month. It is followed by Netgear CM500 and Motorola MB8600 , with 7 and 5 expert endorsements respectively.

Brand breakdown
Show all brands

Price breakdown
As can be seen in the chart below, lowest high-ranking modems start at $32 (Arris SURFboard SB6190) and go up to $467.74 (Netgear Nighthawk C7800). Median modem costs $145 (Netgear CM1000).
$32
$467.74

At a glance - March 2023 Ranking

Scroll horizontally to browse this ranking table
Rank Change Price Modem
Lifewire
BestReviews
Tom's Guide
PC Guide
The Strategist
Wirecutter
Networks Hardware
HighSpeedInternet
Popular Mechanics
approvedmodems.org
1
+1 $154
Arris SURFboard SB8200
5
4
-
1
9
-
5
2
-
3
2
+1 $60
Netgear CM500
-
-
3
5
6
2
3
-
2
8
3
-2 $125
Motorola MB8600
-
3
-
-
-
-
1
1
4
5
4
- $90
Motorola MB7621
-
-
-
-
4
1
4
-
1
-
5
+4 $150
Arris Surfboard S33
4
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
6
- $253
Netgear Nighthawk CM2000
2
-
-
-
-
-
2
3
5
-
7
- $145
Netgear CM1000
-
-
-
2
1
-
-
-
-
6
8
-3 $59
Motorola MB7420
7
5
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
9
9
-1 $79
Arris SURFboard SB6183
-
-
5
4
-
-
-
-
3
-
10
- $32
Arris SURFboard SB6190
1
-
-
-
7
-
-
-
-
-
11
New * $190
Motorola MB8611
3
-
-
-
-
3
-
-
-
-
13
-1 $128
Motorola MG7540
-
-
-
3
-
-
8
-
-
-
14
-1 $260
Netgear Nighthawk CM1150V
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4

Sorted by price:

Position in ranking Price Modem
#10 $32 Arris SURFboard SB6190 [buy] [more info]
#8 $59 Motorola MB7420 [buy] [more info]
#2 $59.99 Netgear CM500 [buy] [more info]
#9 $79.49 Arris SURFboard SB6183 [buy] [more info]
#4 $89.99 Motorola MB7621 [buy] [more info]
#3 $125 Motorola MB8600 [buy] [more info]
#13 $127.97 Motorola MG7540 [buy] [more info]
#7 $145 Netgear CM1000 [buy] [more info]
#5 $150 Arris Surfboard S33 [buy] [more info]
#1 $153.84 Arris SURFboard SB8200 [buy] [more info]
#11 $189.99 Motorola MB8611 [buy] [more info]
#6 $253 Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 [buy] [more info]
#14 $259.99 Netgear Nighthawk CM1150V [buy] [more info]

We ranked Arris SURFboard SB8200 #1 in March 2023 because:

  • 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Arris SURFboard SB8200 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best Value

Pros
High speed support (known as DOCSIS 3.1 Support)
Compact design
Two Gigabit Ethernet ports with link aggregation

Cons
Pricey
Awkward coaxial connection placement

Go to ranking

BestReviews

Customer Favorite

Pros
Support speeds up to 2Gbps
Features 2 gigabit Ethernet ports
Simple to set up
Optimized for especially fast online speeds
Well ventilated design
Compact

Cons
A fairly pricey modem

Go to ranking

PC Guide

Editor's Choice

Pros
Offers fastest transfer rates
Gigabit Ethernet ports

Cons
Horrible customer support

Go to ranking

The Strategist

Best Docsis 3.1 cable modem

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Networks Hardware

Runner Up – Cable Modem

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HighSpeedInternet

Best value

Pros
No more Puma 6 chipset
Multiple color options

Cons
Fewer Ethernet ports
Limited compatibility with cable providers

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approvedmodems.org

Best Value for Money

Pros
Link aggregation support
32 x 8 channel bonding support
Backward compatibility
Two Ethernet ports
Excellent speeds & processing setup

Cons
Needs a separate router to connect with multiple devices

Go to ranking

We ranked Netgear CM500 #2 in March 2023 because:

  • 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Tom's Guide

Best value cable modem

Pros
Solid performance
Good compatibility
Often cheaper than comparable modems

Cons
One-year warrant shorter than rivals
Indicator lights are hard to see

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PC Guide

Pros
Compatible with most ISPs
Recoup-able cost in a few months

Cons
Some quality-control issues

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The Strategist

Best cable modem for streaming video on multiple devices

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Wirecutter

For plans up to 300 Mbps

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Networks Hardware

Budget-Friendly – Cable Modem

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Popular Mechanics

Best budget

Pros
Affordable
Performs well on the vast majority of US ISP plans.

Cons
One-year warranty
Dim indicator lights

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approvedmodems.org

Best For 400 Mbps

Pros
Competitively priced
Great design
Easy setup
Comes with 8 NOR flash

Cons
No major cons

Go to ranking

Methodology: combine opinions of key experts

Identify Experts

We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Modems.

Capture Rankings

For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Modems, it must be updated in the last 9 months.

Aggregate Rankings

We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking

Experts chosen for March 2023 ranking

We ranked Motorola MB8600 #3 in March 2023 because:

  • 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
  • Out of those, 2 experts ranked Motorola MB8600 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
BestReviews

Most Consistent

Pros
Tops speed up to 1 Gbps. Works with all major cable providers and is simple tos et up. Works with all WiFi routers and contains an ethernet port. Great investment for Comcast and COX subscribers.

Cons
Problems are rare, but Motorola's support processes are lackluster.

Go to ranking

Networks Hardware

Best Overall / Editors Choice’s

Go to ranking

HighSpeedInternet

Best overall

Pros
Four gigabit Ethernet ports
Excellent Broadcom chipset

Cons
Bulky design
Limited compatibility with providers

Go to ranking

Popular Mechanics

Best Docsis 3.1

Pros
DOCSIS 3.1
Robust 32x8 stream channels
Two-year warranty

Cons
Power users might find firmware lacking

Go to ranking

approvedmodems.org

Best For Gaming

Pros
Future-proof with DOCSIS 3.1
Works for plans up to 2000 Mbps
Approved by many ISPs
AQM for low latency browsing
2-year warranty

Cons
Fewer ports
Lights are too bright

Go to ranking

We ranked Motorola MB7621 #4 in March 2023 because:

  • 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
  • Out of those, 2 experts ranked Motorola MB7621 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
The Strategist

Best cable modem for faster download speeds

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Wirecutter

The best modem for most people

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Networks Hardware

Best Value – Cable Modem

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Popular Mechanics

Best Overall

Pros
Speedy 24x8 channel connectivity
Easy setup
Two-year warranty

Cons
Power users might find firmware lacking

Go to ranking

We ranked Arris Surfboard S33 #5 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
  • Out of those, 2 experts ranked Arris Surfboard S33 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best Design

Pros
Stylish design
2.5Gbps Ethernet Port
Extra Gigabit Ethernet Port

Cons
No voice capabilities
Use of second port isn't supported by all ISPs

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

Best cable modem for gigabit and multi-gig internet

Pros
Multi-gig speeds
Two-year warranty
Compatible with most internet providers

Cons
Requires at least gigabit internet

Go to ranking

approvedmodems.org

Best DOCSIS 3.1 Modem

Pros
Supports latest technologies
High throughput capacity
Fast & reliable performance
Excellent design
Easy to set up
Compatible with most ISPs

Cons
Expensive

Go to ranking

We ranked Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 #6 in March 2023 because:

  • 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best Performance

Pros
2.5Gbps Ethernet Port
Fast DOCSIS 3.1 Speeds
Sleek design

Cons
Pricey
No voice features
Requires compatible router for best speeds

Go to ranking

Networks Hardware

Best Performer – Cable Modem

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HighSpeedInternet

Best for gaming

Pros
Fast 2.5 Gbps port
Compatibility with all major cable internet providers

Cons
Just one Ethernet port

Go to ranking

Popular Mechanics

Best Premium

Pros
Multigig downstream speeds
Singular ethernet connectivity

Cons
Two-year limited warranty

Go to ranking

We ranked Netgear CM1000 #7 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Netgear CM1000 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
PC Guide

Best for xfinity

Pros
More reliable than other options
Great GUI controls

Cons
Limited to Xfinity and Cox providers

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The Strategist

Best-rated cable modem

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approvedmodems.org

Best Gigabit Modem

Pros
DOCSIS 3.1 technology
Comes with built-in QoS
Supports 1 Gbps plans of most ISPs
AQM support
Reasonable price

Cons
Only one LAN port

Go to ranking

We ranked Motorola MB7420 #8 in March 2023 because:

  • 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best for Basic Internet Plans

Pros
Very affordable
Compact

Cons
Not especially future-proof

Go to ranking

BestReviews

Most Versatile

Pros
The DOCSIS 3.0 modem is a vast upgrade from most antiquated modems that need an update. Works with Xfinity, Spectrum, Comcast, and other leading services.

Cons
Slower top speeds than most other competitors; gamers and 4K streamers should look elsewhere.

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

The best cable modem for most people

Pros
Two-year warranty
Reliable performance
Compatible with most internet providers

Cons
Not as compact as some modems

Go to ranking

approvedmodems.org

Best For 250 Mbps

Pros
Easy to set up
Compatible with most dual-band routers
Multi-ISP compatibility
Uses reliable DOCSIS 3.0
Compatible with most ISPs

Cons
Only one LAN port

Go to ranking

We ranked Arris SURFboard SB6183 #9 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Tom's Guide

A top cable modem if you can find it

Pros
Dependable
Two-year warranty
Compatible with most internet providers
Visible status lights

Cons
Awkward placement of coaxial cable

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PC Guide

Pros
Top reliability
Great transfer rates vs price

Cons
Runs hot

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Popular Mechanics

Top-rated

Pros
Small form factor
Reliable connection

Cons
Lacks power or reset button
LEDs are extraordinarily bright

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We ranked Arris SURFboard SB6190 #10 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Arris SURFboard SB6190 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best Overall

Pros
Impressive speeds
Great for HD movies and gaming
Convenient LED indicator lights

Cons
Coaxial connection placement isn't ideal

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The Strategist

Best cable modem for gamers

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We ranked Motorola MB8611 #11 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best for Multi-Gigabit Internet

Pros
2.5Gbps Ethernet Port
Fast DOCSIS 3.1 Speeds
Low Latency

Cons
Pricey
No voice capabilities
Requires compatible router for best speeds

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Wirecutter

For gigabit internet plans

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We ranked Motorola MG7540 #12 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
PC Guide

Best Combo

Pros
Good overall modem
Useful features

Cons
Inconsistent WiFi performance

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Networks Hardware

Budget-Friendly – Modem/Router Combo

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We ranked Netgear Nighthawk CM1150V #13 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Modems” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Lifewire

Best for Voice Services

Pros
High speed support
Up to 2Gbps Download Speeds
Supports Xfinity Voice service

Cons
Expensive
Lacks a built-in router
Not compatible with other cable voice services

Go to ranking

approvedmodems.org

Best Cable Modem with Voice

Pros
Has multiple ports
Multiple calling features
Faster connectivity
Backward compatibility

Cons
Lacks voice support for other ISPs

Go to ranking