Experts prefer Netgear CM500 over CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z
On 2 Apr 2024 (17 days ago) we went through 60 Modem expert endorsements .
Currently, Netgear CM500 received 4 endorsements from Lifewire (26 Feb 2024), Networks Hardware (2 Jul 2022) Tom's Guide (26 Mar 2024) and 1 other. Meanwhile, CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z did not receive any endorsements this month.
| Rank | Change | Price | Modem | Popular Mechanics  | Wirecutter  | Lifewire  | approvedmodems.org  | HighSpeedInternet  | BestReviews  | Networks Hardware  | Tom's Guide  | PC Guide  | The Strategist  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | -3 | $50 |  Netgear CM500 The Netgear CM500 modem offers high-speed internet access, easy setup and management, parental controls, and compatibility with major cable internet service providers, but its reliability has received mixed reviews and users should consider purchasing an extended warranty. | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | - | 6 |
| N/A | N/A | $140 |  CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z The CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z modem is a reliable and compatible modem for CenturyLink internet service users, offering high-speed internet, built-in Wi-Fi, parental controls, and a user-friendly interface, making it ideal for individuals or small businesses who require a reliable internet connection and basic modem features. | -
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Modems ranking? It's here
Endorsement summary:
- On 26 Feb 2024 Lifewire ranked Netgear CM500 as #6
Rank Modem Comment ... ... ... #6 out of 6 Netgear CM500 Basic OptionSource: www.lifewire.com - On 2 Jul 2022 Networks Hardware ranked Netgear CM500 as #3
Rank Modem Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 9 Netgear CM500 Best Budget-Friendly... ... ... Source: networkshardware.com - On 26 Mar 2024 Tom's Guide ranked Netgear CM500 as #3
Rank Modem Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 5 Netgear CM500 Best value cable modem... ... ... Source: www.tomsguide.com - On 18 Feb 2021 The Strategist ranked Netgear CM500 as #6
Rank Modem Comment ... ... ... #6 out of 9 Netgear CM500 Best cable modem for streaming video on multiple devices... ... ... Source: nymag.com
Netgear CM500 
CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z Customers like Netgear CM500 noticeably more
At ReviewFinder we prefer to focus on professional product reviews, because customer reviews can be disproportionately affected by unrelated factors such as delivery, specific seller listing problems, and, of course, fake reviews. With that said, below is the summary of consumer sentiment.
CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z
CS of 10 is similar to a 4.8 star review, CS of 0 is similar to a 2 star review.
Netgear CM500, the cheaper option, tends to get more favorable reviews than CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z.
As can be seen in the chart above, median best-selling modem receives a consumer score of 7.4 (good). Netgear CM500 ranks higher than that and CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z ranks lower than that.
| Netgear CM500 | |
| CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z |
6.5 Average
|
| Median best-selling Modem |
Netgear CM500 is more popular than CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z
It's fairly safe to say that Netgear CM500 is a more popular modem than CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z, based on its 10,000+ reviews. Popularity is determined based on product sales. Note that older and cheaper products tend to sell more.
To consider
| Table: Top compared alternatives for Netgear CM500 and CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Arris SURFboard SB8200 | $129 |
In comparison:
Arris SURFboard SB8200 ranks #17 out of 97. Very high levels of customer satisfaction. Go to rankings  8.3 Great
| 6 expert recommendations | More Popular Better Reviews |
 | Arris SURFboard SB6190 | $33 | 2 expert recommendations | Cheaper | |
 | Motorola MB8600 | $150 |
In comparison:
8.3 Great
| 2 expert recommendations | More Popular Better Reviews |
 | Motorola MB7220-10 | $55 |
In comparison:
8.3 Great
| No expert recommendations | Better Reviews |
| Rank | Change | Price | Modem | Popular Mechanics | Wirecutter | Lifewire | approvedmodems.org | HighSpeedInternet | BestReviews | Networks Hardware | Tom's Guide
| PC Guide | The Strategist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +1 | $180 |  Arris Surfboard S33 The Arris Surfboard S33 is a high-speed cable modem with combined download speeds up to 3.5 Gbps, 32 downstream x 8 upstream DOCSIS 3.0 bonded channels, and two Ethernet ports, making it ideal for users who require fast and reliable internet connectivity for gaming, streaming, and other data-intensive activities. | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | - |
| 2 | -1 | $300 |  Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 The Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 is a high-speed cable modem that is compatible with all major cable internet providers, featuring DOCSIS 3.1 technology, 32x8 channel bonding, a powerful 1.5GHz dual-core Broadcom BCM3390 processor, and a 2.5 Gbps ethernet port, making it ideal for online gaming, streaming, and other high-bandwidth activities. | 5 | - | 2 | - | 3 | - | 2 | - | 1 | - |
| 3 | +1 | $129 |  Arris SURFboard SB8200 The Arris SURFboard SB8200 is a high-performance cable modem that delivers fast and stable internet speeds of up to 2 Gbps, making it ideal for activities such as online gaming, streaming 4K video, or downloading large files, but requires a separate wireless router for Wi-Fi capability. | - | - | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | - | - | 9 |
| 4 | +1 | $167 |  Netgear CM1000 The Netgear CM1000 modem is a high-performance device that supports fast and reliable internet connectivity for multiple users and is compatible with major cable internet providers. | - | - | - | 5 | - | 4 | - | - | 3 | 1 |
| Show all rows | |||||||||||||
Expert reviews [8]
- with a score: 4
- without a score: 4
| Highest score by Approved Modems | 90 |
| Average score based on 8 reviews | 80 |
| Lowest score by approvedmodems.org | 62 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
Expert reviews [3]
- with a score: 0
- without a score: 3
Netgear CM500 is a very popular option on the lower end of the price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling modems and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Motorola Surfboard SB5101U or Arris Touchstone DG1670A .
Netgear CM500 is $49.01 cheaper than the average modem ($99).
CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z is a well-known option on the higher end of the price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling modems and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Netgear Nighthawk R6900P AC1900 or Arris SBG7400AC2 .
CenturyLink Zyxel C1100Z is $40.99 more expensive than the average modem ($99).
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Go to rankings
