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Apple M5 Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price in UK:~£1,410Avg. price in US:~$1,100Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)Wi-Fi speed:N/A MbpsLAN port speeds:1 GbpsMesh Wi-Fi:no

Apple M5 Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.2

Overall score

Score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the router's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best routers on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
Score components

90%

6.2

Technical Score

10%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 82% of routers
6.2

Technical Score

Technical score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 78% of models
Score components

26%

6.2

Wireless

20%

4.9

Ports

18%

6.2

Networking

14%

6.2

Security

12%

7.2

Hardware

10%

7.9

Management

â–¼Worse than 78% of routers
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components

70%

?

User reviews

30%

?

Popularity

  • No image
No image

Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £1,410

Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Verdict

The Netgear Nighthawk M5 (MR5200) is a high-performance 5G mobile router featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 chipset, delivering ultra-fast 5G cellular speeds up to 4 Gbps and Wi-Fi 6 technology for localized data transfer up to 1.2 Gbps. Key characteristics include a 2.4-inch colour LCD touchscreen for easy management, a long-lasting 5040mAh removable battery, and a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet port for wired connectivity. Its main pros are the ability to support up to 32 devices simultaneously, secure password protection with VPN pass-through, and its portability as a reliable hotspot for remote work and travel. Notable cons include its high retail price compared to standard routers and the fact that 5G performance is heavily dependent on regional network coverage and the specific service provider's data plan.

Technical Specifications of router Apple M5

Technical Score
Technical score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 78% of models
Score components:

26%

6.2

Wireless

20%

4.9

Ports

18%

6.2

Networking

14%

6.2

Security

12%

7.2

Hardware

10%

7.9

Management

6.2
Apple M5 has a technical score of 6.2 points, which is lower than that of 77.7% of products in this category.
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components

70%

?

User reviews

30%

?

Popularity

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you prefer to choose a router reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
Apple M5 has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 72.1% of products in this category.
1.0
Apple M5 has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 72.1% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price
Value for money
5.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the router's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a router with a good balance between network performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Score components:

60%

6.2

Overall score

40%

3.1

Price

5.3
Apple M5 has a value-for-money score of 5.3 points, which is lower than that of 100% of products in this category.
Brand name
Apple
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
â–² Better than 65% of models
This router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), which is more advanced than 65% of routers and equal to 26.7% of routers.
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz
★ Better than 94% of models
This router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which are more versatile than 93.6% of routers and equal to 6.4% of routers.
Wi-Fi speed
N/A
Channel widths supported
N/A
Show more
Wi-Fi security protocols
?
DoS protection
no
DoS protection
no
â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
This router does not include DoS protection. 87.5% of routers include DoS protection.
SPI intrusion protection
no
SPI intrusion protection
no
â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
This router does not include SPI-based intrusion protection. 94.1% of routers include SPI-based intrusion protection.
MAC address filtering
yes
MAC address filtering
yes
â–² Better than 2% of models
This router supports MAC address filtering. 2.2% of routers include MAC address filtering.
URL filter
no
URL filter
no
â–¼ Worse than 97% of models
This router does not support URL filtering. 96.8% of routers include URL filtering.
Show more
IPv6 support
yes
IPv6 support
yes
â–² Better than 12% of models
This router supports IPv6. 11.5% of routers are IPv6-ready.
Dynamic routing
no
Dynamic routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
This router does not support dynamic routing. 52.5% of routers support dynamic routing.
Inter-VLAN routing
no
Inter-VLAN routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not support inter-VLAN routing. 23.5% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
VLAN tagging
no
VLAN tagging
no
â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
This router does not support VLAN tagging. 62% of routers include VLAN tagging.
QoS
no
QoS
no
â–¼ Worse than 97% of models
This router does not include QoS controls. 97.1% of routers include QoS controls.
Show more
N. of LAN ports
1
N. of LAN ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 95% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 LAN ports, which is fewer than 95.1% of routers and the same as 4.4% of routers.
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
â–² Better than 27% of models
This router offers 1 Gbps on its LAN ports, which is faster than 27.1% of routers and on par with 59.9% of routers.
N. of WAN ports
1
N. of WAN ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 9% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 WAN ports, which is more than 1% of routers and the same as 90.1% of routers.
N. of USB ports
1
N. of USB ports
1
â–² Better than 39% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 USB ports, which is more than 39.5% of routers and the same as 39.5% of routers.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Category Benchmark
This router does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE). 0.5% of routers can be powered over Ethernet.
Show more
Management interface
?
Firmware upgrade method
?
Traffic monitoring
yes
Traffic monitoring
yes
â–² Better than 18% of models
This router includes traffic monitoring. 18.1% of routers include traffic monitoring.
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
â–² Better than 9% of models
This router offers a guest Wi‑Fi network. 8.6% of routers offer a guest Wi‑Fi network.
Captive portal
no
Captive portal
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not offer captive portal features. 23.5% of routers offer captive portal features.
Show more
CPU clock speed
5 GHz
CPU clock speed
5 GHz
â–² Better than 77% of models
This router runs at 5 GHz, which is faster than 77.2% of routers.
RAM capacity
?
Internal storage
0 GB
Internal storage
0 GB
â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0 GB of internal storage, which is less than 93.5% of routers and the same as 6.5% of routers.
Hardware acceleration
yes
Hardware acceleration
yes
â–² Better than 31% of models
This router offers hardware acceleration. 31.4% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
N. of external antennas
0
N. of external antennas
0
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Market range: <0 – >10
This router has 0 external antennas, which is fewer than 59.6% of routers and the same as 40.4% of routers.
Show more

Apple M5 vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • More Wi-Fi bands
    Wi-Fi bands
    2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz
    ★ Better than 94% of models
    This router supports more Wi-Fi bands than the average router (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The average router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
    2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
  • Supports automatic failover
    Automatic failover
    yes
    â–² Better than 75% of models
    This router offers automatic failover, while the average router does not. 24.9% of routers offer automatic failover.
  • Wider temperature range
    Operating temperature range
    10 to 35 C
    ★ Better than 100% of models
    This router is rated for 10 to 35 C, while the average router is rated for 0 to 40 C.
    10 to 35 C vs 0 to 40 C
  • Newer cellular modem
    Cellular modem type
    5G
    ★ Better than 99% of models
    This router uses a 5G cellular modem, while the average router uses none (external modem required).
    5G vs none (external modem required)
  • Newer Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
    â–² Better than 65% of models
    This router supports a newer Wi-Fi version than the average router (Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)). The average router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
    Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • Includes SIM slot
    SIM slot
    yes
    ★ Better than 97% of models
    This router has a SIM slot, while the average router does not. 3.2% of routers have a SIM slot.
  • Higher CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    5 GHz
    â–² Better than 77% of models
    This router has a higher CPU clock speed than the average router (5 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    5 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • More advanced integrated modem
    Integrated modem type
    5G
    â–² Better than 89% of models
    This router uses a 5G integrated modem, while the average router uses none (external modem required).
    5G vs none (external modem required)
  • More Wi-Fi bands
    Wi-Fi bands
    2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz
    ★ Better than 94% of models
    This router supports more Wi-Fi bands than the average router (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The average router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
    2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
  • Newer Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
    â–² Better than 65% of models
    This router supports a newer Wi-Fi version than the average router (Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)). The average router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
    Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • Supports TWT
    Target Wake Time (TWT) support
    yes
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This router supports Target Wake Time (TWT), while the average router does not. 36.4% of routers support Target Wake Time (TWT).
  • Supports automatic failover
    Automatic failover
    yes
    â–² Better than 75% of models
    This router offers automatic failover, while the average router does not. 24.9% of routers offer automatic failover.
  • Newer cellular modem
    Cellular modem type
    5G
    ★ Better than 99% of models
    This router uses a 5G cellular modem, while the average router uses none (external modem required).
    5G vs none (external modem required)
  • Includes SIM slot
    SIM slot
    yes
    ★ Better than 97% of models
    This router has a SIM slot, while the average router does not. 3.2% of routers have a SIM slot.
  • More advanced integrated modem
    Integrated modem type
    5G
    â–² Better than 89% of models
    This router uses a 5G integrated modem, while the average router uses none (external modem required).
    5G vs none (external modem required)
  • Includes memory card slot
    Memory card slot
    yes
    ★ Better than 90% of models
    This router has a memory card slot, while the average router does not. 9.8% of routers have a memory card slot.
  • Wider temperature range
    Operating temperature range
    10 to 35 C
    ★ Better than 100% of models
    This router is rated for 10 to 35 C, while the average router is rated for 0 to 40 C.
    10 to 35 C vs 0 to 40 C
  • Higher CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    5 GHz
    â–² Better than 77% of models
    This router has a higher CPU clock speed than the average router (5 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    5 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • 82 mm narrower width
    Width
    120 mm
    â–² Better than 85% of models
    Market range: <100 mm – >300 mm
    This router is narrower than the average router (120 mm vs 202 mm). The average router is 202 mm wide.
    120 mm vs 202 mm
  • 3 fewer LAN ports
    N. of LAN ports
    1
    â–¼ Worse than 95% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer LAN ports than the average router (1 vs 4). The average router has 4 LAN ports.
    1 vs 4
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • No VPN server support
    VPN server support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
    This router cannot act as a VPN server, while the average router can. 66.3% of routers can act as a VPN server.
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • No QoS
    QoS
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 97% of models
    This router does not support QoS, while the average router does. 96.8% of routers support QoS.
  • No dynamic routing
    Dynamic routing
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support dynamic routing, while the average router does. 52.3% of routers support dynamic routing.
  • No DHCP reservation
    DHCP reservation
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
    This router does not support DHCP reservation, while the average router does. 99% of routers support DHCP reservation.
  • No DoS protection
    DoS protection
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
    This router does not support DoS protection, while the average router does. 87.3% of routers support DoS protection.
  • 15.67x more expensive
    Apple M5 is more expensive than the average router (£1,410 vs £90).
    £1,410 vs £90
  • 48.3% worse value for money
    Apple M5 has worse value for money than the average router (5.27 vs 7.8).
    5.27 vs 7.82
  • 6.54x less popular
    Apple M5 is less popular than the average router (1 vs 6.5).
    1 vs 6.54
  • 1 fewer spatial streams
    N. of spatial streams
    2
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer spatial streams than the average router (2 vs 3). The average router has 3 spatial streams.
    2 vs 3
  • No band steering
    Band steering
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support band steering, while the average router does. 51.8% of routers support band steering.
  • No beamforming
    Beamforming
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
    This router does not support beamforming, while the average router does. 56.7% of routers support beamforming.
  • 59 fewer connected devices
    Maximum connected devices
    5
    â–¼ Worse than 100% of models
    Market range: <0 – >250
    This router supports fewer connected devices than the average router (5 vs 64). The average router supports 64 connected devices.
    5 vs 64
  • No VPN server support
    VPN server support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
    This router cannot act as a VPN server, while the average router can. 66.3% of routers can act as a VPN server.
  • No DoS protection
    DoS protection
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
    This router does not support DoS protection, while the average router does. 87.3% of routers support DoS protection.
  • No SPI intrusion protection
    SPI intrusion protection
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
    This router does not support SPI intrusion protection, while the average router does. 93.9% of routers support SPI intrusion protection.
  • No URL filtering
    URL filter
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 97% of models
    This router does not support URL filtering, while the average router does. 96.6% of routers support URL filtering.
  • No port filtering
    Port filtering
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 98% of models
    This router does not support port filtering, while the average router does. 97.6% of routers support port filtering.
  • No network services filtering
    Network services filter
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 93% of models
    This router does not support network services filtering, while the average router does. 93.2% of routers support network services filtering.
  • No IPsec passthrough
    IPsec Passthrough
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
    This router does not support IPsec pass-through, while the average router does. 98.8% of routers support IPsec pass-through.
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • No QoS
    QoS
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 97% of models
    This router does not support QoS, while the average router does. 96.8% of routers support QoS.
  • No dynamic routing
    Dynamic routing
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support dynamic routing, while the average router does. 52.3% of routers support dynamic routing.
  • No DHCP reservation
    DHCP reservation
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
    This router does not support DHCP reservation, while the average router does. 99% of routers support DHCP reservation.
  • No UPnP
    Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 98% of models
    This router does not support UPnP, while the average router does. 98% of routers support UPnP.
  • No DNS relay
    DNS relay
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 92% of models
    This router does not support DNS relay, while the average router does. 92.2% of routers support DNS relay.
  • 3 fewer LAN ports
    N. of LAN ports
    1
    â–¼ Worse than 95% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer LAN ports than the average router (1 vs 4). The average router has 4 LAN ports.
    1 vs 4
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • 2 fewer external antennas
    N. of external antennas
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer external antennas than the average router (0 vs 2). The average router has 2 external antennas.
    0 vs 2
  • Fewer power options
    Power input type
    USB-C
    â–¼ Worse than 96% of models
    This router uses USB-C power input, while the average router uses DC barrel.
    USB-C vs DC barrel

Graphic comparison of Apple M5 and other routers

No results found

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Apple M5?

  • Significant 15-20% performance boost over the M4 chip
  • Massive AI performance gains with new Neural Accelerators in the GPU
  • SSD read/write speeds are up to 2x faster than previous generations
  • Excellent battery life, reaching up to 24 hours on some models
  • Improved memory bandwidth (153GB/s) enhances multitasking
  • Supports high-end features like Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 5 in Pro/Max variants

What customers dislike about Apple M5?

  • Base M5 model is limited to Wi-Fi 6E instead of the newer Wi-Fi 7
  • The base 14-inch MacBook Pro still uses a single-fan design, which can lead to high temperatures under extreme loads
  • Physical design remains unchanged from previous generations
  • The 16GB base RAM can still be a bottleneck for heavy AI or professional workflows
  • Thunderbolt 5 is exclusive to M5 Pro and M5 Max models; the base M5 is stuck with Thunderbolt 4

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Compare Apple M5 with other routers

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