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Western Digital AC1300 Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price:~£9Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Wi-Fi speed:1750 MbpsLAN port speeds:1 GbpsMesh Wi-Fi:no

Western Digital AC1300 Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.6

Overall score

Score
6.6/ 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 64% of models
Score components

90%

6.6

Technical Score

10%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 64% of routers
6.6

Technical Score

Technical score
6.6/ 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 62% of models
Score components

26%

5.7

Wireless

20%

6.3

Ports

18%

7.9

Networking

14%

8.0

Security

12%

5.5

Hardware

10%

7.0

Management

â–¼Worse than 62% 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~ £9

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 Western Digital My Net AC1300 is a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi router designed for high-definition streaming, offering combined wireless speeds up to 1750 Mbps—comprising 1300 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 450 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. It features four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, one Gigabit WAN port, and two USB 2.0 ports for sharing storage or printers across a network. A standout characteristic is WD's proprietary FasTrack technology, which automatically prioritizes high-bandwidth traffic like Netflix, YouTube, and online gaming to ensure smooth performance. Main pros include its extremely simple setup process, an intuitive dashboard interface, and reliable 5GHz performance for media consumption. However, notable cons include relatively lower 802.11ac throughput compared to contemporary competitors, average 2.4GHz range, and the lack of USB 3.0 ports for faster data transfers.

Technical Specifications of router Western Digital AC1300

Technical Score
Technical score
6.6/ 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 62% of models
Score components:

26%

5.7

Wireless

20%

6.3

Ports

18%

7.9

Networking

14%

8.0

Security

12%

5.5

Hardware

10%

7.0

Management

6.6
Western Digital AC1300 has a technical score of 6.6 points, which is lower than that of 61.5% 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:
Western Digital AC1300 has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 72.1% of products in this category.
1.0
Western Digital AC1300 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
7.6/ 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 66% of models
Score components:

60%

6.6

Overall score

40%

10

Price

7.6
Western Digital AC1300 has a value-for-money score of 7.6 points, which is lower than that of 60.1% of products in this category.
Brand name
Western Digital
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
â–² Better than 39% of models
This router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which is more advanced than 39.5% of routers and equal to 25.3% of routers.
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
â–² Better than 25% of models
This router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which are more versatile than 24.8% of routers and equal to 68.1% of routers.
Wi-Fi speed
1,750 Mbps
Wi-Fi speed
1,750 Mbps
â–² Better than 53% of models
Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
This router delivers 1,750 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, which is higher than 53.1% of routers and equal to 5% of routers.
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
â–² Better than 41% of models
This router supports 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz channel width options, which is more than 40.9% of routers and the same as 31.6% of routers.
Show more
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2
â–¼ Worse than 93% of models
This router supports WPA2 Wi-Fi security protocols, which are less advanced than 93.4% of routers and equal to 4.2% of routers.
DoS protection
yes
DoS protection
yes
â–² Better than 13% of models
This router includes DoS protection. 12.8% of routers include DoS protection.
SPI intrusion protection
yes
SPI intrusion protection
yes
â–² Better than 6% of models
This router includes SPI-based intrusion protection. 6.1% 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
yes
URL filter
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router supports URL filtering. 3.4% 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
yes
Dynamic routing
yes
â–² Better than 48% of models
This router supports dynamic routing. 47.8% 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
yes
QoS
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router includes QoS controls. 3.2% of routers include QoS controls.
Show more
N. of LAN ports
4
N. of LAN ports
4
â–² Better than 24% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 4 LAN ports, which is more than 23.7% of routers and the same as 69.2% 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
2
N. of USB ports
2
â–² Better than 79% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 2 USB ports, which is more than 79.2% of routers and the same as 20.6% 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
Web UI
Management interface
Web UI
â–¼ Worse than 72% of models
This router uses Web UI for management, which is less advanced than 72.2% of routers and equal to 27.3% of routers.
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI, Automatic
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI, Automatic
â–² Better than 35% of models
This router supports Web UI, Automatic firmware update methods, which are more convenient than 35.4% of routers and equal to 37.8% of routers.
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
1x 0.6 GHz
CPU clock speed
1x 0.6 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
This router runs at 1x0.6 GHz, which is slower than 66.9% of routers and on par with 2% of routers.
RAM capacity
128 MB
RAM capacity
128 MB
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
This router has 128 MB of RAM, which is less than 51.6% of routers and the same as 17.1% of routers.
Internal storage
0.015625 GB
Internal storage
0.015625 GB
â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0.015625 GB of internal storage, which is less than 58.6% of routers and the same as 13.8% 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

Western Digital AC1300 vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • Wider temperature range
    Operating temperature range
    5 to 35 C
    ★ Better than 97% of models
    This router is rated for 5 to 35 C, while the average router is rated for 0 to 40 C.
    5 to 35 C vs 0 to 40 C
  • 1 more USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    2
    â–² Better than 79% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has more USB ports than the average router (2 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    2 vs 1
  • 10x cheaper
    Western Digital AC1300 is cheaper than the average router (£9 vs £90).
    £9 vs £90
  • 28,026 more NAT sessions
    NAT concurrent sessions
    43,014
    â–² Better than 72% of models
    Market range: <0 – >300k
    This router has more concurrent NAT sessions than the average router (43,014 vs 14,988). The average router supports 14,988 concurrent NAT sessions.
    43,014 vs 14,988
  • 10x cheaper
    Western Digital AC1300 is cheaper than the average router (£9 vs £90).
    £9 vs £90
  • 28,026 more NAT sessions
    NAT concurrent sessions
    43,014
    â–² Better than 72% of models
    Market range: <0 – >300k
    This router has more concurrent NAT sessions than the average router (43,014 vs 14,988). The average router supports 14,988 concurrent NAT sessions.
    43,014 vs 14,988
  • 1 more USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    2
    â–² Better than 79% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has more USB ports than the average router (2 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    2 vs 1
  • Wider temperature range
    Operating temperature range
    5 to 35 C
    ★ Better than 97% of models
    This router is rated for 5 to 35 C, while the average router is rated for 0 to 40 C.
    5 to 35 C vs 0 to 40 C
  • 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.
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI, Automatic
    â–² Better than 35% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, Automatic, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI, Automatic vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Weaker management tools
    Management interface
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 72% of models
    This router uses the management interface Web UI, while the average router uses Web UI, App.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    SMB, FTP, media server
    â–² Better than 56% of models
    This router includes SMB, FTP, media server NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    Requires attached USB storage.
    SMB, FTP, media server vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • 50% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    128 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (128 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    128 MB vs 256 MB
  • Weaker Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA2
    â–¼ Worse than 93% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA2, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA2 vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • 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.
  • 6.54x less popular
    Western Digital AC1300 is less popular than the average router (1 vs 6.5).
    1 vs 6.54
  • 2.3% worse value for money
    Western Digital AC1300 has worse value for money than the average router (7.64 vs 7.8).
    7.64 vs 7.82
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Weaker Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA2
    â–¼ Worse than 93% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA2, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA2 vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • 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 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.
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI, Automatic
    â–² Better than 35% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, Automatic, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI, Automatic vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Weaker management tools
    Management interface
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 72% of models
    This router uses the management interface Web UI, while the average router uses Web UI, App.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    SMB, FTP, media server
    â–² Better than 56% of models
    This router includes SMB, FTP, media server NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    Requires attached USB storage.
    SMB, FTP, media server vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • 50% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    128 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (128 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    128 MB vs 256 MB
  • 2.9 W higher power consumption
    Power consumption
    11 W
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses more power than the average router (11 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    11 W vs 8.1 W
  • Lower CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    1 x 0.6 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
    This router has a lower CPU clock speed than the average router (1x0.6 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    1x0.6 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • 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
  • 87.5% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.015625 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
    Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
    This router has less internal storage than the average router (0 GB vs 0.1 GB). The average router offers 0.125 GB of internal storage.
    0.015625 GB vs 0.125 GB
  • 185 mm thicker design
    Thickness
    230 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 100% of models
    Market range: <28 mm – >98 mm
    This router is thicker than the average router (230 mm vs 45 mm). The average router is 45 mm thick.
    230 mm vs 45 mm
  • 3 older release date
    Release date
    2012
    â–¼ Worse than 65% of models
    Market range: <2k – >2k
    This router is an older model than the average router (2012 vs 2015). The average router release year is 2015.
    November 2012
    2012 vs 2015

Graphic comparison of Western Digital AC1300 and other routers

No results found

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Western Digital AC1300?

  • Simple and easy setup process that does not require an installation disc
  • Well-designed and intuitive graphical user interface (GUI)
  • FasTrack technology provides effective Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritizing HD streaming and gaming
  • Includes two USB ports that support printers, storage, and other USB devices
  • Supports the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard with decent overall performance
  • Stable and reliable signal quality reported by long-term users

What customers dislike about Western Digital AC1300?

  • 802.11ac throughput is lower compared to many competing routers in its class
  • Poor range performance, especially in 2.4 GHz mixed mode
  • Lacks advanced features such as VPN support, WDS, and cloud services
  • Internal antenna design may contribute to mediocre performance compared to routers with external dipoles
  • Fewer LAN ports compared to earlier Western Digital router models
  • USB storage performance can be sluggish, particularly when reading large files

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

T
tapscape.com
23/03/2013
Summary of the review
Western Digital My Net AC1300 Review Are you looking for firmware updates or technical specifications for this specific Western Digital model? Copy
L
lanoc.org
22/08/2013
Summary of the review
Western Digital My Net AC 1300 Review Would you like to compare the performance benchmarks of this model against its predecessor, the My Net N900?
U
uk.pcmag.com
04/12/2012
Summary of the review
Western Digital My Net AC1300 - Review 2012
T
trustedreviews.com
23/08/2013
Summary of the review
Western Digital My Net AC1300 802.11ac router Review
S
smallnetbuilder.com
15/05/2013
Summary of the review
WD My Net AC1300 HD Dual-Band Router Reviewed
C
cnet.com
29/11/2012
Summary of the review
WD My Net AC1300 HD review: Just another 802.11ac router
P
pcworld.com
08/01/2013
Summary of the review
Western Digital My Net AC1300 review: A fast 802.11ac router from a surprising source

Video reviews

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

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