Best Cable Modem In 2021 (DOCSIS 3.0 vs 3.1, Comcast, Xfinity)
Let’s Dive Into The Realm Of The Best Cable Modems To Find The Most Cost-Efficient Models For The Job
- Last Updated Jul 9, 2021
Cable modems are required for the modulation and demodulation of the signals with Aux cables as the interface. In layman’s terms, the modem (not to be confused with the router) changes the signal so you can receive internet.
Sadly, many internet service providers (ISPs) charge a monthly leasing fee– sometimes as high as $15– that can stack up after a while (not all ISPs have this fee though). Buying your own compatible modem, however, is a great way to eliminate this unneeded cost. Within a year, you will start recovering the cost of the modem.
That being said, there are some– tedious– things you should be aware of. For instance, modems are only supported by specific ISPs. For this article, we will be discussing the best cable modems for DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1 in this article, which is the main protocol used for cable internet.
Products at a Glance
Best Cable Modem In 2021 (DOCSIS 3.0 vs 3.1, Comcast, Xfinity)
We are starting our list with the ARRIS Surfboard SB8200, which is one of most reliable cable modems on the consumer market. Surfboard SB8200 supports the latest DOCSIS 3.1 protocol, which is ten times faster than DOCSIS 3.0. However, apart from Comcast, the supported ISPs send the data through DOCSIS 3.0, which is why the transfer rates of this modem are only better theoretically. This makes this cable modem a future-proof product that should be useful for other ISPs once they officially support the DOCSIS 3.1 protocol.
The modem provides 32 downstream channels along with 8 upstream channels for DOCSIS 3.0 and 2 OFDM downstream channels along with 2 OFDM upstream channels for DOCSIS 3.1, with maximum download speeds of 10 Gbps and upload speed of 2 Gbps. The two Gigabit Ethernet ports on the modem makes it great for esports gaming.
The customer support of ARRIS seems really bad, though. Even if the warranty period is 2 years, the company rarely accepts an RMA for the products.
However, this high-speed modem offers the best of the best and is supported by major ISPs like Comcast Xfinity, Cox, and Charter which makes it the best DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem, although the cost of the modem can only be recovered after two years.
NETGEAR CM1000 is also one of the latest cable modems, despite supporting DOCSIS 3.1, it’s not exactly a high-speed modem offering slower transfer rates than the DOCSIS 3.1 ARRIS SB8200. The company could have made this product better by using better Ethernet ports, as the current limitation for the DOCSIS 3.1 connection in this product is the 1 Gbps Ethernet ports.
If the Ethernet ports would have provided better transfer rates, then a maximum transfer rate of 6 Gbps could have been achieved. This isn’t a huge deal since internet speeds will still only rarely meet this standard, but all things being equal this costs more for less speed than the SB8200.
Like the ARRIS SB8200, this modem provides 32 downstream channels along with 8 upstream channels for DOCSIS 3.0 protocol, while 2 OFDM downstream channels along with 2 OFDM upstream channels for DOCSIS 3.1 protocol. Although the transfer rates of this modem are limited to 1 Gbps, the improvement will be quite noticeable for someone who is upgrading from an 8×4-channel cable modem.
This modem also only supports Xfinity and Cox, which is a major drawback but if you’re with one of those providers, it’s perfect. This high-speed cable modem is a great alternative to the SB8200 if you are not planning to use a plan higher than 1 Gbps in the future.
This Motorola cable modem provides the functionality of both the modem and the WiFi router, which makes the Motorola MG7540 attractive to many consumers. After all, not a lot of people want to use two devices. The modem is bundled with an AC1600 dual-band WiFi router, i.e. it works in both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz mode.
This DOCSIS 3.0 modem provides 16 downstream channels and 4 upstream channels, which is enough for most of the users. As far as the router interface is concerned, it provides four Ethernet ports along with the listed dual-band WiFi and also has other router features like Firewall.
As for the router portion of the product, we observed that the WiFi signals degraded after a few days, although this was somewhat fixed after a complete reset.
This is an impressive product overall. While it isn’t outstanding in any way (modems rarely are) it features normal transfer rates along with good router capabilities, which is exactly what you’d want.
If you want the best DOCSIS 3.0 modem and are confused about various products, then you have come to the right place. ARRIS Surfboard SB6183 is among the best DOCSIS 3.0 modems due to its great reliability and high transfer rates. The modem is priced very nicely as well and costs a lot less than an average DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem.
The modem provides 16 downstream channels along with 4 upstream channels, which is the usual specification for high-end DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems. While this version doesn’t come with a built-in router, there is a slightly more expensive version that does (although we can’t directly speak to its quality).
The modem runs a bit hot during intensive operation, which is why you should make sure that you install it in a well-ventilated place.
Overall, this modem is compatible with Xfinity by Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, and Cablevision which are the major ISPs and it is one of the best DOCSIS 3.0 modems, which will serve you well as long as you take care of the modem’s ventilation.
The NETGEAR CM500 is a great alternative to the ARRIS SB6183. The two trade blows since they are similarly priced and have similar specs/performance. The Netgear has a superior GUI. While the CM500 has a better warranty– two years as opposed to one. Then again, ARRIS has pretty bad customer service, so you might have tough luck taking advantage of that better warranty.
This modem provides 16 downstream channels and 4 upstream channels, with a maximum download transfer rate of around 680 Mbps and upload rates of 131 Mbps.
This modem would have been the best modem for Comcast Xfinity if it had better quality control; as is, it poses a lot of issues and it seems that it’s not at all uncommon for people to receive defective units.
We recommend this modem to people who like the web GUI of Netgear and since the transfer rates of this modem are comparable to SB6183, this modem is among the best DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems.
Things To Consider
FAQs
Our Verdict
If we had to pick the absolute best cable modem from the stellar lineup above, thee choice for us is the ARRIS Surfboard SB8200. It is a little on the pricey side with the recoverable cost only coming in after two years but, those two years of having this stellar cable modem are probably going to be the best two years of internet in your current setup. The Surfboard SB8200 has probably the best reliability on the market as well as supporting the latest DOCSIS 3.1 protocol, ten times faster than DOCSIS 3.0, ensuring it’s futureproofed. You’re looking at maximum download speeds of 10 Gbps and upload speed of 2 Gbps which may seem incredibly high and potentially out of your range but again, it’s ready for the future where we’ll all be having lighting quick connections in our homes.