So you've got internet service with Comcast Xfinity but have made he financially sound decision to go with your own modem instead of renting one. Good for you, pat yourself on the back for taking matters into your own hands. (And, yeah, doing a little bit of math in the process.)
But you can't just pick up any old modem off the shelf. You're going to need one that's compatible with Xfinity's network. And in addition to that, you'll want to make sure you're picking up at least a DOCSIS 3.0 modem. (What's DOCSIS? Fine, it stands for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications. And DOCSIS 3.0 is the bare minimum you should buy at this point — DOCSIS 3.1 would be even better and give you a little future proofing.)
The good news is you don't have to guess at which modem to buy to work with Xfinity. They've got a perfectly handy list of current modems — some of which double as routers — which we present to you here:
- Arris SURFboard SBG7580AC ($189)
- Arris SURFboard SB6190 ($98)
- Arris SURFboard SB8200 ($185)
- Arris SURFboard SVG2482AC ($239)
- ASUS CM-32 AC2600 ($232)
- Linksys CG7500 (about $100)
- Linksys CM3024 ($58)
- Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1 ($158)
- Netgear C7100V ($276)
- Netgear CM600 ($89)
- Netgear CM700 ($107)
- Netgear CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 ($160)
- Netgear Nighthawk AC1900-C7000-100NAS ($163)
- TP-Link TC7650 ($79)
Which one is best for you? Look, that's kind of a personal question. You're expected to do your homework on each and every one of them. Go on, we'll wait.
Or just choose at random. Your call.
