REVIEW: NETGEAR Orbi VOICE WiFi System & Smart Speaker

So you might know by now that I love NETGEAR’s Orbi Mesh/WiFi system as I have done several reviews in the past on some of their models. (http://therobreports.com/blog/orbi-update & http://therobreports.com/blog/orbi)

Well, NETGEAR has stepped up their already impressive Orbi system making it even better with their new Orbi Voice. NETGEAR and harman/kardon teamed up and designed the first mesh WiFi system with a built-in smart assistant, including a pretty powerful speaker, all-in-one device.

 

  

 

 

  

 

The kit includes NETGEAR’s Orbi Router (RBR50) and the Voice satellite (RBS40V) that combined give you up to 4,500 SQ FT coverage.

 

Besides the incredible performance you get from all the different Orbi models (as you can read about by clicking HERE) , let’s dive into some of the features that make this Orbi Voice satellite even better!

 

• Tri-band WiFi & Fastlane3 Technology (this allows you to have dedicate and better 4K UHD streaming & gaming, even as you connect more devices to your network)
• 2.2 Gbps max wireless speed (with Gigabit Ethernet speeds available through more cable providers, the Orbi Voice will make sure you still get the speed you pay for, no matter how quick it is)
• Gigabit Ethernet Ports (the Orbi Voice comes with two (2) so you can plug in devices for the amazing connection and speed)
• One SSID (as all Orbi models have, you only need one SSID/WiFi name for your network, regardless of what frequency the device(s) connect to)

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

The speaker itself is quite impressive for how it’s built.

 

• 3.5″ Woofer
• 1″ Tweeter
• 35W Peak Power
• 63-20KHz Response

 

 

  

 

 

Built-In Alexa Voice Assistant

 

• Built-In Alexa (you can use the Orbi Voice just as if it was any other type of Amazon Echo product)
• Far-Field Voice Control (allows the Orbi to focus on the right sound/voice, even from across the room)
• 4 mics and a state of the art wake word detect engine
• Standard Alexa buttons (wake, speaker mute & mic mute)
• Supported Music Services (Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Tune In, Deezer, iHeart Radio, saavn, audible and Amazon Kindle and the list keeps growing)
• LED color ring around top of the Voice unit that lets you know WiFi and Alexa statuses

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

With all these great features that are packed into the Orbi Voice satellite, you still need your Orbi Router for the Voice and other satellites to connect to.

 

The Orbi Router (AC3000 model) that’s included in the kit gives you all these great features that everyone knows is included with each router

 

• Tri-band WiFi (as stated above, this allows you to have dedicate and better 4K UHD streaming & gaming, even as you connect more devices to your network)
• 2.4GHz + 5GHz for WiFi devices to connect to as well as a dedicated 5GHz WiFi link for faster data connection between Orbi Router and Orbi Voice)
• Six (6) high performance internal antennas with high-power amplifiers
• Four (4) Gigabit Ethernet jacks (10/100/1000 Mbps) + One (1) USB 2.0 port
• WPA/WPA2-PSK security
• Guest WiFi Network
• Circle with Disney (it can set limits on your family’s online habits using an app to manage content and time online on any connected device. There is no additional hardware and it’s built right in to your WiFi router and then monitors the activity of every device connected to your home network)

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

To sum it up, NETGEAR has a great phrase, WiFi meets HiFi and they are absolutely correct! The Orbi system has proven to me time and time again how reliable it is as well as taking dead spots and bringing them back to life with WiFi connection. I have a smart home with over forty connected devices and I never see any lag in speed performance thanks to the Tri-Band network. 

I also like with the new Orbi Voice, that the satellite is wrapped in a fabric, making it look a little nicer, as it’s a speaker. Also, ALL Orbi systems come with Circle with Disney as I listed above (if your model didn’t come with it, you can do a firmware update and it will be included. Circle is great to have with children in your home.

The only two negative things I have to say about the Orbi Voice are; the size of the router/satellite. I have been wishing for over a year that NETGEAR can make their devices smaller like some of the other “competition.” Even though you can tuck away the devices, they are still on the larger side. The second complaint I have is that the Orbi Voice speakers are designed so they are front facing only. That means, if you are sitting/standing to the side of the Voice or behind it, the sound won’t be as crisp or clear compared to being right in front of it. I do realize that because of the size and wanting this tucked away, most people will probably put the Orbi Voice satellite on a shelf or against a wall, so the sound might only be coming from straight ahead of you. Either way, it still produces great sound for a two speaker system.

 

My last two things would be that, the touch controls on the top are very easy to use and the touch response is perfect. You can also expand this Orbi set like all the others, so there is the option to purchase extra Voice satellites to put in other rooms for additional coverage and sound.

 

So, if you are having WiFi issues at home, I ONLY recommend the Orbi Mesh Networks and if you are also in the market for a great sounding SMART speaker that is Alexa controlled, this is the system for you!

You can easily purchase this set or any of the other Orbi systems buy clicking HERE.