Netgear MR5200 Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile Router is Finally Here, for $700

Almost two years after the first announcement, Netgear finally made the MR5200 Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile Router available today.

This is the company's first 5G mobile hotspot that you can use both on the go and at home.

In many ways, this little cellular hotspot is similar to 4G counterparts, like the Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L or the Sprint MiFi 8000. But it's also totally different.

Netgear MR5200: A flexible, ultra-fast mobile hotspot

What makes the Netgear MR5200 hugely unlike any 4G mobile hotspot is that it supports 5G, which is much faster, and its built-in Gigabit network port.

This means, apart from being able to host a single wired device—like a desktop computer—the M5 can also work with regular routers or Wi-Fi systems, such as the Netgear RAX120, or Orbi RBK752, to deliver the cellular connection for a large property.

Considering 5G's speed is comparable to that of traditional broadband services, such as cable or fiberoptic, the M5 enables access to areas without an existing infrastructure for wired broadband.

Alternatively, you can also use the M5 as a backup Internet source for routers and systems that support Dual-WAN.

For those who travel, Netgear says the M5 includes a 5040mAh "long-lasting lithium-ion battery" that's slated to last up to 13 hours on a single charge.

By the way, the battery is removable. This design will come in handy if you use the router as a stationary Internet receiver at home or in an office.

Per Netgear, here are the highlights of the MR5200 Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile router:

• Fast cellular speed: Support 5G the M5 can deliver Gigabit-class cellular connection. Clearly, the actual speeds will vary depending on the reception and coverage.
• Wi-Fi 6 Technology: It's one of the first mobile hotspots that features Wi-Fi 6 and supports up to 32 devices. That's significantly more than most existing mobile hotspots can handle.
• Stationary cellular options: The M5 can work as a "modem" for a regular router to deliver residential broadband, via its Gigabit network port, in areas where existing instruction is not available or slow.
• Unlocked: The M5 is unlocked and therefore will work with any carriers via a nano-SIM card. In the U.S., for now, it works best with AT&T and T-Mobile.
• App operated: You can control the M5 via the Netgear mobile app, in addition to its touchscreen. Using the apps users can manage the router's mobile data usage, track data usage by month and session, and customize Wi-Fi settings, including Guest networks.

Hardware-wise, Netgear says the Nighthawk M5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 Mobile Platform.

As for Wi-Fi, the mobile router features dual-band AX1800 with the two 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands with the top speed of 600Mbps and 1200Mbps, respectively.

Netgear MR5200: Hardware specifications

Cellular Technology	5GNR Sub 6GHz (N)SA 5G enabled with LTE fallback LTE CAT 20, LTE Advanced Pro, 4x4 MIMO, 256-QAM
Cellular Bands	5G: n2/n5/n25/n41 4G: LTE CAT 20 4GB LTE: B1/B2/B3/B4/B B25/B29/B30/B38/ 3G: B1/B2/B5/B8
Chipset	Qualcomm SDX55
Built-in GPS	No
Battery Life	13 hrs
Weight (with battery)	0.55 lb (252 g)
Dimensions (HWD)	4.14 x 4.14 x .85 in (105 x 105 x 21.5 mm)
SIM Type	Nano-SIM (4FF)
Network	Unlocked
Port	One (1) USB Type-C (charging) One (1) Gigabit Ethernet Two (2) TS9 RF ports (for external antennas)
Screen	2.4” LCD touch screen interface
Battery	Removable A5040mAh battery
Wi-Fi Specs	Dualband AX1800 1.2Gbps on 5GHz 600Mbps on 2.4GHz
WiFi Security	WPA, WPA2, WPA3
Networking Features	• Guest Network • Wi-Fi Protected Setup • WPS on/off control • Wi-Fi on/off control • Wi-Fi SSID broadcast on/off control • VPN passthrough • MAC address filtering • Website filtering • Port forwarding • Port filtering • Password protected web admin portal
Max Wi-Fi Clients	32

Availability, usage, and pricing

The Netgear MR5200 Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile Router is available today from Netgear's website. It's not cheap, unfortunately, costing $699.99. That's before the monthly data cost.

Basically, this is a mobile hotspot that delivers 5G cellular speed to many Wi-Fi devices by itself—it also works with 4G and 3G where 5G is not available. On top of that, you have the option of hooking it up to a regular Wi-Fi 6 or mesh system to deliver 5G broadband to a large property.

All that makes the M5 one of the most flexible cellular mobile hotspots on the market. Whether not that makes it worth the cost depends on your budget and data need. For those living in a remote area with no cable or fiberoptic but a strong 5G signal, it can be the only broadband option for now.