Netgear today announced its latest mobile hotspot, the Nighthawk 5G M7, which will be available in January with a new mobile app and an eSIM marketplace where you can purchase local SIM cards for over 140 countries. The M7 comes unlocked for $499.99, making it a more affordable alternative to the unlocked version of Netgear’s premium M6 Pro Hotspot.
The M7 features Wi-Fi 7 with speeds up to 3.6Gbps and support for up to 32 connected devices, which you can also connect via USB-C or wired with an Ethernet adapter. It also includes a firewall, WPA3 encryption, and automatic firmware updates with Netgear’s Advanced Router Protection, which helps detect and prevent attacks on your router and allows for live security patches. Additionally, you have the option of using a physical SIM card or an eSIM.
The M7 offers up to 10 hours of continuous connectivity per charge and can also function as a power bank. That’s a few hours less battery life than the 13 hours advertised with the M7 Pro, but it should be enough to get you by in a pinch until you find an outlet.
The eSIM Marketplace is the biggest upgrade over previous Netgear hotspots. From the Netgear app, you can view, purchase, and activate local data plans for the M7 – a feature that may come in handy for anyone who frequently travels internationally. Data plans on the market will range from 3GB to 20GB, and you’ll be able to see usage in real time from the app.