Cable Modem Buying Guide: Best Selling and Highest Rated
As broadband internet connectivity becomes more mainstream, cable internet has become a leading standard. With the rental fees many cable internet service providers charge for a cable modem, it is usually more cost effective for users to purchase their own modems directly.
We took an in-depth look at the cable modems available on the market today and compared them by popularity and sales rankings. Based on our research, we put together this easy to use buying guide. Be sure to check which modems are compatible with your system and your internet service before you buy.
And now, our cable modem break down based on customer ratings and popularity.
Highest Rated Cable Modems on Amazon
Amazon customers rated a Zoom modem higher than any other models. A model by Netgear and two Arris cable modems follow. Another Zoom cable modem is next, followed by two more Arris/Motorola cable modems. Rounding out the top ten highest rated cable modems on Amazon are another Zoom unit, a modem by D-Link, yet another Arris model, and a uBee modem.
Best-selling Cable Modems on Amazon
Amazon customers clearly favor Arris / Motorola cable modems over any other manufacturer. Analyzing Amazon sales data, the top four best selling units are Arris models, followed by three Netgear cable modems. The remainder of the top ten best-selling units on Amazon includes models by Linksys, Arris and Zoom.
Highest Rated Cable Modems at Best Buy
Best Buy customers gave the highest ratings to three cable modems by Motorola / Arris. The next highest rated model at Best Buy is a Zoom modem. Five Netgear models are next highest rated by customers at Best Buy, and the top ten highest rated cable modem list at Best Buy is rounded out by another Motorola unit.
Bestselling Cable Modems at Best Buy
The best selling cable modems chart at Best Buy closely aligns with their customer ratings. The three best selling cable modems are Motorola units. Two Netgear cable modems are next up, after which is another Motorola model. The top ten list is rounded out with two more of the Netgear models, and two cable modems by Zoom.
Highest Rated Cable Modems at Wal-Mart
Walmart customers gave the highest ratings to cable modems from Zoom and Netgear. Three Arris / Motorola units follow closely behind according to the ratings given by shoppers at Wal-mart. The top rated cable modems list at Wal-Mart is finished off with modems from Zoom and Netgear.
Best-selling Cable Modems at Walmart
The most popular units based on sales data from Walmart doesn’t match up exactly with the highest rated list, but there are many parallels. The three best selling cable modems at Wal-mart are Arris units. The next two are Zoom modems. The final two cable modems on the bestsellers list at Walmart are models by D-Link and Netgear.
Conclusion
Across the multiple channels, the clear standout manufacturer is Arris (Motorola). They have more models in both the highest rated and best selling lists than any other. Netgear and Zoom are also very popular choices. Be sure to check with your cable internet service provider to ensure you purchase a modem that is compatible with them. Whichever modem you choose, you should likely save a significant amount of money on modem rental fees over the course of a few years.
