When comparing AirPort Extreme vs Norton Core, the Slant community recommends Norton Core for most people. In the question“What are the best wireless routers?” Norton Core is ranked 8th while AirPort Extreme is ranked 15th. The most important reason people chose Norton Core is:
The Core is capable of achieving maximum throughput speeds of 2.5 Gbps and can cover a home of somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 square feet. It has a powerful 1.7 GHz Dual Core processor and performance-enhancing features, such as 4x4 MU-MIMO and beamforming. 4x4 MU-MIMO means that router can handle simultaneous transmission with up to three devices and beamforming allows router to focus Wi-Fi signal specifically on a device.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Easy setup for iOS and OS X
The AirPort Extreme is very easy to configure. You just need to plug it in and the follow the instructions provided by the setup assistant that's built into iOS or in the AirPort Utility for OS X.
Pro Great performance and range
The Core is capable of achieving maximum throughput speeds of 2.5 Gbps and can cover a home of somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 square feet. It has a powerful 1.7 GHz Dual Core processor and performance-enhancing features, such as 4x4 MU-MIMO and beamforming. 4x4 MU-MIMO means that router can handle simultaneous transmission with up to three devices and beamforming allows router to focus Wi-Fi signal specifically on a device.
Pro Great design
The Norton Core has a very unique design, instead of a clunky box, it's a geodesic dome. It is available in two colors, Titanium Gold or Granite Gray, so you can match the router with your interior.
Pro State of the art security for safer browsing
The Norton Core is a combination of powerful router and an antivirus . It's able to defend you from spyware, malware, viruses, hackers and any other online threats. It checks every data packet for any suspicious activity and if Core notices anything strange about it, the packet gets denied.
Pro Provides network security for Internet of Things devices
The Norton Core will protect any internet-connected smart devices that you are using at your home. So if your fridge is connected to the internet, the Norton Core will protect it from hackers.
Cons
Con Windows users have to download additional software
There is no web browser control for the Extreme, so users must download the AirPort Utility for Windows to configure and manage settings.
Con Trails other AC routers in speed
This dual-band router has a theoretical peak performance of 1.75 Gbps. In real life testing at 5 feet, it hits just 209.6 Mbps and 201.6 Mbps at 50 feet. It holds its performance at distance, but it's still slower than other AC routers.
Con Lacks additional customization options
AirPort Extreme offers only the most common features, such as guest networking and port forwarding, but lacks options like parental controls and traffic prioritization. It doesn't even have a web filtering option, for blocking specific websites.