AVM’s popular FritzBox is widespread in Germany. No wonder: In the COMPUTER BILD WLAN router test, the devices from the Berlin manufacturer often get a good test score. The top models in particular often impress with high WLAN speeds and a wealth of helpful functions. However, the purchase decision is sometimes not always easy – because there are countless FritzBox models available in stores. Which device cuts a good figure on the DSL connection? Which one is best used on the cable connection? And which one is worthwhile for Internet access via fiber optics? The following overview provides the answers.
FritzBox 7590: The best DSL router
The DSL top model FritzBox 7590 won the comparison test.
If you get Internet via a DSL connection, the best thing to do at AVM is to use the FritzBoxes from the 7000 series. The FritzBox 7590 (from 220 euros; all prices as of January 21, 2022) won the COMPUTER BILD router comparison test thanks to great WiFi performance. As it masters supervectoring 35b, it is suitable for fast DSL connections with up to 300 megabits per second (Mbps). To do this, providers must first connect the distribution boxes on the side of the road well enough via fiber optics. The successor model FritzBox 7590 AX (from 269 euros) with the new WLAN standard Wifi 6 (WLAN-ax) did a little better at 5 gigahertz, but at 2.4 gigahertz it was a whole lot worse than the “normal” 7590 and landed in the leaderboard just behind its predecessor.
Current DSL models
- Fritz box 7590 AX
- FritzBox 7590
- FritzBox 7583
- Fritz box 7530 AX
- Fritz box 7530
- FritzBox 7520 (only with 1&1 as “HomeServer”)
- Fritz box 7510
FritzBox 7530 AX: price tip for DSL
Less expensive than the 7590, but also suitable for supervectoring: the FritzBox 7530 AX.
Price-performance tip: The FritzBox 7530 AX (from 160 euros) can also supervector, but is much cheaper. In the test, the WLAN performance was lower than that of the 7590, but it is probably sufficient for smaller households. The router masters the new WLAN standard Wifi 6, which brings WLAN optimizations and, above all, increases the speed at close range. On average, the 7530 AX per 5 gigahertz achieved significantly better values than the previous model FritzBox 7530 (from 171 euros) without Wifi 6. At 2.4 gigahertz, the two models showed roughly the same performance. The very cheap FritzBox 7510 (from 118 euros) is new: It also uses Wifi 6, but only transmits at 2.4 gigahertz at a comparatively slow speed. If the top FritzBox models are too expensive for you, you’d better use the 7530 AX.
FritzBox 6690: The best cable FritzBox
The FritzBox 6690 Cable creates gigabit speed on a DOCSIS 3.1 cable connection.
AVM also has Fritz boxes for cable customers up its sleeve. The currently best model is the FritzBox 6690 Cable (from 310 euros). On modern DOCSIS 3.1 connections (e.g. from Vodafone or Pyur), it theoretically manages downloads of up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). The 6690 masters Wifi 6 and scored points in the test with fast WiFi up to an average of 1,577 Mbps. It has four LAN ports (one with 2,500 Mbps), two USB 3.0 ports and two ports for analog phones. The predecessor FritzBox 6591 Cable (from 269 euros) without Wifi 6 reached an average maximum speed of 929 Mbps. The FritzBox 6660 Cable (from 200 euros) is AVM’s mid-range model for cable connections. It can handle WiFi 6 and achieved strong WiFi speeds of over 1,000 Mbps in the test. Since the company uses fewer antennas than in its top models, the 6660 disappointed somewhat with only mediocre speeds via WLAN-ac and WLAN-n and with a lower range at 2.4 gigahertz.
Current cable models
- FritzBox 6690 Cable
- FritzBox 6660 Cable
- FritzBox 6591 Cable
FritzBox 6890: The best LTE FritzBox
The FritzBox 6890 masters both DSL and LTE.
Especially in rural areas, where the DSL network is often underdeveloped, the fast LTE mobile connection is sometimes a good alternative. An LTE stick can be plugged into many AVM routers with a USB socket to establish access via the mobile network – but there are also FritzBoxes that have LTE antennas ex works. The FritzBox 6890 LTE (from 352 euros) is the current top model: It theoretically pulls the data from the network via LTE at up to 300 Mbps. In the test, it offered satisfactory to good WLAN performance and even mastered DSL including supervectoring. However, the 6890 only has one USB port. Exciting: With the current FritzOS 7 operating system, the model optionally chooses DSL or LTE for each session – depending on which transmission path currently delivers more speed.
The FritzBox 6820 LTE (from 149 euros) and the FritzBox 6850 LTE (from 169 euros) have a lower performance, but are significantly cheaper. The first FritzBox for the new 5G mobile communications standard was recently released: the FritzBox 6850 5G (569 euros) offers a very high download speed of up to 1.3 Gbps. The other equipment is based on the mid-range model 6850 LTE – so the WLAN is far from keeping up with the high Internet speed. Alternatively, the 5G FritzBox establishes connections via 4G (LTE) and 3G (UMTS).
Current mobile phone models
- FritzBox 6890 LTE
- FritzBox 6850 5G
- FritzBox 6850 LTE
- FritzBox 6820 LTE
FritzBox 5530, 5491 and 5490: fiber optic routers
The FritzBox 5530 is suitable for all fiber optic connections.
Fast fiber optic connections are available in more and more households. Local providers in particular remain competitive as a result: They lay fiber optic cables up to the distributor in the basement (FTTB, “fiber to the building”) or even into the living room (FTTH, “fiber to the home”). With FTTH connections in the home, some companies install a box that converts the optical signals from the fiber optics into electrical ones. Any WLAN router can be connected here using a LAN cable.
With other providers, the fiber optics end up directly in the router, which converts the signal. AVM also has models for this case: the FritzBox 5491 for passive fiber optic connections (GPON) and the FritzBox 5490 for active fiber optic connections (AON). The theoretical WLAN data rates of the two devices do not keep up with those of top models such as the FritzBox 7590 and are more comparable to the somewhat older DSL router FritzBox 7490. Neither the 5491 nor the 5490 is currently commercially available. The FritzBox 5530 Fiber (from 178 euros) is suitable for both active and passive connections and uses WiFi 6. In the test, the 5530 showed a very high speed in the new WiFi standard, but the range left a lot to be desired. In addition, it has only a few connections.
Current fiber optic models
- FritzBox 5530 Fiber
- Fritz box 5491
- Fritz box 5490
FritzBox 4060: The best FritzBox without a modem
The FritzBox 4060 has three WLAN radio units.
With its 40 series, AVM also offers routers without a modem. To access the Internet, users connect it to an external modem or an existing modem router using a LAN cable. The 40 FritzBoxes are therefore also well suited for many fiber optic connections where there is an external modem in the living room. The FritzBox 4060 (from 259 euros) is the latest model: It has a lot of WiFi power, as it has three WiFi radio units and uses the WiFi 6 standard. In this way, it also quickly supplies several devices with data at the same time. The other AVM routers without a modem cost much less: the FritzBox 4020 (from 42 euros) and the FritzBox 4040 (from 77 euros) with slightly better technology. They offer comparatively little speed.
Current models without a modem
- FritzBox 4060
- FritzBox 4040
- FritzBox 4020