ARRIS SURFboard SB8200 is one of the most popular DOCSIS 3.1-powered modems that offer an excellent price-to-value ratio. But is it worth picking up in 2023? Can it handle Gigabit speeds in the real world? Let’s find out!
Before coming up with this review, I used this cable modem with ASUS ZenWiFi XD6 (one of the most capable WiFi mesh systems) on Comcast Xfinity’s Gigabit plan. I performed various activities to experience maximized internet throughput and its performance on multiple devices.
This article is a result of my six-week-long usage & observation. Let’s get to know its capabilities and reliability in the following review of the ARRIS SB8200!
Product Name: ARRIS Surfboard SB8200
Product Description: ARRIS SB8200 is one of the most popular modems backed by DOCSIS 3.1, with 32 downstream and 8 upstream channels. It works best with internet plans of 800 Mbps to 1 Gbps
Brand: ARRIS
Offer price: 147.42
Currency: USD
Availability: InStock
Short Review
ARRIS SB8200 has been my top recommendation for gigabit internet. Its smoother operation without data packet loss makes a compelling case. For around $150, it’s a great deal!
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Hardware
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Plans Support
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ISP Compatibility
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Performance
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Port Setup
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Cost to Value
Pros
- DOCSIS 3.1 technology
- Offers gigabit speed
- 32 x 8 channel bonding
- Easy to install & set up
- Helpful LED indicators
- Works with multiple ISPs
Cons
- Gets warm sometimes
Contents
ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 Specs
If you’re interested in real-time performance rather than the specs, skip to the review part.
| Modem Technology | DOCSIS 3.1 |
| Backward Compatibility | Yes |
| Channel Bonding | 32 x 8 |
| Ports | 2 x Gig Ethernet |
| Phone Jack | No |
| Modem Router Combo | No |
| Suitable Internet Plan | Up to 800 Mbps |
| Compatible ISPs | Cox, Xfinity, Spectrum, Mediacom, WOW!, Midco, and Sparklight. |
| Processor | Broadcom BCM3390 |
| RAM | 3GB |
| NAND Storage | 128MB |
| Dimensions | 5.24 x 5.24 x 1.65 inches |
| Weight | 1.48 pounds |
ARRIS SB8200 Review [2023]
In the subsequent sections, I shall review this ARRIS cable modem across multiple parameters while discussing each aspect at length.
ARRIS SB8200 Speeds & Throughput
With SB8200, ARRIS promises to support cable-based internet plans of up to 1000 Mbps. The speeds offered were great when measured with an Xfinity Gigabit connection paired with a TP-Link AXE75 Wi-Fi 6E router.
Number-wise, the download speed reached 902 Mbps. On the other hand, the upload speed could get 35 Mbps at max. Note that this speed test was measured 15 feet away from the internet equipment place.
Plus, the speeds were consistent, unlike the SB6190 modem. I had a seamless internet experience with my laptop, work PC, a smartphone, and it also hosted some smart-home gadgets and security cameras. I enjoyed binge-watching shows, gaming on PS5, and performing more bandwidth-hungry activities.
Associated Networking Technologies
As mentioned in the beginning, the SB8200 sports DOCSIS 3.1 modem technology. Paired with 2×2 OFDM/OFDMA and 32 x 8 channels, it gets enough channels to support seamless connectivity.
Also, SB8200 is strictly a cable-mem-only device, not a modem-router combo. So you’d need a good dual-band or tri-band router to pair it with.
The existing processing setup makes way for IPv6 support to improve browsing performances, significantly.
The cable modem is also backward compatible, which means it can work with internet services with older DOCSIS infrastructures or low-speed internet plans. So overall, in terms of networking technologies, ARRIS SB8200 gives tough competition to Motorola MB8600 and others in the $150 price segment.
Ports & Wired Connectivity
This modem throws in two GigE ports for faster-wired connections. And that even lets on the absence of built-in routing facilities.
What is promising to note is that Arris even offers Link Aggregation support, thereby making it easier for you to experience multi-gig speeds.
The 2-port setup allows you to handle two separate internet connections easily, provided your ISP provides another usable IP address.
Compatibility with Internet Providers
The SB8200 boasts multi-ISP support. Since it supports a maximum of 800 Mbps of throughput, I recommend pairing it with a relevant plan from the below-listed ISPs.
Note: This modem isn’t accommodative towards DSL or Fiber Optic ISPs such as CenturyLink, Verizon FiOS, and even the ones that offer bundled voice services.
Design & Build
The SB8200 from Arris is an exceptionally good-looking cable modem with dimensions tagged at 5.24 x 5.24 x 1.65 inches. I like the white-colored compact form factor, conflated with an array of strategically placed, heat-dissipating vents.
However, there is much more to this Surfboard series modem than just a minimal design. The matte finish makes the product look premium, a feature that the SB8200 shares with the likes of SB6190, SB6141, and even the SB6183, from the same company.
Delving deeper into the distinctive design also made me realize that the Arris SB8200 sports four LEDs in the front at two in the rear. You may read about ARRIS modem lights to understand what they mean or indicate.
However, a special mention needs to be there for the quick installation and setup, with the web interface quite easy to get around, making activation simpler and seamless.
Hardware Specs
The best thing about the SB8200 is its ditches an Intel Puma chipset for an efficient Broadcom processor. The SoC works with 3GB RAM, making cutting through congestion and network latency easier.
What’s important to note is that the Broadcom BCM3390 is fast and lets you adhere to 32 x 8 channels. The DOCSIS 3.1 support enables you to manage gig connections, provided the ISP supports the same. It also comprises 128MB of flash memory to store network configurations and updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the SB8200 from Arris is strictly future-proof owing to the DOCSIS 3.1 technology and 2×2 OFDM/OFDMA support. However, for this technology to have an impact, even the ISP will have to upgrade its hardware and beef up the internet plans.
While the maximum speed offered by each port depends on your internet plan, for a gig internet plan, you can safely assume 950Mbps as the peak speed, owing to the exceptional processing hardware in play.
The hardware setup associated with this modem keeps latency to a minimum, qualifying it as one of the better bets for bandwidth-intensive tasks like gaming.
Verdict
If you are in the market for an all-inclusive modem that doesn’t only promise higher speeds but even a top-notch processing setup, ARRIS SB8200 is the device to consider.
After testing it extensively for 6 weeks at a stretch as my primary modem, I feel that big business houses, telemarketing firms, and professional gamers can immensely benefit from this avant-garde modem.
I’ve also compared this modem with its competitors:
I’ve been using the SB8200 with Comcast, I bought it after going through your list here and I must say that it’s one of the best-rated DOCSIS 3.1 modems available!
Here is my constructive feedback about my experience. Installation went very smoothly using Charter Spectrum technical representative support for provisioning. It is an excellent modem and worked worked very well, However, the first night I noticed this modem was a bright blaze of lights – too bright for comfortable use next to your computer, or if you need to sleep in the same room. Additionally, during daytime the individual status lights were difficult to assess – being overwhelmed by the bright blue download LED. Also, when I went to look at the status logs I found all channels had a large number of errors with many of them being uncorrectable. This did not seem to a fact performance upload or download. This may have been a Spectrum provisioning problem. By the way the Arris modem cannot clear the event log.
Upgraded from my previous DOCSIS 3.0 24×8 modem. I now see speed up to 850-900Mbps when connected directly.
Note that on my Xfinity network there are only 32×4 bonded channels (from the web interface config).