Netgear Nighthawk X8 Tri-Band Wireless and similar items

I am a long-time Netgear Router/AP user. Every few years I upgrade my equipment for the latest wireless standards. I have not been disappointed in this round. First, the impression during the unboxing was much better than expected. The packaging was sturdy but not overdone with hold-downs or excessive padding to sort through. The size of the unit is not to be ignored; this is a BIG unit, so make room in your equipment area. The setup was easy but this helped by the fact that I was replacing a Netgear unit. They have added to; but not dramatically changed their setup interface which is just what I was hoping for. As far as performance; I replaced two APs with the single centrally-located AP and signal levels have gone up and rates have improved throughout the house; both at 5GHz and 2.4GHz. While this improvement was expected it is great to have it confirmed in signals. I am happy I made the upgrade investment. This device will handle a heavy load for years to come (assuming reliability is the same as previous Netgear Router/AP versions).