5G Drag Race Episode 1
In this 5G drag race, the Cradlepoint R1900 and Peplink MAX BR1 Pro 5G represent two different classes of heavy-hitters.
The R1900 is the ruggedized tank of the fleet world—built for massive enterprise deployments with strict NetCloud management, IP64 durability, and expandable dock options for complex vehicle setups.
In the other lane, the Peplink MAX BR1 Pro 5G is the agile rally car, often clocking higher raw throughput speeds (up to 1 Gbps) and utilizing proprietary SpeedFusion technology to bond connections for unbreakable reliability at a more accessible price point.
While the R1900 wins on scalable fleet control, the BR1 Pro 5G takes the flag for agility, cost-effectiveness, and connectivity resilience.
The Contestants
Ericsson Cradlepoint R1900
| Metric | Value | Unit | Rationale |
| Cost (TCO) | $1,999 | Dollars | Provided cost (includes 1-year license). |
| Annual Data Plan | $1,200 | Dollars | (Typical Estimate of $100/month estimate). |
| Download Speed | 128.66 | Mbps | Provided test result. |
| Upload Speed | 4.29 | Mbps | Provided test result. |
| Device Capacity | 100 | Devices | Assumed typical specification for this class of router. |
Peplink MAX Pro BR1 5G
| Metric | Value | Unit | Rationale |
| Cost (TCO) | $999 | Dollars | Provided cost (includes 1-year license). |
| Annual Data Plan | $1,200 | Dollars | (Typical Estimate of $100/month estimate, same as R1900). |
| Download Speed | 114 | Mbps | Provided test result. |
| Upload Speed | 1.65 | Mbps | Provided test result. |
| Device Capacity | 150 | Devices | Assumed specification (higher for this class). |
The Calculations
The 5G-PI Value.
It represents the overall ratio of the router’s aggregated performance metrics (Upload, Latency, and Capacity) divided by its cost.
5G Drag Race: 5G-PI Results
| Metric | Cradlepoint R1900 | Peplink MAX BR1 Pro 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware Cost | $1,999 | $999 |
| Annual Data Plan | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Total Cost (TCO) | $3,199 | $2,199 |
| Upload Speed | 4.29 Mbps | 1.65 Mbps |
| Latency (Ping) | 42 ms | 42 ms |
| Device Capacity | 100 Devices | 150 Devices |
| Performance Score (Num) | 128.10 | 175.46 |
| Final 5G-PI Score | 4.00 | 7.98 🏆 |
Note: Peplink scores approximately 2x higher due to significantly lower TCO and higher rated capacity relative to price.
Cost Per Mbps Per Year Calculation
Cradlepoint R1900
This metric normalizes the total annual cost against the measured download throughput.
Step 1: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
TCO = Hardware/License Cost + Annual Data Plan
TCO = $1,999 + $1,200 = $3,199
Step 2: Cost Per Mbps Calculation
Cost per Mbps per Year = Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)Download Speed
Cost per Mbps per Year = $3,199128.66 Mbps ≈ $24.86
PEPLINK Max Pro BR1 5G
This metric normalizes the total annual cost against the measured download throughput.
Step 1: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
TCO = Hardware/License Cost + Annual Data Plan
TCO = $999 + $1,200 = $2,199
Step 2: Cost Per Mbps Calculation
Cost per Mbps per Year = Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)Download Speed
Cost per Mbps per Year = $2,199114.00 Mbps ≈ $19.29
Note: This calculation includes the $1,999 router cost (which covers the 1-year license) plus $1,200 for the estimated annual data plan ($100/month).