Asus AC68U: overkill? N66U better value/needs?

[Phil_wifi]

Hey guys!

I am looking to replace my current D-Link DIR 300 router with an Asus one.

Found a great deal for an AC68U but I am unsure if it is too much and if I should rather go for a (cheaper) N66U.

My household includes:

• 2 iPhones 4s (planned to be upgraded with this years models iPhone 6)
• 1 ac MacBook
• 1 n MacBook
• 1 iPad 2
• Apple TV (planned)

My apartment is 90m2 (970 square feet) some thick stone walls

• 80% usage within 3m (10 feet) from rooter
• 10% outside, router on 2. level, ca. 50m (164 feet), some walls
• 10% 5m (16 feet) radius

I frequently stream movies, use Airplay, FaceTime, Skype, web radio.

I have a 32MBit connection, may upgrade to 50 or 100. (Side question: how does N and AC matter in regard to ISP speed?)

What do you think?


Philip

 

[L&LD]

Let me ask a few questions:

How long do you expect this new router to last you for?

Do you get new devices periodically?

Do you upgrade the wireless cards in the devices you have?


Depending on those answers (and I'm assuming some here);

I would suggest the RT-AC68U is the best choice today if you're considering replacing any new router you buy around 2019 or so.

Even if you could wait for June when the AC2300 class routers are supposed to be available, that doesn't mean they will be appreciably better than the AC1900 class routers we can buy now. Or that they'll be as stable (for the first few months).

I have an RT-N66U and use my customer's RT-AC66U and RT-AC56U's almost daily. Everything points to the RT-AC68U as being even better (I will test one myself when I can). And both my customer's AC networks are more capable than my N900 class router.

The last one I bought an RT-AC66U for; the price difference was $19 less for the RT-N66U. Not worth the downgrade, imo. They agreed and they'll get far more use from the RT-AC66U they chose over the next few years than the $19 they would have saved now.

 

[sinshiva]

minor addition; being that he's in an apartment, i'd +1 the ac56 route. gives him dual core performance if (or when) his connection is upgraded to 100mbit, timemachine, etc. and still saves him a more meaningful amount of money over the ac68.

i particularly like the ac56 because i wont feel bad leaving that as the router while i'm using newer devices later on to act solely as APs. the only thing i'd upgrade from the ac56 to would be like a quadcore router, for the hell of it.

 

[Phil_wifi]

Hey L&LD,

I am not planning to update the router anytime soon after this.

New devices are coming every now an then, iPhones, maybe a new laptop next year, Apple TV this year.

I am looking for a bigger range to use WiFi in the garden, which is not possible at the moment, and I want to max out my internet connection. I am not sure if i do this already or what router speed I would need for that though.

Philip

 

[Phil_wifi]

Sinshiva,

N66U is 80€, AC56U is 100€, AC68U is 113€.

AC56U is 25% more expensive than N66, and AC68U 13% more than AC56U.

That's why I would either go cheap or go AC68U.

Exception would be any superiority of the AC56U over any of the other two.

 

[sinshiva]

ah, seeing as you are looking for the extra range, sounds like the ac68 will be your best bet. as far as the pricing goes; i'm seeing the ac56 at ~$114 whereas the ac68 is still ~$210, which is why i'd prefer the ac56. not that i knew you were overseas, but i wouldn't have expected the price to vary that much on the other side of the atlantic

 

[Phil_wifi]

Sinshiva, N66 and AC68 are refurbished and therefore cheaper.

 

[L&LD]

I would agree that for your requirements and the pricing you're seeing between products the RT-AC68U is the best and possibly only one (assuming all are within budget).

If the warranties are the same whether they are new or refurbished (or close enough), then the decision is made. The latest AC class routers (1750 and above) are obviously better than anything before them for range (and better than most of the lower class AC products after them too in most instances).

Btw, I don't like going by percentage points to decide if 'X' is better than 'Y'. The final result is always XXX dollars (or pounds) and for 33€ more than the RT-N66U over the expected life time use of the product (anything over 18 months), the extra funds are more than justified by the extra performance the better router offers.

Like I said; as long as you have the budget to buy either - buying a lesser product is the worse decision in the long run (performance and dollar wise).

 

[Phil_wifi]

I settled for the AC68. Thanks for your advice, guys!