ASUS RT-AC87U / R Price and Availability

[Cjopp]

I work at a Best Buy in New Jersey that started selling them today as well. Beastly looking router. I've been scouring the net for any reviews or even just more details on the specs but haven't had much luck finding anything.. yet.

Edit: Oh and our system shows it's supposed to be out on the 20th, so only 5 days early.

I work at Best Buy in Missouri and checked RSS when we got them in on truck. It said the street date was June 6th so I don't know if the system had it wrong and it was corrected but I would assume thats why some stores have them out and some don't.
I saw it, got excited then checked the date and put them out. I just bought my Nighthawk at the end of June, will wait to see if worth it to exchange after reviews out I guess!

 

[DKkiller83]

BBY Employee info

So I'm a Best Buy employee and today I say one of these puppies stroll into the store. We had never seen one before and it outclassed the ones we had currently. We figured that someone had used our order management system to order it specially but decided not to get it when it was time to pick it up in store. Needless to say I was not gonna let some random customer get it before me so I snatched it up for a BITCHIN employee discount (10.00$ more than the Nighthawk W/ discount). Come to find out that it isn't an active item until the 20th of this month, hell its SKU isn't even a registered item yet on our website. Tried registering it on the ASUS website and to my surprise it isn't an item that is listed on THEIR website yet. Tried to call the tech support and figure out what the deal was but that went nowhere. At this point it won't even be an "announced product" until the 20th. IF you want to see if your local BBY has one, go to computer associate and ask him to RSS the UPC 886227648399. It will show if they have one in the store (but not put out on display) there is no problem ringing up the item in the POS so depending on the person you talk to they may just let you walk out with it a day before the release...

 

[Wolf26pack]

Not to go off Topic

So I'm a Best Buy employee and today I say one of these puppies stroll into the store. We had never seen one before and it outclassed the ones we had currently. We figured that someone had used our order management system to order it specially but decided not to get it when it was time to pick it up in store. Needless to say I was not gonna let some random customer get it before me so I snatched it up for a BITCHIN employee discount (10.00$ more than the Nighthawk W/ discount). Come to find out that it isn't an active item until the 20th of this month, hell its SKU isn't even a registered item yet on our website. Tried registering it on the ASUS website and to my surprise it isn't an item that is listed on THEIR website yet. Tried to call the tech support and figure out what the deal was but that went nowhere. At this point it won't even be an "announced product" until the 20th. IF you want to see if your local BBY has one, go to computer associate and ask him to RSS the UPC 886227648399. It will show if they have one in the store (but not put out on display) there is no problem ringing up the item in the POS so depending on the person you talk to they may just let you walk out with it a day before the release...

Not to go off topic, but what percentage is the employee discount at Bestbuy? I've heard it was like 15% off new products and 50% off of opened or Demo products? Is that right? Because I was thinking of applying at one

 

[Raiu]

Not to go off topic, but what percentage is the employee discount at Bestbuy? I've heard it was like 15% off new products and 50% off of opened or Demo products? Is that right? Because I was thinking of applying at one

It's awesome I'm not a bob employee but I've had a few friends that were. It's 5% above cost and most items at bb are marked up 100% to 200% especially rocket fish items witch an hdmi cable he got was 5$ no joke here are some items that are not marked up like tv and game consoles . I've tried to get a job to just get the discount lol... Now back to the thread.

 

[maxtoid]

It's awesome I'm not a bob employee but I've had a few friends that were. It's 5% above cost and most items at bb are marked up 100% to 200% especially rocket fish items witch an hdmi cable he got was 5$ no joke here are some items that are not marked up like tv and game consoles . I've tried to get a job to just get the discount lol... Now back to the thread.

"Rumor has it" that BB employees get it for $157.50 before tax. They also get the R8000 for $223.64. Sticking with the 5% above cost theory... the new AC3200 tri-radio routers must cost a lot more to make.... Interesting stuff.

 

[Raiu]

"Rumor has it" that BB employees get it for $157.50 before tax. They also get the R8000 for $223.64. Sticking with the 5% above cost theory... the new AC3200 tri-radio routers must cost a lot more to make.... Interesting stuff.

Yeah. I wish they still worked there.

 

[Wolf26pack]

Bestbuy Exclusive?

Then why not put the announcement date on the 21st? Who came up with that 20th date, by the way? Is that confirmed information?

It seems like the only place you can find it online or in store is Bestbuy. Maybe its a Bestbuy exclusive? I can’t find it at Amazon, Newegg, Fry’s or anywhere else for that matter. Plus like you said ASUS still hasn’t announced it yet. Very confusing!!

 

[neil0311]

It seems like the only place you can find it online or in store is Bestbuy. Maybe its a Bestbuy exclusive? I can’t find it at Amazon, Newegg, Fry’s or anywhere else for that matter. Plus like you said ASUS still hasn’t announced it yet. Very confusing!!

The RT-AC87R is in stock at my local BestBuy store in the Atlanta suburbs. $269 is the price.

 

[jmantn]

After confirming my store had them in stock via BestBuy.com I went to a local BestBuy and they weren't out on the shelves but they did go in back and get me one when I asked. They didn't even know they had them in or that they were getting these.

$269 for me as well and I had a gift card with some credit so wasn't that painful of a purchase. Hoping this helps with coverage issues I've experienced with 68U and looking forward to running Merlin's build on this beast.

BTW I've had an R7000 and this looks way more elegant and better made. My 2¢

 

[jim769]

After confirming my store had them in stock via BestBuy.com I went to a local BestBuy and they weren't out on the shelves but they did go in back and get me one when I asked. They didn't even know they had them in or that they were getting these.

$269 for me as well and I had a gift card with some credit so wasn't that painful of a purchase. Hoping this helps with coverage issues I've experienced with 68U and looking forward to running Merlin's build on this beast.

BTW I've had an R7000 and this looks way more elegant and better made. My 2¢

Please post back when you get it up and running with how you like it.

 

[clayhans]

Please post back when you get it up and running with how you like it.

O.K. Folks here you go! http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-ex...855&skuId=7230042&st=asus rt-ac87u&cp=1&lp=1:)

 

[sm00thpapa]

Not on Amazon yet, surprising.

 

[RMerlin]

Not on Amazon yet, surprising.

This seems to be a BB exclusive for now. Same thing will happen in Canada, as it will be available from BB Canada in early August, and other Canadian retailers will only get it at the end of August.

Could be a way for Asus to deal with the current limited inventories, giving them time to ramp up production.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Yeah must be. My local best buy had about 20 on the shelf today and the clerk said they had boxes load of these in the back.

 

[damir]

This seems to be a BB exclusive for now. Same thing will happen in Canada, as it will be available from BB Canada in early August, and other Canadian retailers will only get it at the end of August.

Could be a way for Asus to deal with the current limited inventories, giving them time to ramp up production.

Do you expect to see this around 1st in Canada?
Recently, ive got R7000, but, i don't want to pass 30 days if i decide to return it and try this new Asus?

Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

Do you expect to see this around 1st in Canada?
Recently, ive got R7000, but, i don't want to pass 30 days if i decide to return it and try this new Asus?

Thanks

No idea. Asus simply said "early August".

 

[damir]

Understood, thanks again.

 

[neil0311]

BTW I've had an R7000 and this looks way more elegant and better made. My 2¢

I've got 14 days left to return the RT-AC87R if I don't like it. Had thought about an R7000 or the new R8000 when it arrives.

From reading the Netgear forums, my take is the R7000 is not very stable and extremely buggy. Not wanting to discuss the details here, but have you found the same?

Obviously the AC87R firmware is a little buggy, but it does appear to be pretty stable so far. No crashes, freezes, or connectivity issues...so far.

 

[RMerlin]

What's the difference between the AC87R and U? I need to hear more about this router and other peoples thoughts.

R is a SKU intended for Retailers, such as Best Buy. The hardware and firmware is absolutely identical. The webui will display 87U or 87R based on the model number written inside the bootloader.

 

[sm00thpapa]

U and R no difference. R stands for retail.