Linksys Re-launches WRT32X Gaming router

[thiggins]

Linksys today opened up pre-ordering for the WRT32X Gaming Router announced at January's CES2017.

As noted at the time of announcement, the Marvell-based router is basically a WRT3200ACM with Rivet Networks' Killer networking technology built in, black "stealth" styling and a restyled GUI, all calculated to attract gamers like flies to honey.

Linksys claims the built-in Killer Prioritization Engine reduces "peak" ping times up to 77%, but only for PCs equipped with Killer network hardware. Killer-equipped PCs and mobos are available from Dell, Gigabyte, MSI, Razer and others.

Key hardware specs include 1.8 GHz Dual-Core ARM CPU, 802.11ac Wave 2 Dual-band 3x3 wireless radio, 256 MB flash, 512MB of DDR3 RAM and gigabit WAN (1) and 4-port LAN Ethernet switch. USB 3.0 and eSATA ports are there to support high-throughput storage sharing.

Prospective buyers would be advised to not be misled by the Linksys' AC3200 class rating for the 32X. What you're getting for practical purposes is a 3x3 AC1900 class with one 5 GHz radio that supports contiguous 160 MHz bandwidth. The stated 3200 Mbps maximum link rate math works out to 600 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + 2600 Mbps (5 GHz) = 3200. If you don't have a device that supports 160 MHz bandwidth, the 5 GHz link rate falls back to 1300 Mbps, which added to the 2.4 GHz 600 Mbps yields 1900 Mbps.

If you want to get in line for shipments starting September 21, you can pre-order right now at Amazon, BestBuy and Linksys.com.

 

[sm00thpapa]

The Linksys WRT32X finally goes on sale for pre-orders. Ships 21 September 2017.

https://www.linksys.com/us/wrt32x-g...mpaign=wrt32x-preview-email&utm_content=video

 

[pege63]

This has been said with every Gaming Router, which later turned out to be no better than a regular one

 

[pete y testing]

reduces "peak" ping times up to 77%,

yes a claim that cant be verified or measured outside the local area network and it has no control over things like distance to server or the like and is of little use to most outside the usa where most gaming servers seem to live as there is no getting out of the 150 - 200ms ping we get here in oz for instance to servers in the usa

at $299 for a 1900ac router its a bit steep but im sure there are those that will buy it pre order and have em big buyers remorse

 

[Makaveli]

lol gotta love the marketing. Novice users with more money than sense will buy these up. Anyone with basic networking knowledge will know better.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Novices will eat this up for sure. Gaming PC novices mouths are watering right now.

 

[sfx2000]

I think the new linksys (belkin) is still trying to sort out where to place the WRT product line in the long term as the WRT's compete directly against their EA platforms.

It's been a hard fit for them, the WRT's vs more consumer oriented QCA/Broadcom based devices - and the WRT/Marvell line has always had a higher bill of material compared to the EA's... I've always had an appreciation for the new-line WRT hardware - it's really good... and it's been held back by the consumer oriented Linksys Smart WiFi software...

I get that the gamer thing, well, see above...

Linksys isn't the only router/AP player targeting the gamer market - and it's a good market to find a place in...

 

[RMerlin]

lol gotta love the marketing. Novice users with more money than sense will buy these up. Anyone with basic networking knowledge will know better.

Them pointing out how Gigabit was "Pro-grade" and "10x faster than Fast Ethernet" made me giggle. Aside from the fact that Gigabit has been on the market for many years already, to me "pro-grade" in 2017 would imply 10 Gbps.

 

[RMerlin]

Linksys isn't the only router/AP player targeting the gamer market - and it's a good market to find a place in...

The gamer market is a great place to sell snake oil at inflated price.

Not blaming the companies that do it, mind you - I blame the customers in this case.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Them pointing out how Gigabit was "Pro-grade" and "10x faster than Fast Ethernet" made me giggle. Aside from the fact that Gigabit has been on the market for many years already, to me "pro-grade" in 2017 would imply 10 Gbps.

So true Merlin. I thought the same exact thing. When I first read PRO GRADE my first thoughts were 5 10Gb ports. I had to chuckle at the 1Gb ports that have been around for like 5 years already. At least the price is $299.99 and not near the ridiculous $400.00 range.

 

[Makaveli]

The gamer market is a great place to sell snake oil at inflated price.

Not blaming the companies that do it, mind you - I blame the customers in this case.

I agree with you there is now so much information available these days on the internet I see it as lazy if you allow yourself to get suckered into paying for the gamer bling.

 

[Razor512]

yes a claim that cant be verified or measured outside the local area network and it has no control over things like distance to server or the like and is of little use to most outside the usa where most gaming servers seem to live as there is no getting out of the 150 - 200ms ping we get here in oz for instance to servers in the usa

at $299 for a 1900ac router its a bit steep but im sure there are those that will buy it pre order and have em big buyers remorse

Are you trying to say that an overpriced router won't open a wormhole leading to the server you want to connect to, and place your packets directly on the same network that the server is on?

 

[pete y testing]

an overpriced router won't open a wormhole leading to the server you want to connect to, and place your packets directly on the same network that the server is on?

nicely put and yes in a nutshell lol

 

[sfx2000]

Them pointing out how Gigabit was "Pro-grade" and "10x faster than Fast Ethernet" made me giggle. Aside from the fact that Gigabit has been on the market for many years already, to me "pro-grade" in 2017 would imply 10 Gbps.

Marketing...

That being said - the WRT's have always been interesting for some...

As AP's, they're actually not that bad...

 

[ben805]

The gamer market is a great place to sell snake oil at inflated price.

Not blaming the companies that do it, mind you - I blame the customers in this case.

Asus and many other companies love to promote their stuff with cool sounding phrase like..."Japanese Capacitors" and threw in a a few useless features on their ROG series motherboards, sold them close to $500 for the hardcore "gamerz" and those boards were flying off the shelves, with huge followers supporting it. In reality those gamer boards do not overclock or perform any better than their mid-line Deluxe version that cost half the price. A lot of companies followed suit slapping Gamer labels all over their stuff because such marketing strategy worked! lol

 

[pege63]

As AP's, they're actually not that bad...

Yes but this one is a "GAME" router

 

[thiggins]

Why didn't you guys pile on ASUS for its ROG router?

 

[Makaveli]

Why didn't you guys pile on ASUS for its ROG router?

lol don't worry the asus line gets just as much hate for the marketing fluff and being over priced. I recently berated a friend for spending $499 CAD on the Asus ROG Rapture AC5300.

And his reasoning it will "Improve his ping times in wow"..........

 

[pete y testing]

Why didn't you guys pile on ASUS for its ROG router?

i did , and stated so , as i have with this one

lack of understanding from the punters is why all of these manufactures make such unprovable claims as games as gamers as so focused on ping nothing else matters

 

[ddarko]

The gamer market is a great place to sell snake oil at inflated price.

Not blaming the companies that do it, mind you - I blame the customers in this case.

I could not disagree more strongly with the notion that it's ok for a business to sell "snake oil" with overinflated claims that they know in many circumstances will never be achieved and that the "blame" rests entirely on people for not figuring out what is or isn't accurate. The party in the best position to know the capabilities of a product are the people who make it - the onus should rest on them to make plain and accurate statements. Of course some level of common sense and due diligence is required of any interested buyer but turning to technically oriented forums and sites such as this should be an option for those of us interested in this stuff, not a necessity for everyone to sort out the one sliver of truth from the mountain of marketing obfuscation that has unfortunately become the norm in this area.