ROG GT-AX6000 (UK Black Friday Price)

[Cancellation]

Hi,

Is the ROG Rapture Gaming Router WIFI6 GT-AX6000 still king? Looking to replace my AC88U. Getting a little slow and I've treated myself to some WiFi 6 enabled devices lately.

I noticed it's on sale @ Very in the UK for £269.99 (Save £70) from £339.99. It's not dropped for many retailers here in the UK and I've honestly been checking weekly!

According to price comparison sites this is currently the cheapest price.

Worth the purchase? Or should I be looking at another model?


Usage:
I mostly use NextDNS CLI Client for adblocking and (sometimes but rarely) VPN.
1 Gaming PC and 1 non-gaming general browsing PC. CCTV system and iPhone/iPad (WiFi 6).


Thanks.

 

[L&LD]

This is the most hardware-balanced and highest throughput router I have used from Asus so far.

I am using one myself as an AiMesh node along with my RT-AX86U. I will be upgrading my RT-AX86U to another GT-AX6000 in the near future.

 

[Tech9]

Worth the purchase?

With the use described and the devices you currently have - NO. Your gaming PC is best wired - this is the lowest latency "setting". Your phones/tablets have nothing to do with >500Mbps connection - AC or AX doesn't matter. Your CCTV system is perhaps using 2.4GHz band - it won't go any faster. General browsing PC is perhaps okay with 100Mbps Internet - this is what you get from most websites. All can be handled by your current AC88U router easily. Sure you can spend the money on GT-AX6000, but your user experience won't change much. You won't get £269.99 worth of upgrade.

 

[jsz]

I had a poor experience with mine. DIdn't do well through walls in my environment, but YMMV.

 

[Tech9]

RT-AC88U has pretty good range from 2x BCM4366 4x4 radios. If the firmware settings are performance optimized (no TrendMicro bloatware) it can do full Gigabit to wired devices and >500Mbps to close 2-stream AC clients. GT-AX6000 to the same devices @Cancellation has is going to be more waste of money than an upgrade. Investing in better speed test numbers. Not to mention GT-AX6000 looks like a face hugger toy from ToysRUs.

 

[Cancellation]

This is the most hardware-balanced and highest throughput router I have used from Asus so far.

I am using one myself as an AiMesh node along with my RT-AX86U. I will be upgrading my RT-AX86U to another GT-AX6000 in the near future.

Sweet! It seems it's starting to get common here.

With the use described and the devices you currently have - NO. Your gaming PC is best wired - this is the lowest latency "setting". Your phones/tablets have nothing to do with >500Mbps connection - AC or AX doesn't matter. Your CCTV system is perhaps using 2.4GHz band - it won't go any faster. General browsing PC is perhaps okay with 100Mbps Internet - this is what you get from most websites. All can be handled by your current AC88U router easily. Sure you can spend the money on GT-AX6000, but your user experience won't change much. You won't get £269.99 worth of upgrade.

Yep, PC is wired. CAT7. 900Mbps. I know this won't make it go faster or reduce latency. Just wanted to know if it's worth a refresh not so much an upgrade.

The newer iPad and iPhone I have will make use of the Wi-Fi 6 though, no? Which the AC88U doesn't offer. I've no issues wired but WiFi 5GHz sucks!

Lucky to get 30Mbps out of my 1200Mbps connection. CCTV is all hard-wired so isn't using 2.4GHz band (right? as that's WiFi). Doorbell is 2.4GHz though over WiFi.

I'm just having bad time with Wi-Fi on the RT-AC88U. Especially 5GHz. I'm in the same room as my router the majority of the time and that drops out never mind in the other room (office) or downstairs lol.

Was more of "do I do a refresh while it's on offer and shockingly in stock here" than OMG I'm going to get SPEEEED! xD

Thanks all.

 

[Tech9]

The newer iPad and iPhone I have will make use of the Wi-Fi 6 though, no?

AC can do about 500Mbps on Wi-Fi, AX may reach 800Mbps. You won't see any real life difference on a phone or tablet.

I've no issues wired but WiFi 5GHz sucks!

AC88U as hardware is capable enough to cover your needs. I can't say anything without knowing your Wi-Fi settings though.

Was more of "do I do a refresh while it's on offer and shockingly in stock here" than OMG I'm going to get SPEEEED! xD

One issue with AC88U is the fact it stuck to 386 code firmware and won't get 388 update. Go get GT-AX6000 if you really want something new and the price is right for you. It will be supported for much longer and you can play with 388 firmware features now. Buy yourself a Christmas present.

 

[jsz]

AC can do about 500Mbps on Wi-Fi, AX may reach 800Mbps. You won't see any real life difference on a phone or tablet.

When I had a 1GB plan, my GT-AC2900 could do around 600mbps on 80mhz and around 930 mbps on 160mhz in 10-15 FT range. (2x2 AX210.. I assume 80mhz 4x4 AC client would also show max port numbers connected via 80mhz.)


I know that's a niche and useless metric through.

 

[Tech9]

Two RT-AC86U routers can do 2167Mbps link between them on AC 4x4 + TurboQAM. Common AC clients are 2x2 @80MHz though.

 

[John35]

AC can do about 500Mbps on Wi-Fi, AX may reach 800Mbps. You won't see any real life difference on a phone or tablet.



AC88U as hardware is capable enough to cover your needs. I can't say anything without knowing your Wi-Fi settings though.



One issue with AC88U is the fact it stuck to 386 code firmware and won't get 388 update. Go get GT-AX6000 if you really want something new and the price is right for you. It will be supported for much longer and you can play with 388 firmware features now. Buy yourself a Christmas present.

My RT-AC87U gets about 1GBps connections on 5GHz to a couple of media bridges on the next floor up, one currently 1170 Tx/570 Rx (the other is off, so less!), my iPad Pro is currently 867/867.
(I use the media bridges so can wire to devices with older/slower WiFi hardware.)

 

[Tech9]

my iPad Pro is currently 867/867

Link speed, not throughput.

 

[Cancellation]

AC can do about 500Mbps on Wi-Fi, AX may reach 800Mbps. You won't see any real life difference on a phone or tablet.

I never expect to see much difference on portable devices really regardless. I was more hoping for better signal/range if anything.

AC88U as hardware is capable enough to cover your needs. I can't say anything without knowing your Wi-Fi settings though.

I'm using the WiFi settings that L&LD covered in a forum post a while back and used different software InSSIDer/WiFi Analyzer/etc to play around with channels.

One issue with AC88U is the fact it stuck to 386 code firmware and won't get 388 update. Go get GT-AX6000 if you really want something new and the price is right for you. It will be supported for much longer and you can play with 388 firmware features now. Buy yourself a Christmas present.

What's new in the 388 update? I can see login captcha the WireGuard and stuff on this page but nothing jumps out as fancy new features?

I'm happy to spend the money if it's a good "long term" investment and can even pay over 6 months interest free (although I can afford outright but it's good to boost credit score) and been offered £99 for my AC88U.


My only hate with ASUS is geo filter and ping/heat map and stuff but I know this won't came to 388 (doubt ASUS will ever add it to any model) Other than "wtfast" which is terrible imo. Considered a Netduma R2 for gaming PC but lot of cash for a single feature/perk.

 

[Tech9]

I'm using the WiFi settings that L&LD covered

Ask @BreakingDad and @ColinTaylor for Wi-Fi settings advise instead. What you have in UK is different than general advice in North America. The use of Wi-Fi Analyzer type apps is common mistake when selecting the channel with more available throughput. Apps only show the number of APs per channel.

What's new in the 388 update?

Most likely there will be no more 386 firmware development. What's new in 388 is not that important. What's more important - your router may not get firmware updates from now on, including security updates. If you ask me - not that critical. I still believe GT-AX6000 is a waste of money in your case.

 

[BreakingDad]

Ask @BreakingDad and @ColinTaylor for Wi-Fi settings advise instead. What you have in UK is different than general advice in North America. The use of Wi-Fi Analyzer type apps is common mistake when selecting the channel with more available throughput. Apps only show the number of APs per channel.



Most likely there will be no more 386 firmware development. What's new in 388 is not that important. What's more important - your router may not get firmware updates from now on, including security updates. If you ask me - not that critical. I still believe GT-AX6000 is a waste of money in your case.

I used @L&LD settings when I first set mine up as well, but I've made tweaks over the year, some,but not all based on things I have read on the forums.

Here is what I am currently running, which works for me, but wifi is also dependant on your own environment and what you want to achieve, for example I use smart connect which is generally frowned upon by the community.

That said I do things my way, not necessarily the "best" way.

 

[Tech9]

Lucky to get 30Mbps out

I suspect @Cancellation has something totally wrong in settings like WMM disabled. If the hardware is not failing even the worst channel on 5GHz will work much better and at greater distance. Perhaps all this AC88U router needs a fresh start with reset to defaults and manual configuration.

 

[Cancellation]

I suspect @Cancellation has something totally wrong in settings like WMM disabled. If the hardware is not failing even the worst channel on 5GHz will work much better and at greater distance. Perhaps all this AC88U router needs a fresh start with reset to defaults and manual configuration.

Here are my settings. It's a fresh start and factory reset and manually re-set the settings (I never restore a backup file or anything).


Don't think I missed anything from L&LD's thread. But yes, I'm from the UK with Virgin Media Voom Gig1 (1200Mbps) like Shasarak but business not residential.

I use a lot of download a month according to my Virgin Media monthly data recap email. I download a LOT. Especially 8K 16-bit RAW footage. 1hr of video clocks in around 7TB, over 120GB per min

I'm in the top 5% of customers oops? lol.

"27TB data used up last month. You’re a download demon and rank in the top 5% among all our broadband customers.

 

[Tech9]

Here are my settings.

Lucky to get 30Mbps out of my 1200Mbps connection.

And you're getting only 30Mbps on the 5GHz band? This router can give you >500Mbps to 2-stream client, unless the hardware is failing.