RT-AX88U Pro vs GT-AX6000, why GT is much cheaper?

[AlexP11223]

Currently in EU (amazon .de and local stores) GT-AX6000 is 190 EUR while AX88U Pro is around 250. On the US Amazon GT also seems to be $30 cheaper.

As I understand they are almost the same, so why such price difference? Is GT missing something?

 

[sl4fko]

No.

GT is not missing anything. It is just an older model than AX88U Pro, that is all (so theoretically longer support?). Apart from the look, I personally find my GT more useful because it has 2 USB ports and 88U Pro has only one. Other than that, basically the same hardware.

 

[bbunge]

The AX86U Pro should be cheaper yet than the AX88U Pro and you really loose nothing for the money. And the AX86U Pro has a USB2 and USB3 port.

 

[Tech9]

GT-AX6000 is 190 EUR while AX88U Pro is around 250

Both are well below 100 EUR and the price to you depends on many different factors. One of them is stock level.

 

[AlexP11223]

The AX86U Pro should be cheaper yet than the AX88U Pro and you really loose nothing for the money. And the AX86U Pro has a USB2 and USB3 port.

It has only one 2.5G port.

 

[Roy2002]

AX88U Pro is GT-AX88U minus USB2.0 port.l

 

[Ripshod]

AX88U Pro is GT-AX88U minus USB2.0 port.l

I'm sure you mean RT-AX88U (not GT), in which case the RT-AX88U doesn't have a usb2.0 port either - they're both usb3.0
Too pedantic? Ignore me. Happy New Year.

 

[sfx2000]

Currently in EU (amazon .de and local stores) GT-AX6000 is 190 EUR while AX88U Pro is around 250. On the US Amazon GT also seems to be $30 cheaper.

Referencing the AX6000 - one has to be careful, as there is market dependent branding on that one, and some are on MediaTek and some on Broadcom...

Running on stock Asus firmware, it's not a big deal, but the path for 3rd party is very different...

 

[sl4fko]

I'm sure you mean RT-AX88U (not GT), in which case the RT-AX88U doesn't have a usb2.0 port either - they're both usb3.0
Too pedantic? Ignore me. Happy New Year.

Yes and no.

RT-AX88U PRO is basically identical to GT-AX6000 hardware wise but without a second USB (2.0) port.

RT-AX88U non-PRO has 8 LAN GbE ports (NO 2.5 GbE LAN & WAN!) and a bit weaker CPU (1.8 GHz vs 2 GHz).

WIFI capabilities are the same with all 3 of them.

 

[Roy2002]

No.

GT is not missing anything. It is just an older model than AX88U Pro, that is all (so theoretically longer support?). Apart from the look, I personally find my GT more useful because it has 2 USB ports and 88U Pro has only one. Other than that, basically the same hardware.

GT is RT-AX88U PRO + extra USB port.

 

[CaptainSTX]

GT is RT-AX88U PRO + extra USB port.

For most users the AX88U Pro only having a single USB port probably should not be a deciding factor in selecting or not selecting this router. I have plugged a USB 2.0 hub into my AX88 Pros' USB port and then connected a thumb drive, small SSD drive and a laser printer to the hub. All the connected USB devices work fine with no issues. I use the USB storage devices just for addon scripts and my swap file which the AX88 Pro doesn't need.

 

[Roy2002]

For most users the AX88U Pro only having a single USB port probably should not be a deciding factor in selecting or not selecting this router. I have plugged a USB 2.0 hub into my AX88 Pros' USB port and then connected a thumb drive, small SSD drive and a laser printer to the hub. All the connected USB devices work fine with no issues. I use the USB storage devices just for addon scripts and my swap file which the AX88 Pro doesn't need.

Do you have power supply for USB hub? If not, that's quite some power from router.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Do you have power supply for USB hub? If not, that's quite some power from router.

It is just a simple USB 2 Hub. No external power. I will hook a meter up and see how many AMPs the three devices draw. Printer is only switched on when I need to print a lot of B/W copies of a document.

 

[Tech9]

and see how many AMPs

I can't be in Amps. USB 3.x with A connector can supply 900mA to powered by the port devices. This is not USB PD port.

 

[CaptainSTX]

I can't be in Amps. USB 3.x with A connector can supply 900mA to powered by the port devices. This is not USB PD port.

You are correct. The meter I have is designed to measure power coming from a charger and not power being used so probably can't be used to test what I said I was going to do.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Do you have power supply for USB hub? If not, that's quite some power from router.

I had a chance today to check the power usage by plugging my Klein Tools USB digital meter in between the router's USB port and the USB hub I am using. The meter will measure between 3V - 20V and up to 3 Amps. With both USB drives connected and the printer ON the three devices were pulling 4.96V and 0.35A.

 

[Tech9]

The printer uses the USB port for communication only. Try copying data to/from USB drives simultaneously and measure again. If the current approaches 900mA - better use external power supply.

 

[CaptainSTX]

The printer uses the USB port for communication only. Try copying data to/from USB drives simultaneously and measure again. If the current approaches 900mA - better use external power supply.

The readings shown were taken while running backups using BACKUPMON and with the printer on. I run a primary and secondary backup. One of the backups copies from the small SSD to the other USB drive both of which are plugged into the hub. The secondary backup goes from the SSD to my NAS.

If the printer is powered off, which is most of the time, then the two storage device plugged into the hub pull 0.27 amps.

 

[Tech9]

You have some really power efficient drives. Thanks for caring about our planet!

 

[TheLostSwede]

Referencing the AX6000 - one has to be careful, as there is market dependent branding on that one, and some are on MediaTek and some on Broadcom...

Running on stock Asus firmware, it's not a big deal, but the path for 3rd party is very different...

One MTK one is a TUF model that looks very different to the ROG model with Broadcom hardware.