ASUS is entering the realm of quad-band with one of the first quad-band options offered to gamers looking to get the most out of their network. The new Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 Wi-Fi 6E router will be released later this quarter to help keep up with the never-ending demand for bandwidth as we surround ourselves with IoT and bandwidth-demanding games, content streaming, and more.
The new router will compete with options like Netgear’s quad-band mesh solution that is currently available. Only ASUS’ model doesn’t feature the benefits of mesh. However, where it lacks in mesh support, it benefits from features tuned specifically for gamers and other enthusiasts looking for a little more power.
One noticable feature is a 10Gbps port on the back, as well as a 2.5Gbp WAN port. This is in addition to the four 1Gbps ports for normal gigabit devices, switches, or anything else you decide to plug in. You can also bond two of those 1Gbps ports together to create 2Gbps with devices that support the same. This allows for a lot of bandwidth between your wired connections and support for future ISP packages as we grow past gigabit connectivity running out of the home.
All of those ports can also be used as a WAN port as well, allowing for dual ISP options for the obsessed users who just can’t risk any downtime.
The three wireless bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz) combine together to offer up to 16Gbps throughput wirelessly between all connected devices (theoretically though as we never really see these numbers in the real world with any router).
From killer hardware to solid bandwidth management, this router is looking to be a flagship for ASUS this year and it will be coming later this quarter. MSRP is a bit high at $649, but that’s no surprise with the price of routers these days. It also falls less than the quand-band mesh solution we mentioned earlier. So this will be an option for serious users and not the average user. However, there is no doubt that the demand will be high for this one.
