This tri-band router (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) has been delivering dependable Wi-Fi to my entire dwelling for the previous couple of weeks. Video calls, film streaming, and gaming have been silky easy. Stability has been rock strong, with a single firmware replace that took a couple of minutes being the one downtime to this point. The RT-AXE7800 blew away many of the competitors for pace and latency at shut vary on each the 5-GHz and 6-GHz bands, and it turned in respectable outcomes over longer distances. Efficiency on the two.4-GHz band was common.
Vary is a weak spot of the 6-GHz band, as Wi-Fi 6E has restricted energy, so it tends to drop off sharply with partitions and different obstacles. However even with these limitations, the Asus RT-AXE7800 matched or bested most different Wi-Fi 6E routers I’ve examined, together with mesh methods just like the Nest Wifi Professional (7/10, WIRED Recommends) and Wyze Mesh Router Professional. It most intently matched the efficiency of the dearer Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 (7/10, WIRED recommends).
One potential weak spot I discovered with the Asus RT-AXE7800 was file switch speeds, a check the place I copy a 2.2-GB file from one PC on the community to a different. It constantly took greater than 4 minutes to finish this switch, which was barely under common. The final system I examined, the Eero Professional 6E, averaged a minute and 14 seconds.
Price Management
There’s a lot to contemplate when shopping for a router, so let’s drill into who the Asus RT-AXE7800 is for. Mesh methods could also be tempting, however a single router usually makes extra sense for folk with modest properties. The RT-AXE7800 supplied sooner speeds throughout most of my 1,600-square-foot dwelling than the vast majority of mesh methods I’ve examined. It will possibly’t compete on vary, however I had to enter my yard to really feel that.
Whereas the Wi-Fi 6E assist ought to solely tempt you you probably have gadgets able to connecting on that 6-GHz band, it might show very useful for those who reside in a congested space. In smaller properties or condo blocks the place your neighbor’s routers could trigger interference, connecting on that 6-GHz band might provide large jumps in pace and stability. When you do business from home with a Wi-Fi 6E-capable laptop computer or telephone and sit near the router (ideally in the identical room), the Asus RT-AXE7800 is an effective purchase.
Far too many routers and mesh methods these days require costly subscriptions if you would like parental controls or community safety. The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 is an effective instance, the place it prices $170 a yr to get each. Asus offers strong parental controls, enabling you to schedule downtime, filter inappropriate content material, and block particular actions. There’s additionally AiProtection Professional powered by Pattern Micro to ship across-the-board safety, together with a firewall, safety scans, intrusion prevention, malicious web site blocking, and extra. Asus consists of each without spending a dime for the lifetime of your RT-AXE7800 router, which is nice.
In case you have a bigger property, chances are you’ll favor one thing from our Greatest Mesh Wi-Fi Routers information, although it’s value noting that the AiMesh assist right here makes it simple to attach Asus routers to kind a mesh. When you do go this route and use the RT-AXE7800 as your principal router, a wired backhaul is suggested, as you don’t need the routers utilizing your 5-GHz band to attach with one another.
Of us content material to attend a bit longer for Wi-Fi 7 ought to contemplate a less expensive Wi-Fi 6 stopgap from our Greatest Wi-Fi Routers information. Whereas the RT-AXE7800 is kind of dear, it performs nicely, provides greater than equally priced Wi-Fi 6E alternate options, and harbors no hidden charges.