AX58u V1 vs V2 (Same price) - which one should I pick?

[thejokr]

Hi all,

I’m choosing between ASUS RT-AX58U V1 and V2, both available at the same price.

From what I’ve gathered:

V1: Broadcom BCM6750, 1.5 GHz tri-core (3 cores), official Merlin support
V2: Broadcom BCM6756, 1.7 GHz quad-core (4 cores), Merlin via GNUton

Other specs (RAM, WiFi performance, etc.) seem mostly similar, so the main difference is CPU and firmware support.

My priorities are stability, long-term reliability, and Merlin.

For those with experience — is V2 actually better in real-world use, or is V1 still the safer choice?

Thanks!

 

[jksmurf]

I have an RT-AX58U v1 and an RT-AX3000 (exact same FW as v1) both running Merlin. I have no experience with v2, but am more than happy with v1 as Nodes which is what I use them both for now when I upgraded to another main.

The Merlin updates are more frequent for the v1 which is a plus IMO.

 

[thejokr]

I have an RT-AX58U v1 and an RT-AX3000 (exact same FW as v1) both running Merlin. I have no experience with v2, but am more than happy with v1 as Nodes which is what I use them both for now when I upgraded to another main.

The Merlin updates are more frequent for the v1 which is a plus IMO.

I’m planning to use it as my main router. Do you think going with the v2 would give any noticeable improvement in performance or range due to the newer chipset?

Also, I have the option to get the RT-AX86U for about $30–35 more (both are pre-owned). Do you think it’s worth paying extra for that?

My use case involves a ~1,000 sq. ft. home with 10–15 devices connected at peak usage. I need reliable coverage on the second floor (~13–14 ft height) and stable performance for occasional local file transfers.

I’m currently using a TP-Link Archer C9 v1—how much of a real-world improvement in signal coverage and performance should I expect with these options?

 

[jacklul]

I think the chip on the V2 has no build-in acceleration for the WiFi so the 4th core is used exclusively for wireless packet handling.

 

[Tech9]

Also, I have the option to get the RT-AX86U for about $30–35 more

RT-AX86U is much better hardware device and was one of the most popular around few years back. It has better ARMv8 CPU, 2x more RAM, better 4-stream 5GHz radio and smaller footprint being vertical design. I would also avoid devices not supported by RMerlin.

 

[degrub]

I’m planning to use it as my main router. Do you think going with the v2 would give any noticeable improvement in performance or range due to the newer chipset?

Also, I have the option to get the RT-AX86U for about $30–35 more (both are pre-owned). Do you think it’s worth paying extra for that?

My use case involves a ~1,000 sq. ft. home with 10–15 devices connected at peak usage. I need reliable coverage on the second floor (~13–14 ft height) and stable performance for occasional local file transfers.

I’m currently using a TP-Link Archer C9 v1—how much of a real-world improvement in signal coverage and performance should I expect with these options?

Usser experience will not likely change. As it is , you may have too much RF power as it is for such as small space with no real ability to control the RF power.

 

[Tech9]

no real ability to control the RF power

You can change the power on stand-alone ASUS routers. Can't change the power on AiMesh nodes.