GT-AX6000 vs GT-AXE16000 question

[lilstone87]

Well I have been considering the AX6000 recently. But I seen info about the AXE16000, which we still have no release date for. Still I think we see it launch soon enough.

I'm honestly curious what's everyones opinion on which one they would get at this point. I do think the AXE16000 could launch costing around $200 more than the AX6000.

The biggest thing for me, will be Merlin supporting it. Which it appears uses the same CPU as the AX6000, he just added support for with his build. So I think there's a good chance he supports it. If ASUS supplies him with this router.

With all that said, which one would most of you pick, if you were looking to buy one of these higher end models in the near future? Biggest thing between the two, AXE16000 obviously will support wifi 6E. Quad band vs AX6000 dual band. Also has two 10gbit LAN ports. I'm curious how these two ports will perform, as it appears both router use the same 2ghz quad core cpu. Ultimately I will only consider this router, if it stays within $200 of the AX6000 at launch.

 

[L&LD]

The price doesn't really matter; it has no competition. If the performance is better than 2x RT-AX86U's in wired (2.5GbE) backhaul mode, it is be the first choice to test/replace the current hardware within my environment.

Being the first true quad band, quad radio consumer router, it should be a monster. Testing will tell.

 

[lilstone87]

Well I'm hopeful for the AXE16000 doing well. As for price it matters to me in terms of Merlin supporting it. Spending high amounts of money on a consumer router, strictly waiting for only ASUS firmware updates, isn't for me.

Ultimately I hope once this router officially launches, within a timely manner. Merlin can comment on if he will support it with his builds. Would be nice if this router launches some time in May, at the latest early part of June. That's the big question mark I know a few of us are waiting to find out.

 

[L&LD]

RMerlin support is a must, of course. And for me, no testing will be done without my preferred firmware installed.

Either way we, along with RMerlin, will be on Asus' firmware cadence. RMerlin doesn't create the firmware from scratch, after all.

It will launch when it launches. I don't have any leverage to make it come out one ms sooner or later. And I don't see a need to spend more money, yet.

Paper specs are great, actually improving my network is the endgame.

 

[Clark Griswald]

I couldn't wait for the AXE16000, so I'm waiting for my AX6000 to be delivered.
I can always put the AX6000 as my AP, IF the AXE16000 is released with RMerlin support.
Can someone help with a Go Fund Me page so I can afford the AXE16000?

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I couldn't wait for the AXE16000, so I'm waiting for my AX6000 to be delivered.
I can always put the AX6000 as my AP, IF the AXE16000 is released with RMerlin support.
>>>Can someone help with a Go Fund Me page so I can afford the AXE16000?<<<

Clark, you're always good for making me laugh!

 

[lilstone87]

Can someone help with a Go Fund Me page so I can afford the AXE16000?

I feel you on that as it's looking like a $650 router, maybe a bit more. As the AXE11000 is $550, so I see it coming in at $100 more than it at least.

 

[ugandy]

my ax88/386.5_2 combo works so insanely well, that i forget it's there, that i might get the insanely expensive axe16000 out of pure tinkering boredness
once merlin-386.9-axe16000 is out that is.

 

[lilstone87]

Curious what the benefit of 2GB of DDR4 Ram will be like on the AXE16000. I'm guessing it's mainly related to the two 10gbps ports on the AXE16000.

 

[John_]

Depending on GPL releases it could be 5-12 months before potentially seeing a Merlin build for the GT-AXE16000. (It took about 5 months for the GT-AX6000 and almost 12 months for the GT-AXE11000)
Estimates have the GT-AXE16000 at $650 USD and the GT-AX6000 was $400 now on sale for $350.
My opinion is that unless you need the 6E wireless (I only have one 6E device which can also be run wired) and you need 10Gb on your LAN, then save the $300 and get the GT-AX6000 until you have more 6E devices and the price comes down on the GT-AXE16000.

 

[Starrbuck]

I also could not wait for the GT-AXE16000 and the GT-AX6000 would not let me take full advantage of my 2 gig service, so I got an RT-AX89X, even tho Merlin does not support it. Also using a GT-AX11000 as a mesh node. Will probably sell the AX11000 and use the AX89X as a mesh node once I can get my hands on an AXE16000.

 

[lilstone87]

the GT-AX6000 would not let me take full advantage of my 2 gig service

I'm curious what kind of WAN<->LAN speeds did you manage with the AX6000? I mean it should be able to provide it via the two 2.5gbps WAN/LAN ports. However being capable, and actually doing it, are two different things. So it makes me wonder what kind of speeds did you manage with the AX6000, with your 2gbps connection.

 

[Starrbuck]

I'm curious what kind of WAN<->LAN speeds did you manage with the AX6000? I mean it should be able to provide it via the two 2.5gbps WAN/LAN ports. However being capable, and actually doing it, are two different things. So it makes me wonder what kind of speeds did you manage with the AX6000, with your 2gbps connection.

I don't have exact records, but the 2 gig service can actually do about 2.5 gig. But remember 2.5gbps of the router is actually less due to ethernet overhead. The AX6000 could only manage a few hundred mbps under what the AX89X can do. For example, 2.4 on the AX89X and 2.1-2.2 on the AX6000. Not much difference, right? I just hate leaving performance (that I'm paying for) on the table.

 

[lilstone87]

Depending on GPL releases it could be 5-12 months before potentially seeing a Merlin build for the GT-AXE16000. (It took about 5 months for the GT-AX6000 and almost 12 months for the GT-AXE11000)
Estimates have the GT-AXE16000 at $650 USD and the GT-AX6000 was $400 now on sale for $350.
My opinion is that unless you need the 6E wireless (I only have one 6E device which can also be run wired) and you need 10Gb on your LAN, then save the $300 and get the GT-AX6000 until you have more 6E devices and the price comes down on the GT-AXE16000.

Honestly I don't expect Merlin to have a build quickly for it, once it launches, and if he ends up supporting it. But if he does, compared to a couple other similar routers you mentioned, that he has started supporting. It's possible support for this router could be a little faster. The biggest thing for me, would be hearing Merlin saying he's working on adding support for it with his builds.

Thing is I don't want a $650 consumer router, that's only supported by the brand maker. Overall I'm still debating the two router, but leaning towards the AXE16000, as a bit more future proof with its hardware.

 

[leerees]

If it uses the same SOC it should offer similar performance.

One thing which is often overlooked is the SoC. I'm pretty certain the 2.2ghz is the fast cpu. However things are not equal. For example the dual core 1.8ghz is faster than the quad core 1.8ghz.

If you get the ax16000, test the ping / latency over wifi, ping under load, throughput etc.

 

[lilstone87]

If you get the ax16000

I'm honestly considering the AX6000 after thinking about it even more. As the cost between the AX6000, and AXE16000 is nearly double. Plus decent chance the AXE16000 could be buggy for a bit after launch.

With that said, I was looking at the AXE11000. I'm honestly wondering what the hell was ASUS thinking hardware wise with this router? A $550 router that only has one 2.5gbps port that can be used as WAN, or LAN port. I honestly think that's pathetic.

If the AXE16000 does launch at $650, it will put the AXE11000 to shame hardware wise, for only $100 more currently. AXE16000 Quad band, 2.5gbps WAN port, two 10gbps WAN/LAN ports, faster CPU 2Ghz, plus faster, and double the amount of ram. I'm honestly shocked the hardware specs ASUS used for the AXE11000. Minus the wifi 6e, I don't see a router anywhere close to being worth $550. If I'm missing something, feel free to comment on my AXE11000 bashing.

 

[RMerlin]

With that said, I was looking at the AXE11000. I'm honestly wondering what the hell was ASUS thinking hardware wise with this router? A $550 router that only has one 2.5gbps port that can be used as WAN, or LAN port. I honestly think that's pathetic.

That`s all they could do with the Broadcom CPU available at the time (the BCM4908). The new BCM4912 has more bandwidth, which is why these newer models can offer two separate 2.5 Gbps ports.

 

[Pancakeandcows]

My biggest goal is wired 2.5gbps gaming speed. Wifi 6 is good but for wireless devices, it's our phones, cameras and smart tvs, which I don't think any of them use a lot of bandwidth.
If the AX6000 and AX16000 have the same processor, is it even worth spending the extra $300? I do plan to install Merlin on the router.

 

[ugandy]

Depending on GPL releases it could be 5-12 months before potentially seeing a Merlin build for the GT-AXE16000.

ok. xmas it is.

 

[lilstone87]

If the AX6000 and AX16000 have the same processor, is it even worth spending the extra $300?

Well that depends on if you want to future proof with Wifi 6E, Quad band vs Dual band of the AX6000. The AXE16000 also will have 2GB of DDR4 ram, I'm guessing the AX6000 has 1GB of DDR3 ram. The biggest question is do you want to spend that kind of money, and if you buy it at launch, all support will be ASUS based. Likely decent chance firmware/drivers to be buggy for a couple releases. To be honest I'm pretty sure the current wifi drivers on the AX6000 are having issue with not being able to connect to roku devices currently, and I think maybe a certain brand of smart tv as well. Which is something I would be concerned with the AXE16000, with Wifi 6E being the new thing.