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Has Asus stopped updating their RT88/89/92-models?

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lagrave

Regular Contributor
I am looking for a new medium-high end Asus-router. 2-3 years ago, I would have had plenty of options, the RT88/89/92-models - but since then it seems Asus has only released "high end plus"-models in the ROG series as well as more medium end routers. Is this a strategic decision or is it just a coincidence?

I live alone (= no need for mesh) and am not a gamer so something like ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is hard to motivate. On the other hand, I have 1 Gbps included in my housing fee and can update to 10 Gbps if I want to (I don't but I expect the bundled service to be updated in a year or two) so I want support for 10 Gbps as well as AXe, USB-C and USB 3.2 because I expect to use this router for at least as long as my current RT-AC66U (8-9 years). Finally, support for 3rd party firmware - and all this for $300-400 but Asus hasn't released anything at that price point for at least two years.

Is this segment completely abandoned? Or is it the general lack of semiconductors still a problem? Something else? Any rumours about future products?
 
If your current router is providing what you need today, you're in the best position. Wait until you need something better.

Buying something today for a possible future need is never a wise purchase decision. Particularly if the technology you want to upgrade to today will be superseded by WiFi 7 within that time frame.
 
Asus RT-AX86U is the most recommended router today. If you can find one. The RT-AX86S has a bit less hardware (half the RAM, dual core processor, no 2.5 GB port) than the AX86U. The RT-AX68U might also suit your needs. All are supported by Merlin firmware.

I have an AX86U for my small house and a family of three on 100/100 FIOS. I do not regret buying it!
 
If your current router is providing what you need today, you're in the best position. Wait until you need something better.

Buying something today for a possible future need is never a wise purchase decision. Particularly if the technology you want to upgrade to today will be superseded by WiFi 7 within that time frame.
It restarts spontaneously several times a day and it takes several minutes to get online again after each restart. When it works it works quite good but these dropped connections are very annoying.
 
What router do have?
 
If your current router is providing what you need today, you're in the best position. Wait until you need something better.

Buying something today for a possible future need is never a wise purchase decision. Particularly if the technology you want to upgrade to today will be superseded by WiFi 7 within that time frame.
It depends on why you sometime in the future will exchange it for something newer.

My current AC66U is nine years old and the reason I change it is mainly that it spontaneously restarts several times a day - in other words, the hardware is semi-broken and it is no longer supported by Merilin. If I had bought something cheaper when I bought this I probably would have replaced it in less than nine years. Before that I had a Linksys WRT54GS which lasted for 5-6 years IIRC. If that is an indication, the router I buy now can be expected to last 10+ years. No reason to be cheap (but no reason to be wasteful either).
 

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