Info about how to choose a model

[Tech9]

GT-AX6000 or any other model does not support new "PRO" features.

This is actually true because here...

Beta - ASUSWRT 386 RC3-1 public beta

Hi All, After waiting a long time, ASUSWRT is going to upgrade from 386 rc2 to 386 rc3. What's new in 386 RC3-1 New VPN client interface Clients can be assigned to a specific VPN profile. This function is similar to VPN fusion. (AX models' features) Support WirdGuard server and client. (AX...

www.snbforums.com

...was posted an RT-AC86U beta firmware with features never seen after in official firmware releases.

If Asus marketing team decides GT-AX6000 is more ROG than Pro - it may not see all the Pro features demonstrated in current beta firmware.

I have the grandfather AC88U. I've also ready the cooling platform

My advice to you - wait for RT-AX88U Pro.

 

[Scheggiaimpazzita]

This is actually true because here...

Beta - ASUSWRT 386 RC3-1 public beta

Hi All, After waiting a long time, ASUSWRT is going to upgrade from 386 rc2 to 386 rc3. What's new in 386 RC3-1 New VPN client interface Clients can be assigned to a specific VPN profile. This function is similar to VPN fusion. (AX models' features) Support WirdGuard server and client. (AX...

www.snbforums.com

...was posted an RT-AC86U beta firmware with features never seen after in official firmware releases.

If Asus marketing team decides GT-AX6000 is more ROG than Pro - it may not see all the Pro features demonstrated in current beta firmware.



My advice to you - wait for RT-AX88U Pro.

As i said, if they share almost the same hw architecture, performance can be affected essentially from thickness of the software stack running. So as many as the features, as slow as the performances will be. I think a ROG device as a tight software stack focused on minimum latency. I don't think that even a heavier software can be engineered to disable all features to match the same performances. You can make it faster by engineering a good way to disable features, but there still will be code parts that cannot be removed and that will have an impact on performance.
This to say that a ROG device will never have PRO features, and a PRO device will never be fast as a ROG one, even disabling all additional features offered. For my needing, features are much more welcome than the ultra low latency.
I'm looking to AX88U_PRO that on amazon is given as shipped in 2 weeks, but is it already being sold or is really a day 1 device?

 

[Tech9]

This to say that a ROG device will never have PRO features

It's all marketing. GT-AX11000 Pro is both ROG and Pro.

ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro | Gaming Networking｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global

Tri-band WiFi 6 gaming router, 10G WAN/LAN ports, 2.5G WAN port, dual WAN, AiMesh support, VPN Fusion, Triple-level game acceleration and free network security

rog.asus.com

 

[Scheggiaimpazzita]

It's all marketing. GT-AX11000 Pro is both ROG and Pro.

For sure ROG is their magnetic brand name to increase customers. But I see that even this router uses a quad core 2,0Ghz. Hard to say if is the same of the 88U_PRO.
The AX89X for example uses a 2,2Ghz quad core, but even in that case is hard to say if it is a pumped old gen processor that performs less than the 2,0Ghz quad core of the 88U_PRO or of the GT-AX11000.
Perhaps the AX89X seems to have only 10G ports that are not multi speed.

 

[Tech9]

It's based on the same Broadcom hardware. AX89X is Qualcomm hardware.

 

[Scheggiaimpazzita]

It's based on the same Broadcom hardware. AX89X is Qualcomm hardware.

Broadcom has a lot of processors, performances are needed. There can be a processor more efficient that outperforms another running at higher frequency. In the asus specs aren't listed exactly processor's models.

 

[Tech9]

Broadcom has a lot of processors

All current high-end Asus routers are built around the same Broadcom BCM4912 CPU with different number/type of radios and ports.

 

[Scheggiaimpazzita]

All current high-end Asus routers are built around the same Broadcom BCM4912 CPU with different number/type of radios and ports.

So that confirm my ideas, using same CPU means that performances differences are given by software optimization and/or feature reduction. And so, AX89X should be faster of GT-AX6000 or AX88U because his cpu is running at 10% faster frequency

 

[Tech9]

So that confirm my ideas, using same CPU means that performances differences are given by software

There is no much performance differences in current BCM4912 products in particular. There are mostly product placement marketing differences.

And so, AX89X should be faster

I told you already AX89X is Qualcomm based. Not a current model - 4 years old in mid 2023. You can't compare different CPUs by clock speed alone.

 

[Scheggiaimpazzita]

There is no much performance differences in current BCM4912 products in particular. There are mostly product placement marketing differences.



I told you already AX89X is Qualcomm based. Not a current model - 4 years old in mid 2023. You can't compare different CPUs by clock speed alone.

You wrote that they all have the same processor, now you gave more specs.

 

[Tech9]

You wrote that they all have the same processor

All current high-end Asus routers are built around the same Broadcom BCM4912 CPU

RT-AX89X is not a current high-end router. It's almost 4 years old model.

 

[anotherengineer]

If you really need this ugly GT-AX6000 router - make it count with EVA Edition:

ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 EVA Edition | Gaming Networking｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global

GT-AX6000 Dual-Band WiFi 6 (802.11ax) Gaming Router, Dual 2.5G ports, enhanced hardware, WAN aggregation, VPN Fusion, Triple-Level Game Acceleration, free network security and AiMesh support

rog.asus.com

Magus pants purple..................can't go wrong with that

https://www.pngjoy.com/pngm/271/5200310_chrono-trigger-chrono-trigger-characters-magus-hd-png.png

she sold me
im getting 2 lol

 

[jksmurf]

With the crippled 1x 2.5GbE port models, the wired network will never see those (assumed) speeds, ever. That is the 'gotcha' with the crippled new, 'pro' model and the previous (over 2-year-old) RT-AX86U.

I’ve had a search in the forum but cannot really get an understanding of this issue. Simply put, why is the RT-AX86U PRO considered “crippled” as far as the two 2.5Gb ports go please?

k

 

[L&LD]

It's crippled because it only has one 2.5GbE Port.

The GT-AX6000 is superior for exactly that reason. FYI, it actually has two.

 

[jksmurf]

It's crippled because it only has one 2.5GbE Port.

The GT-AX6000 is superior for exactly that reason. FYI, it actually has two.

Thank you; so the "crippled" reference is because even though you can get 2.5G "in" via WAN (assuming you get Multi-Gig Fibre), Ethernet "out" from the Router to the rest of the network will only ever go at 1Gbps? and Wireless will never go the 2.5Gbps speed either? Is that a simple summary explanation of it?

 

[L&LD]

While in some theoretical/laboratory setting the wireless may approach a very high percentage of 2.5Gbps speeds, in real-world use, no, it won't. At least, not to a single client device.

And correct. A (wired) 'network' with only one high-speed Ethernet connection such as 2.5GbE, is not a 2.5GbE network. A network is only as fast as its weakest link (the 1GbE ports, in this case), again; at least to a single client device.

When buying equipment, balance is more important than any single aspect. That is why the GT-AX6000 is so highly recommended; it is the most balanced and least expensive (particularly when on sale) Asus/RMerlin powered router we can buy today with not just a 'matched' performance in WiFi vs. the RT-AX86U (and I assume the RT-AX86U Pro), but around 20% faster throughput too, in my testing.

Hardware matters. Saving a few dollars (when the 'pro' or 'u' is sometimes cheaper via sales) over the next few years is a false economy and an even bigger hit in day-to-day performance too.