RT-AC88U

[NightOwl326]

I think this is unduly harsh. Tim is showing a typical user experience and it can be difficult to find where Asus hides the latest release. I am also pleased Tim is using store bought samples, had a friend who was a motoring journalist and he said it was common for review cars to have more powerful chips in them. I would hate to think Tim was reviewing a router I couldn't buy

They are not store bought samples as I think they are supplied by the manufacturer. But that's beside the point in that there is no other sight that does the controlled testing that Tim does. Tim gives us real information we can use in that he controls the variables. Bravo Tim!

 

[samb]

I don't have time to rerun the open-air test now and generate all new plots.
The 88 is in the chamber now with new firmware. 5 GHz isn't impressive (as I would predict).

After I test, I'll get the results in the Charts and you can read 'em and weep.

I'm still at a loss why you guys, who should know better, get all worked up over being the first in line to debug new routers. You'd save money and get as good results by using an AC1200 extender. The new ones are pretty good, especially with their ability to use the other band for backhaul.

But, as I'm reminded, it's your money and not everyone is value focused.

I appreciate the testing you do Tim and with all other reviews I read I often approach them with caution, wether the review is bad or good. I agree with the other user that's there are a lot of environmental factors to consider in real world use that can establish if the router will do the intended job and do it well enough. As with any "anonymous" reading of text in a post it's often hard to gauge the intended tone it was written in, but it seems your taking delight in reporting that 5ghz isn't that great "read em and weep" which is a shame to those of us that didn't wait for the expert reviews.

As I said I take reviews with caution as there are plenty of products I have bought and the reviews rave about them and they turn out to be garbage, and of course vice versa.

The truth of the matter is I think right now the router market is crap (my opinion), I've tried most routers (linksys, netgear, asus, tplink, dlink, draytek, billion) and there is no real "sweet" spot, it's either crap stability, range or interface. A few netgears a get good reviews but their stock firmware interface is shocking (again just my opinion). So each to their own and what works for them I suppose.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

but it seems your taking delight in reporting that 5ghz isn't that great "read em and weep"

I have to agree with this statement. Your wording almost seems like you want the 3100 and 88U to be bad. With all do respect to Tim. Just saying..

I for one dont see any issues at all with the 5 Ghz band !!

 

[sm00thpapa]

BB in the US has the RT-AC87R/U on clearance now. I thought that was interesting, since not even the RT-AC68U is on clearance yet. Perhaps the RT-AC88U will be a replacement for that one at the same price point?? We can hope...

Read the reviews and problems for the 87 and 68 and you'll see why the prices are the way they are. The 68 is a beast and the 87 is a dud. Best Buy put them on clearance cause they can't sell them and they are the most returned routers.

 

[Blind_Bandit]

Read the reviews and problems for the 87 and 68 and you'll see why the prices are the way they are. The 68 is a beast and the 87 is a dud. Best Buy put them on clearance cause they can't sell them and they are the most returned routers.

It wouldn't surprise me if Asus while still supporting the 87u they are likely trying to get rid of all of them. Sense there such a mess.

 

[nagle3092]

I don't have time to rerun the open-air test now and generate all new plots.
The 88 is in the chamber now with new firmware. 5 GHz isn't impressive (as I would predict).

After I test, I'll get the results in the Charts and you can read 'em and weep.

I'm still at a loss why you guys, who should know better, get all worked up over being the first in line to debug new routers. You'd save money and get as good results by using an AC1200 extender. The new ones are pretty good, especially with their ability to use the other band for backhaul.

But, as I'm reminded, it's your money and not everyone is value focused.

Why isnt the 87 included? Thats probably what most people had who are now early adopters of the 88/31000/5300.

That could also be why your not seeing the improvement on 5Ghz like others are.

 

[sm00thpapa]

It wouldn't surprise me if Asus while still supporting the 87u they are likely trying to get rid of all of them. Sense there such a mess.

I shop routers daily and the only router to drop in price on black Friday was the 87U. New Egg had it for $139.99. Could be more, maybe I missed them. But the 87U was the most notable. All the 68 series are still up in price as they are very good routers. I love ASUS products but the 87U was and still is a mess sorry to say. It surely is, being replaced by the 88U.

 

[Llama]

No CTF+FA on AC68. R7000 stomps the AC68u with the newer chip.

AC87u/r is a fine piece of kit. R7000 was down to $139 on Cyber Monday, as well.

 

[kvic]

I'm still at a loss why you guys, who should know better, get all worked up over being the first in line to debug new routers. You'd save money and get as good results by using an AC1200 extender. The new ones are pretty good, especially with their ability to use the other band for backhaul.

Look it from a positive perspective, it's not a bad thing.

The enthusiasm behind wireless lan is similar to x86 CPU of earlier years. At the moment the technology itself is the bottleneck. Applications outpace what the hardware can deliver. When compared to wire and the *max link rates* (wlan manufacturers heavily promote for), the industry delivers only sub par performance.

E.g. browsing through SNB's chamber tests, at best scenario, all routers only deliver <50% throughput of max link rates. For a 3x3 ac at 1300Mbit/s, that's only 500-600Mbit/s at best radio environment and with a *single client*.

People (except perhaps hardcore gamers) no longer care much x86 CPU as seen in increasingly slowdown of PC replacement cycles. Until that moment comes to wireless routers, let's enjoy the best period of wlan progression as enthusiastic users

 

[thiggins]

Test results are posted. Review follows next week. Remember, there will be no MU-MIMO results.

 

[dlandiss]

Test results are posted. Review follows next week. Remember, there will be no MU-MIMO results.

Thank you, Tim!

If I read the charts correctly the RT-AC68U still has about 3dB advantage over the AC88. At both 100Mbps and 200Mbps on the 5GHZ downlink profiles, the 68U can give the same performance with 3dB more attenuation.

Since 3dB is equivalent to doubling or halving the power, and by the inverse square law doubling power gives SQRT(2) = 1.41 or 40% better range, the 68U still looks like the answer when extra range is needed.

Sound right?

 

[simonG]

Big thanks for all the hard work on the testing Tim, most appreciated. I assume this is with the new firmware?

Looking forward to your review

 

[ChronoBodi]

I've been reading SNB for a while, and I'll like to say hello to all here.

The AC87R used to be my main router and I have to admit I didn't really have any issues with it, 5ghz and 2.4 ghz.

Now it serves as a media bridge to my desktop while the new RT-AC3100 takes over as main router, the webUI is more snappier overall compared to AC87R.

Actually, since i'm using the old router as a bridge to the new one, I know i'm not getting the maximum link speed the RT 3100 can do, but it should be better than my desktop's internal 2x2 wifi card. It shows me link speed of 1300 mbps, but it keeps changing around to 1130 mbps or 1000 mbps, and back up to 1300 mbps, never seen it go any higher than 1300 mbps.

So, therefore I have no idea what exactly was the issues with the AC87R that made it go on clearance and Best Buy has lots of them returned. Anyone care to elaborate?

 

[bmn1]

Some people also simply want the latest, no matter the cost. Look at people doing a lineup to get the new iPhone each year, for instance, while there's nothing wrong with a 1 or 2 years old phone.

Oh man you can't use crApple fanboys as an example, those sheeple will buy ANYTHING crApple releases!

Just read an article the other day where they were asking people who own a crApple Watch what they think of it. Most of them said that it was crap and that they either stuffed it in a drawer somewhere or gave it away to someone else. Then when asked if they plan to buy the 2nd gen crApple Watch when it comes out most of them said YES!

That's all crApple does now a days is RESIZE and RECYCLE their old products. iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro. It's like going to McDonald's and ordering a drink, Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large.....

 

[sfx2000]

Oh man you can't use crApple fanboys as an example, those sheeple will buy ANYTHING crApple releases!

How is this comment relevant to the conversation?

iPhone6s/6s plus is the fastest smartphone you can get these days... CPU and Wireless...

 

[kvic]

Just read an article the other day where they were asking people who own a crApple Watch what they think of it. Most of them said that it was crap and that they either stuffed it in a drawer somewhere or gave it away to someone else. Then when asked if they plan to buy the 2nd gen crApple Watch when it comes out most of them said YES!

You sound so old fashioned...a bit naive frankly.

Replace apple with orange or a favourable fashion brand of your wife..or a type of gadget of yours. The same writing just works..

It's consumerism at its excess, cultivated by corporate america!

 

[thiggins]

Big thanks for all the hard work on the testing Tim, most appreciated. I assume this is with the new firmware?

3.0.0.4.380_858

 

[thiggins]

Since 3dB is equivalent to doubling or halving the power, and by the inverse square law doubling power gives SQRT(2) = 1.41 or 40% better range, the 68U still looks like the answer when extra range is needed.

There are too many variables in real life to draw that conclusion.
What I take away from the plot is that the products will perform very similarly for 5 GHz downlink. The 68U might provide a bit more range, because it stayed connected for one more test.

 

[thiggins]

kvic, sfx, bmn1: Please stay on topic.

 

[Concept1337]

Forgive me if this has been covered. Ive been following the ac88u since release and today i go to check the router on the bestbuy site and now it only has 4 ports instead of 8. Same deal on the Asus site. Is this a new revision?

links:
(8 ports)
https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AC88U/
(4 ports)
https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AC3100/
http://goo.gl/tLTWxK