Final Words & Conclusion
Final Words & Conclusion
If you're looking to upgrade to the fastest Wi-Fi 6E router on the market, the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is a great option. It excels in nearly every aspect, but it comes with a very hefty price tag. While it performed well during testing, it's worth considering that it's 2-3 times more expensive than most routers on the market. Additionally, as there are currently few devices that are compatible with 6G, it may be wise to wait for more affordable models that support WIFI 6E to become available. Nevertheless, the GT-AXE16000 is unnecessary for the vast majority of households with its plethora of settings. In reality, I would only suggest it to individuals who need or want a really fast wired network. A top-tier Wi-Fi performance is the frosting on the cake for this new router, which is otherwise well worth the price.
Proper features
The GT-AXE11000 features a variety of ports that provide certain functionality not present on lower-end routers. To begin, there are four Gigabit local area network (LAN) ports then on 2.5 GigE wide area network (WAN) port and then two 10 GBe ports, which offers flexibility and is meant to give data delivered over this port 'first priority.' Additionally, Link Aggregation may be used to combine the Gigabit WAN port and the flexible LAN/WAN port to create a second Gigabit port for higher-bandwidth WAN.
One point worth mentioning is energy consumption. The device does deliver, but it certainly requires energy to do so. Expect 15 Watts of power use under typical idle workloads; however, we've observed it peak at nearly 20 Watts. Given that these are always-on devices, we recommend turning off RGB to save a few watts.
Performance
The AX WiFi range on this router is great, providing coverage in every corner of my house. I was able to stream Netflix in Ultra HD on my Smart TV without any issues. While the range is excellent, it's not significantly better than competing MIMO Multi-band AC routers from brands like D-Link, Netgear, and TP-Link. However, the level of support is worth the extra cost. The router receives firmware updates regularly, which is important for security. The admin interface is also easy to use and offers advanced network settings. The design of the GUI could use an update though. Additionally, the USB 3.2 ports allow you to create a UPnP / SAMBA network share with a flash drive or external storage. The one downside is that the 2400 MHz band did not reach as high speeds as other routers, only reaching 150~200 Mbit/s while others reach 250 Mbit/s. The 6 Ghz band is nice, but not really a necessity for us. Realistically, what e like even better are the plethora of Multi Gigabite options for wired connection. With this router you can add 10 GBe switch connectivity into your infrastructure, and that's extremely nice.
Concluding
As much as we like it, even the most seasoned gamers will be put off by the Asus ROG Rapture GT-exorbitant AXE16000's price tag. This humongous gaming router is one of the most expensive models we've ever evaluated at $699.99. It's also one of the most cutting-edge because it supports mesh networking, has built-in network security features, has several multi-gigabit ports for wired connections, and has a ton of customization options tailored to gamers. It's a great option for gamers who care more about future-proofing their network than they do about saving money, and it scored quite well in throughput tests. However, it is unnecessary if you do not currently have any Wi-Fi 6E clients and do not intend to acquire any in the near future. The GT-AXE11000 is a quad -band router, albeit it operates on a different frequency spectrum than previous quad-band routers. These normally operated on a single 2.4 GHz and dual 5 GHz band, ASUS added the 6 Ghz band. The GT-AXE11000 operates at 2.4 GHz for up to 1148 Mbps throughput, 2x 5 GHz for 4804 Mbps, and 6 GHz for a further 4804 Mbps. Add them all together and, with the normal rounding that occurs in networking, we arrive at the round figure in the name of the product, of 16,000 Mbps total throughput.
The ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 shows that early adoption of a new standard, in this case Wi-Fi 6E, is not without its problems. Also, its 6G range will be much more limited once it goes through walls. We appreciate the incredibly fast overall Wi-Fi throughput, the ease of setup, the built-in security, and the versatility of the wired ports. The ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is a powerful router worth considering if you're willing to invest in advanced networking gear. However, with a price tag of around 679 Euros or 699 USD, it may not be a great value for most people at this time. The router's throughput was among the highest we've seen, but most people should wait until more Wi-Fi 6E devices are available in homes before buying a 6E router. This router may be a good choice if you're familiar with and excited about 6GHz networking, but keep in mind that it works best in close proximity and requires a compatible client operating system and network adapter. In addition, the router includes advanced switching options with 2x 10 Gbps, which is a definite plus.
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