Asus rt-ac86u vs rt-ax88u – What gaming speeds are you looking for?
Asus routers are excellent routers and among the best and most popular wifi routers in the market. The Asus rt-ac86u and rt-ax88u are some of the models you’ll find that come with an affordable price tag but with the reliable performance or with super-fast speeds for gaming.
Having kids who love gaming means my home network should be able to support fast wifi speeds to allow for smooth gaming and streaming, buy at times the network gets so congested with traffic that it becomes slow on both bandwidths. An Asus router would make for a great upgrade and the rt-ac86u and rt-ax88u are great examples of super-fast devices that can deliver both speed and range.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Asus rt-ac86u and rt-ax88u?
Asus router model |
Rt-ac86u |
Rt-ax88u (Winner) |
Bandwidth speeds |
2.4 GHz- 750 Mbps
5 GHz- 2167 Mbps |
2.4 GHz- 1143 Mbps
5 GHz – 4804 Mbps |
LAN ports |
4 |
8 |
USB ports |
USB 3.1 and 2.0 ports |
Two USB 3.1 ports |
Processor speed |
1.8 GHz dual-core processor with 512 MB of RAM |
1.8 GHz quad-core processor with 1 GB RAM and 256 MB flash memory |
Asus rt-ac86u vs rt-ax88u – How do they differ?
Design
When it comes to how a router looks, some have an aesthetic look while others have weird designs that aren’t pleasing to your eyes. The Asus rt-ac86u has an angular design with black and red colors and is permanently attached to a wedge-shaped stand that allows it to stand up vertically so you can’t mount it on your wall or place it flat on a shelf. It has 3 removable and adjustable external antennas at the top with LED lights at the front for all the router activities. At the back are 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, a USB 3.1 port, and USB 2.0 port, and buttons for power, LEDs, and reset. On the other hand, the rt-ax88u has a more pronounced look with a beveled top with angular front and sides and a black matte finish. The 4 external antennas at the side and back have gold-lined cutouts at the bottom part that makes the router stand out. At the front are buttons for wifi and LEDs, a USB 3.1 port, and LED lights for different network activities. At the back are 8 LAN ports, a USB 3.1 port, a power jack, and buttons for WPS, power, and reset.
The Asus rt-ax88u is a better-looking router with an attractive design and you can comfortably place it on your shelf without worrying it will rip off.
Bandwidth speeds
The Asus rt-ac86u is a 4×4 ac2900 dual-band router that uses NitroQAM (1024-QAM) to deliver potential throughput speeds of up to 750 Mbps on its 2.4 GHz band and 2167 Mbps on its 5 GHz band. The Asus rt-ax88u is a 4×4 AX6000 router that has faster wifi transfer speeds and it can deliver 1148 Mbps on its 2.4 GHz band and 4804 Mbps on its 5 GHz band when connected to wifi 6 devices. They both support MU-MIMO data streaming and beamforming that sends data directly to connected devices instead of over a broad spectrum. However, rt-ax88u uses smart connect that automatically chooses the radio band for optimum throughput and supports AiMesh technology so you can create a mesh system with other Asus routers.
The Asus rt-ax88u is a better performer and a powerful router with super-fast throughput speeds and technologies to extend your range and performance.
Various ports
Both the Asus rt-ac86u andrt-ax88u come with plenty of ports you can use to connect your wired devices, external hard drives, and printers. The rt-ac86u has 4 gigabit LAN ports, a USB 3.1, and a USB 2.0 ports at the back while the rt-ax88u has 8 LAN ports with 2 USB 3.1 ports, one at the front and the other at the back. You can use the USB ports to connect your hard drive and printer.
The rt-ax88u has more LAN ports for more wired connections and USB ports with faster transfer speeds.
Asus rt-ac86u vs rt-ax88u – A comparison review
Asus rt-ac86u
- Connector Type : USB
- Dual-band (2.4 plus 5 GHz) AC2900 wireless router with the latest 802. 11AC MU-MIMO technology for data...
The rt-ac86u is an ac2900 dual-band router that can deliver solid throughput performance and is equipped with the latest network technology for gamer optimization and network protection features. It operates on two radio frequencies, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and supports MU-MIMO data streaming that allows it to connect to multiple devices simultaneously deliver data, and beamforming that will send data directly to your connected devices instead of over a broad spectrum. It uses a web-based management console and a mobile app that will allow you to configure, control, and monitor your network remotely.
Some of the features you’ll find include the guest networking, USB storage settings, traffic analyzer, AiCloud settings, adaptive QoS with a manual and automatic bandwidth limit, and game boost. The AiProtection software will help to block access to malicious sites, malware, and viruses plus the parental controls that will allow you to restrict access to specific websites. The rt-ac86u can deliver impressive throughput speeds. At close proximity, the 2.4 GHz band can deliver speeds of up to 104 Mbps and 86 Mbps at 30 feet. On the 5 GHz band at close proximity, it scores 550 Mbps and slightly dropped at 30 feet to score 330 Mbps.
Pros
- Excellent coverage
- It’s very easy to set up and manage
- Comes with lots of features
- Fast wifi speeds
Cons
- You can’t mount it on your wall
- Might experience connection drops
Asus rt-ax88u
- Next gen Wi-Fi standard 802.11Ax Wi-Fi standard for better efficiency and throughput; ultrafast Wi-Fi...
- Certified for Humans – Smart home made easy for non-experts. Setup with Alexa is simple.
The rt-ax88u is a 4×4 AX6000 dual-band router that features 802.11ax with top wifi speeds of up to 4804 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 1148 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band with a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor with a 1 GB RAM. It uses new technologies to reduce wifi interference and traffic congestion to improve range performance. This router supports wifi 6 technologies plus MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, 160 MHz channel bandwidth, beamforming for direct to device signal, and smart connect that allows your router to choose the best band for optimal throughput. You can also use this router to create a mesh network in your home with one network ID and provide seamless roaming. You can either use the mobile app or the web console to control and monitor your network remotely.
It has most of the setting features you’ll find in the rt-ac86u and some advanced wireless settings like theTx power adjustments, radius settings, airtime fairness, and beacon intervals. You can also turn on/off MU-MIMO and beamforming. It has settings for the firewall controls, VPN server and VPN client settings, Alexa, and IFTTT settings that allow you to activate the guest network and pause it with voice commands. When it comes to the 2.4 GHz performance, it’s able to better penetrate through physical obstacles, but it has a lower data transfer rate and is susceptible to interference which makes the 5 GHz connection. The 2.4 GHz band at close proximity can deliver 90 Mbps and 69 Mbps at 30 feet. On the 5 GHz band at close proximity, it can deliver an impressive 943 Mbps and 461 Mbps at 30 feet.
Pros
- Great wifi speed performance
- Very easy to install and control
- Compatible with Alexa
- Pleasant to look at
Cons
- It’s expensive
- Scarce AX devices
Conclusion
Both the Asus rt-ac86u and rt-ax88u are excellent routers for gaming and come with many new technologies for better performance and increased speeds.
So which one is better Asus rt-ac86u or rt-ax88u?
The Asus rt-ax88u is a better router because it’s built to deliver lots of speed and comes with a ton of robust features and powerful software that is great for smooth gaming, streaming, and surfing on your home network.
FAQ
When should I use smart connect?
Smart connect is best enabled when you have devices connecting at different times. Some may only support the 2.4 GHz band while others support both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, bands. Smart Connect will ensure wifi bands are used efficiently.
Should I get an AX router?
Wifi 6 or 802.11ax enhances your router where it supports a large number of devices and more efficient power usage.
