ASUS RT-AX88U vs. TP Link Archer AX6000– what gaming router should I go for?
Unless you are only relying on a gaming console or PC and connect it to your home internet, you will require a router that can share this connection with a variety of devices. This is why it is a better idea to search for a gaming router (that uses Wi-Fi 6), instead of a normal router (that uses 802.11ac or lower technology), such as ASUS RT AX88U or the TP Link Archer AX6000.
Gaming routers are great because they have reduced tendencies of lagging and slow downloading speeds, although you will need to ensure they can support high speeds over Ethernet. There are plenty of things to note about the 802.11ax technology these routers use, also known as the Wi-Fi 6. It is the latest form of 802.11ac technology, and promises you improvement in throughput speed (with a maximum of 4.8 Gbps), as well as higher client capacity, less congestion in the network, and better range performance.
It uses several technologies to achieve this, although the most prominent are the TWT (Target Wake Time) and OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access). The TWT helps in reducing power consumption through letting the device determine how and when they can receive and send data, while the OFDMA boosts the throughput through breaking up the Wi-Fi channel into various sub-channels.
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What are the differences between the ASUS RT AX88U andTP Link Archer AX6000?
TP Link Archer AX6000 |
ASUS RT AX88U (Winner) |
|
Dimensions (inches) |
10 x 12 x 4 |
11.8 x 7.4 x 2.4 |
Connectivity technology |
Wireless, wired |
Wireless, wired, USB |
Frequency bands supported |
Dual band |
2.4GHz, 5GHz |
Throughput speeds in close proximity (average) |
124 Mbps (2.4GHz band), 775 Mbps (5GHz band) |
90 Mbps (2.4GHz band), 943 Mbps (5GHz band) |
Upload speeds |
298 Mbps |
657 Mbps |
Download speeds |
845 Mbps |
635 Mbps |
ASUS RT-AX88U vs. TP Link Archer AX6000– How they compare
Design
Coming at 2.4 x 10.3 x 10.3 inches, the TP Link Archer AX6000 is among the largest routers we have seen, although its appearance is similar to any other router. It has eight foldable antennas that are non-detachable, and an LED indicator on its top that has a solid blue glow when the internet connection is normal. If there are interruptions in the connection or the system is updating, the LED’s blue light will flicker, solid red when there is no connection, and solid orange when the wireless is disabled but the internet connection is active.
The ASUS RT AX88U looks fairly similar to most routers, with its matte black finish, and angular sides and front. It is slightly smaller than the TP Link Archer AX6000 though, as it measures 11.8 x 2.4 x 7.4 inches. It also has four detachable antennas, one on each side and two in the back.
The TP Link Archer AX6000 has a larger footprint compared to the ASUS RT-AX88U.
Performance
The TP Link AX6000 uses a 1.8GHz Quad-core processor, which is quite similar to what you will find in other Wi-Fi 6 routers. Unlike the many tri-band router types though, it is a dual-band, eight-stream router, with a maximum theoretical speed of 1148 Mbps (2.4GHz band) and 4804 Mbps (5GHz band). It also supports MU-MIMO data streaming, 160MHz channel width, and direct-to-client signal beam forming, but it lacks support for the new WPA3 protocol, which you will need for a Wi-Fi 6 certification.
The tests that we did revealed interesting results, as both of them delivered mixed results. The 2.4GHz band (the slower band) in close proximity results in a score of 124 Mbps, while the 30-foot score results in a score of 55 Mbps in the same band. The 5GHz band was much stronger, with a close proximity result of 775 Mbps, although the 30-foot result drops significantly to 315 Mbps. File transfer speeds were much better, with a write speed of 76 Mbps and a read speed of 73 Mbps.
On the other hand, the ASUS RT AX88U needs 802.11ax clients to achieve its full potential – but these devices are mostly unavailable in the market – but you can still use it with other devices which support the 802.11ac standard. Note that all the results we had were the results of using the 160 MHz bandwidth, instead of using an 802.11ax device. The implication is that the speeds should be higher when you use an 802.11ax device.
In the close proximity test, we saw that the 5GHz band was the most impressive attribute, delivering 943 Mbps, while the 30-foot test shows the same band delivers 461 Mbps. The 2.4GHz band delivers a score of 90 Mbps in close proximity, while the 30-foot test gives 69 Mbps. its file transfer tests shows a write test of 80 Mbps, and a read speed of 85 Mbps, making it faster than the TP Link AX6000.
The ASUS RT-AX88U is better in terms of overall performance, due to the consistency of the 2.4 and 5GHz bands, even though it needs an 802.11ax client to achieve full speeds.
Setup
When managing the TP Link AX6000, you can do so through the TP Link Tether app for Android and iOS devices, although you will require the web console to configure the advanced options. The web console opens to a screen that will show you the wireless and wired connected clients on its network map, and it also includes a speed test button to check the download and upload speeds.
You can control the ASUS RT AX88U through the same methods of a mobile app or the web console, and the console allows you to control the router more effectively than the mobile app. It also has very adaptable QoS settings, which will offer both automatic and manual bandwidth thresholds, and you will also get sufficient access to the WTFast routing technology.
The ASUS RT-AX88U is easier to set up because of the app being more comprehensive.
ASUS RT-AX88U vs. TP Link Archer AX6000– A comparison review
TP Link Archer AX6000 – Overview
- High Speed WiFi 6 Interent Router: AX6000 Dual Band Wi-Fi speed boosted by 1024QAM deliver wireless speed...
- Highly efficient: OFDMA increases average throughput by 4x in high density scenarios, compared with an...
It may sound ironical to refer to the TP Link Archer AX6000 as a well-rounded router, but that is actually what it is – it does have plenty of things to offer. The price is also in the mid-tier range – not too expensive, but not exactly a budget router, and it comes with LAN gigabit ports (eight) to compete favorably with other similar routers, even though it still has its imperfections.
Despite its good traits, it is not ready for mesh network setup, is really bulky, and cannot deliver strong Wi-Fi 6 speed levels locally. However, it does have all other things covered for its price, and will be a good option for people who live in a medium-size home, yet still require a high-speed internet connection.
Pros
- It has excellent parental control and QoS features
- Very reliable and fast performance
- Strong web user interface for an easy setup
- Solid malware protection
- Fast file transfer performance
Cons
- Limited controls on its mobile app
- Large footprint, and quite bulky
- It does not have WPA3 support
- Quite expensive
ASUS RT-AX88U – Overview
- 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.
This router is a great choice if you happen to be an early adopter of Wi-Fi 6 technology, although you will need to connect to it to clients that support 802.11ax technology in order to take full advantage of it. If you do not have an 802.11ax devices, you can still use an 802.11ac client that supports a 160MHz channel. It comes with in-built protection against malware, through the use of the Trend Micro AiProtection software, and it also lets you block any age-restricted sites and media through its strong parental controls. The best part about the setup process is that it only takes a few minutes at most, and the advanced settings are easy to configure.
It will offer you very fast file transfer performances, and it also has solid throughput on its 280/40/20 MHz bands. At the end of the day, this is a good choice if you want a high-end router.
Pros
- Very speedy performance
- Comes with eight LAN ports
- Very easy to install and use
- It uses the latest 802.11ax Wi-Fi technology
- It comes with in-built malware protection and strong QoS settings
Cons
- Very expensive
- It is difficult to find devices that support 802.11ax technology
Verdict: So what is better? The ASUS RT-AX88U or TP Link Archer AX6000?
In terms of good Wi-Fi 6 routers in the market, the offerings are not that many. That said, the ASUS RT-AX88U us our choice of this review, because it will give you faster throughput performance, as well as strong support of WPA3 and QoS settings.
FAQs
Is it usually better to use the 2.4 or 5GHz band in the TP Link Archer router?
As a general rule, the 2.4GHz band will work well for long distance coverage, although its speeds will be lower, and the 5GHz band works well in speed, but not as much in range.
What is the Smart Connect feature in my ASUS router?
This is the feature that can direct clients automatically to the best band, or the one with the highest speed. In order to use it, choose the smart connect option and connect your devices to the network.
