Both have 2.5 Gbit/s ports. The BE86U costs much more - for a 10 Gbit/s port and a stronger CPU.
Short answer
ASUS RT-BE86U - 10 Gbit/s WAN, 2.6 GHz, faster 2.4 GHz. RT-BE82U - 2.5 Gbit/s WAN, more compact and cheaper.
Key differences
| Spec | ASUS RT-BE82U | ASUS RT-BE86U |
|---|---|---|
| Type | router | router |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7, BE6500 | Wi-Fi 7, BE6800 |
| Wi-Fi speed | 688 + 5764 Mbit/s | 1032 + 5764 Mbit/s |
| Bands | 2.4 + 5 GHz | 2.4 + 5 GHz |
| WAN | 1 × 2.5 Gbit/s | 1 × 10 Gbit/s |
| LAN | 4 × 2.5 Gbit/s | 4 × 2.5 Gbit/s |
| USB | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 + USB 2.0 |
| Mesh | AiMesh | AiMesh |
| Processor | 4 cores, 2 GHz | 4 cores, 2.6 GHz |
| RAM / flash | 1024 / 256 MB | 1024 / 256 MB |
| VPN | yes | yes |
| Dimensions, weight | 238×147×97 mm, 502 g | 235×90×316 mm, 854 g |
| Price | current prices | current prices |
Specs come from the device pages on Smartphone.ua.
Ports
WAN 2.5 vs 10 Gbit/s; LAN 4 × 2.5 Gbit/s on both.
Wi-Fi
688 + 5764 vs 1032 + 5764 Mbit/s.
Body
502 vs 854 g - the BE86U is a big vertical unit.
Verdict: who should buy which
- Multi-gig plans and NAS - ASUS RT-BE86U.
- The sweet spot - ASUS RT-BE82U.
FAQ
Is the memory the same?
Yes, 1024 / 256 MB.
Is there USB?
Yes, and the BE86U adds USB 2.0.
Which is cheaper?
The ASUS RT-BE82U.