The new BE88U is cheaper and faster. Is there any reason to get the AX89X?
Short answer
ASUS RT-BE88U - Wi-Fi 7, 4 of 8 LAN at 2.5 Gbit/s, 2 GB RAM, cheaper. RT-AX89X - Wi-Fi 6, 8 antennas, 2 × USB 3.0.
Key differences
| Spec | ASUS RT-BE88U | ASUS RT-AX89X |
|---|---|---|
| Type | router | router |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7, BE7200 | Wi-Fi 6, AX6000 |
| Wi-Fi speed | 1376 + 5764 Mbit/s | 1148 + 4804 Mbit/s |
| Bands | 2.4 + 5 GHz | 2.4 + 5 GHz |
| WAN | 1 × 10 Gbit/s + SFP+ 10 Gbit/s | 1 × 10 Gbit/s + SFP+ 10 Gbit/s |
| LAN | 4 × 2.5 Gbit/s + 4 × 1 Gbit/s | 8 × 1 Gbit/s |
| 4G LTE | no | via USB modem |
| USB | USB 3.0 | 2 × USB 3.0 |
| Antennas | — | 8 external |
| Mesh | AiMesh | AiMesh |
| Processor | 4 cores, 2.6 GHz | — |
| RAM / flash | 2048 / 256 MB | — |
| VPN | yes | yes |
| Dimensions, weight | 300×188×60.5 mm, 1060 g | 1280 g |
| Price | current prices | current prices |
Specs come from the device pages on Smartphone.ua.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 1376 + 5764 vs Wi-Fi 6 1148 + 4804 Mbit/s.
Ports
10 Gbit/s WAN and SFP+ on both; LAN 4 × 2.5 + 4 × 1 vs 8 × 1 Gbit/s.
Body
1060 vs 1280 g.
Verdict: who should buy which
- For almost everyone - ASUS RT-BE88U.
- Two USB and 8 antennas - ASUS RT-AX89X.
FAQ
Can you connect a 4G modem?
To the AX89X - via USB.
Is there AiMesh?
Yes, on both.
Which is cheaper?
The ASUS RT-BE88U.