This tri-band router (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) has been delivering reliable Wi-Fi to my whole home for the past couple of weeks. Video calls, movie streaming, and gaming have been silky smooth. Stability has been rock solid, with a single firmware update that took a few minutes being the only downtime so far. The RT-AXE7800 blew away most of the competition for speed and latency at close range on both the 5-GHz and 6-GHz bands, and it turned in respectable results over longer distances. Performance on the 2.4-GHz band was average.
Range is a weakness of the 6-GHz band, as Wi-Fi 6E has limited power, so it tends to drop off sharply with walls and other obstacles. But even with those limitations, the Asus RT-AXE7800 matched or bested most other Wi -Fi 6E routers I have tested, including mesh systems like the Nest Wifi Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) and Wyze Mesh Router Pro. It most closely matched the performance of the more expensive Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 (7/10, WIRED recommends).
One possible weakness I found with the Asus RT-AXE7800 was file transfer speeds, a test where I copy a 2.2-GB file from one PC on the network to another. It consistently took more than four minutes to complete this transfer, which was slightly below average. The last system I tested, the Eero Pro 6Eaveraged a minute and 14 seconds.
Cost Control
There’s much to consider when buying a routerso let’s drill into who the Asus RT-AXE7800 is for. Mesh systems may be tempting, but a single router often makes more sense for folks with modest properties. The RT-AXE7800 offered faster speeds across most of my 1,600-square-f out home than the majority of mesh systems I have tested. It can’t compete on range, but I had to go into my backyard to feel that.
While the Wi-Fi 6E support should only tempt you if you have devices capable of connecting on that 6-GHz band, it could prove very handy if you live in a congested area. In smaller homes or apartment blocks where your neighbor’s routers may cause interference, connecting on that 6- GHz band could offer big jumps in speed and stability. If you work from home with a Wi-Fi 6E-capable laptop or phone and sit close to the router (ideally in the same room), the Asus RT-AXE7800 is a good buy .
Far too many routers and mesh systems nowadays require expensive subscriptions if you want parental controls or network security. The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 is a good example, where it costs $170 a year to get both. Asus provides solid parental controls, enabling you to schedule downtime , filter inappropriate content, and block specific activities. There’s also AiProtection Pro powered by Trend Micro to deliver across-the-board security, including a firewall, security scans, intrusion prevention, malicious site blocking, and more. Asus includes bo th for free for the lifetime of your RT-AXE7800 router, which is great.
If you have a larger property, you may prefer something from our Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers guide, though it is worth noting that the AiMesh support here makes it easy to connect Asus routers to form a mesh. If you do go this route and use the RT-AXE7800 as your main router, a wired backhaul is advised, as you don ‘t want the routers using your 5-GHz band to connect with each other.
Folks content to wait a little longer for Wi-Fi 7 should consider a cheaper Wi-Fi 6 stopgap from our Best Wi-Fi Routers guide. While the RT-AXE7800 is quite pricey, it performs well, offers more than similarly priced Wi-Fi 6E alternatives, and harbors no hidden fees.
