Review: Asus RT-AXE7800

The Asus RT-AXE7800 is a tri-band router that supports the newly opened 6-GHz band, making it a smart choice for congested homes. Asus has packed a comprehensive list of features and configuration options into this slick hexagonal design. If you crave control over your network and want a router that covers all the bases for an up-front price, it may just put a hex on you.

As Wi-Fi 7 creeps closer, Wi-Fi 6E routers are growing more affordable. The list price on the Asus RT-AXE7800 is $330, but we are already seeing discounts. There are some compelling reasons to wait for Wi-Fi 7, which is set to unlock the potential of that 6-GHz band and improve its currently disappointing range. But for folks in smaller homes and apartments with local interference woes, the Asus RT-AXE7800 could offer tangible benefits.

Photograph: Asus

After unpacking the surprisingly compact Asus RT-AXE7800 and unfolding its six antennas, it took me just five minutes to set up. Every time I test an Asus router, I am impressed by the wealth of options and the inclusion of things like robust network security and comprehensive parental controls without a subscription. You can even set up and use the Asus RT-AXE7800 without creating a user account with Asus.

Connectivity is generous and highly configurable. The main WAN/LAN port is rated at 2.5 Gbps, there’s a second 1-Gbps WAN/LAN, and a further three 1-Gbps ports, with support for link aggregation (combining ports for faster wired connections). There’s also a single USB 3.0 port.

If you like to tinker, Asus offers a wealth of options in the mobile app and via the browser interface. You can split bands, set up priority activities (gaming, streaming, working) with the adaptive QoS, and create a mesh network with other AiMesh Asus routers. There’s also support for VPN services, Dynamic DNS, router settings backup, traffic analysis, and all sorts of network tools. Most folks won’t need to fiddle with these settings, but it’s better to have the option.

Photograph: Asus

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).

The Asus RT-AXE7800 also did well with file transfer speeds. In a test where I copy a 2.2-GB file from one PC on the network to another it took a minute and 21 seconds. The last system I tested, the Eero Pro 6E, averaged a minute and 14 seconds.

There’s much to consider when buying a router, so 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-foot 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 both 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.