Asus RT-AC88U Review – Complete Review

Main Features

The router by Asus has an impressive collection of interesting specifications and features that has attracted a lot of customers. These include:

4x4 Antennas

The wireless router is very light in weight and comes with 4x4 antennas, which catches the signals easily. It has a huge capacity for networks and can host six guest networks. These antennas provide a vast range of frequencies for broadcasting. Since it is a dual-band router, it works on 2.4 GHz/5Ghz frequency. These antennas make the router suitable for online gaming and video streaming.

Protocols and Security

It is a wireless router, which can work on wired and wireless connectivity topologies for use with different purposes. This router works on different routing protocols like IGMPv2, IGMPv3, IGMP, and static IP routing to provide versatility in use along with excellent speeds. It is also efficient at ensuring your safety with the different measures in place, including MPPE and WPA-Enterprise. 

NitroQAM Technology

Perhaps what makes this router absolutely different is the NitroQAM technology, which virtually eliminates buffering or any lag. With a combined speed of 3167 Mbps, every person on the network can easily enjoy online gaming with low latency and get smooth streaming. 

The modem is also based on WTFast Gamers Private Network software that can support different games. The NitroQAM technology also helps to boost the speed of Wi-Fi for every user.

MU-MIMO Technology

With MU-MIMO technology, each device on the network gets its dedicated full-speed connection. Thus, the modem allows you to connect multiple devices without slowing the network. 

AiProtection and Parental Controls

AiProtection aims to improve online security and safety by providing a combination of parental controls, malicious site blocking, and automatic vulnerability detection. In addition, advanced parental controls ensure that young users don’t visit inappropriate sites. 

Pros

Let’s now have a look at some of the pros of this router. This will help you decide if it’s really worth the investment for you. 

Uses and Applications

The ultra-fast router (802.11ac) can be used for different purposes. It is a dual-band router that increases the speed to 3167 Mbps. This speed is very good for games of low latency, quick file sharing, and playback of smooth 4K UHD video. It is particularly great for online games because of its compatibility and the software installed in it. This router won’t cause any delay or disturbance while you are playing the game. 

Structure and Design of the Router

The 4x4 antennas, along with the AiRadar beamforming, provides a great Wi-Fi range. It helps in catching the signal. These antennas stabilize the signal, which in return, makes the Wi-Fi signals strong, clear, and fast. It also has a built-in accelerator for games, which helps in playing the game smoothly and enjoying it fully. For extensive connectivity, it has eight LAN gigabit ports. 

Connections

Since this amazing router is wireless, it can be installed anywhere. It has the support of AiMesh, which makes it compatible to connect with other Asus routers and creates a powerful connection. The MU-MIMO technology helps it connect with other MU-MIMO clients simultaneously at maximum speed. There is a link aggregation for two Gbps wired devices. Due to this, several devices can have faster access. Plus, there’s no need to boot up the PC because the Intuitive Asus Router makes it possible for you to control the networks everywhere.

Entertainment and Smart Home 

This router is a master of providing entertainment. It can control and support different devices and 1080p (Full HD) streams simultaneously. In addition, it can allow the ultimate smart home by supporting IP cameras and thermostats. It can support many more devices by controlling your whole house through Wi-Fi. Since the Wi-Fi of your house is affected by the layout of your room, the construction material used, and even the furnishings, this router alleviates all of these problems.

Cons

You have seen the pros of this router, which are more than enough to convince you to buy it. It has outstanding features and specifications, but we can't ignore the cons. Before buying it, you should be familiar with all aspects.

Price

The router is pricey compared to other routers. Looking at the features and price of this router, we can say this router's price causes it to not be affordable for everyone. People can buy other wireless routers at a lower price with similar functionalities. 

Minor Issues Reported 

After using it a few times, some technical issues can be seen. The product cannot be returned after 30 days. Also, the USB 3.0 port is not positioned properly. It is difficult to use that port due to its location.

What is the Asus RT-AC88U Best For?

Despite its features, pros, and cons, you might have still doubts about whether this product is the one for you. Here are the best uses of this model to help you decide if it is a good fit. 

Gaming Applications

We can use this router for gaming and streaming purposes. The software and high speed allow users to play online games without any interruption. We often see people complaining about connectivity and stability, but this router will help you solve all those problems. 

High-Speed Entertainment for Families 

Apart from gaming, the modem is also ideal for households with extensive streaming. With its MU-MIMO technology, each user gets dedicated internet to enjoy seamless streaming, even with multiple users on the network. 

Business

If you are looking for a Wi-Fi router for your business, then you must get your hands on the Asus Router. It is an ultra-fast model whose speed can reach up to 3167 Mbps. The 4x4 antennas stabilize the signal and provide a vast range of frequencies. In addition, eight Gigabit Lan ports can be used for extensive connectivity. These ensure you get high-speed internet that doesn’t disrupt your business dealings. 

What Do I Need to Know Before Buying?

Before buying this router, you should be familiar with all of its aspects and specifications. Some of the main aspects which need to be considered are:

Is it a Dual Band or Not?

Before buying any wireless router, the most important thing to consider is whether the wireless router is at least a dual-band. If the router is dual-band, it can broadcast the signal (wireless) on at least two frequencies. The two frequencies a router can broadcast are 2.4 GHz, which works with old standards of wireless like 802.11n and 5GHz, which is a very fast frequency used for modern standards.

Speed of Processor and RAM Available

Both of these factors matter a lot because it enables the user to use for multiple purposes. A smart home has many devices that require strong wireless connectivity. Nowadays, people play online, stream videos, and partake in other activities where a lot of data transferring takes place. For managing everything, a wireless router whose processor speed is very fast is preferable. You need to know whether the processor is dual-core, single core, or quad-core. Similarly, you need to purchase a router whose RAM is no less than 128MB. This ensures that the processing is very fast without any hindrance. 

Lifespan and Price

Before buying any router for your home or business, you need to look at its price and warranty. You should purchase a router that is affordable with excellent features. Secondly, the lifespan needs to be considered, particularly when you’re purchasing a high-end model. Don’t buy a router that costs more and/or has a short lifespan.

Conclusion

To sum up, the Asus RT-AC88U is worth buying. It will never disappoint you because of the outstanding features present, particularly if you’re going to be using it for gaming or high-speed streaming. It is a dual-band router that is suitable for any workplace.

The 4x4 antennas provide a huge range of frequency that makes it possible for the router to catch signals easily. Using this high-speed router, you can control the devices present at your home and create an efficient smart home. Customers who have bought this wireless router are quite happy with their purchase, particularly with the performance it promises.