Asus RT-AX82U review (2023) a powerful mid-range gaming router

Its strong Wi-Fi 6 performance is ideal for gaming, video and music streaming.

The Asus RT-AX82U is a Wi-Fi 6 gaming router that has enough speed for most families. It’s a great router for people who need their internet to handle both streaming and gaming at the same time. The dual-band AX5400 connection isn’t the fastest, but it can handle multiple devices at once because it supports 160MHz and DFS channels. You can even increase its range by using AiMesh and another Asus router that works with it you can buy this product directly from ASUS’s official store.

Asus RT-AX82U: Description

This router is a good deal for families that need a lot of streaming capacity and can make good use of the security and parental control software that Asus includes. Not only that, but the software on this router is made to give gaming traffic priority without stopping other family members from streaming. The Asus RT-AX82U costs $229, which is about the same as other high-speed routers, if not a little more. Asus includes good parental controls and Trend Micro security for the life of the product, while some other companies require a paid subscription for similar features.

You can buy this router from Amazon, Best Buy, and other online stores. You can also get a Gundam-themed version if you’re willing to pay a bit more and can find it in stock. The router, a power supply, and a Cat 5E Ethernet cable are all in the box. The router comes in a cardboard tray, which can be recycled easily. I tested with firmware version 3.0.0.4.386_46061, and most things worked well.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Supports Wi-Fi 6
  • Programmable LED RGB lighting
  • Excellent range and throughput
  • Integrated security

Cons

  • No multi-gig Ethernet
  • Locked up when changing settings
  • The antennae need room to breathe
  • Single USB port

Asus RT-AX82U: Specifications

Wireless ConnectivityWi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax), dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz
Processor1.5GHz, tri-core CPU
Memory512MB
Storage256MB Flash
Dimensions165 x 275 x 185mm, 0.75kg
PortsWAN = 1x Gigabit Ethernet; LAN = 4x Gigabit Ethernet; 1x USB 3.0

Design and features

ASUS RT-AX82U review

Even though it doesn’t belong to the Republic of Gamers, the Asus RT-AX82U looks like a gaming router. It has a low profile, sharp angles, and four large antennas that stick out from the back panel. On the front panel, there are two small LED panels that light up in smoky colors and look like eyes. You can even use the Asus app to choose from different “auras” that change colors quickly.

Aside from its gaming features, the RT-AX82U does everything right. It has dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (also known as 802.11ax) and a top speed of 5400Mbps (5.4Gbps) There are faster Wi-Fi 6 routers, like the RoG Rapture, which has a speed of 11Gbps, but for a router in this price range, this is a good speed. The RT-AX82U doesn’t come with a modem, so it has a Gigabit Ethernet port that you can use to connect to your existing modem or router so you can use your broadband connection.

There are also four more Gigabit Ethernet ports for devices that work better with a wired connection, like a games console or smart TV. One of these is called the “gaming port,” and it takes priority over devices that are plugged into the other Ethernet ports. And finally, there is a single USB 3.1 port for sharing a USB storage device on your home network.

Asus RT-AX82U: Wireless router

ASUS RT-AX82U review

The Asus RT-AX82U AX5400 is a dual-band wireless router that comes in a big black box with a picture of the device on the top. The packaging is easy to open and looks good. On all the sides of the box, there is a lot of written information about this router, its hardware, and its features. The device we’re talking about was made with gamers in mind and supports the Wi-Fi 6 standard.

When you open the box, the first thing you see is a leaflet that tells you how to use Wi-Fi 6 with this router and that you need to update the network drivers on the computers you want to connect to the Wi-Fi. The problem with Wi-Fi 6 is that older devices might not be able to find networks that use this standard unless you use the latest drivers.

Asus RT-AX82U: Security

A number of security features are built into the Asus RT-AX82U. With Trend Micro’s Network Protection, you can get antivirus protection for your whole network at no extra cost. Also, malicious sites are blocked at the router to keep the whole network safe.

Asus RT-AX82U: Connectivity

If you want to keep guests or devices you don’t trust separate, you can set up up to three separate guest networks on the 5GHz band and three more on the 2.4GHz band. The last good thing about Asus is that it has USB support.

The USB connector is a super-fast 20Gbits/sec type, and you can plug in anything from an external hard drive to a printer or a 3G/4G modem. With the free AiCloud service, storage devices can even be shared over the internet.

Asus RT-AX82U: Performance

ASUS RT-AX82U review

In terms of bandwidth, the Asus RT-AX82U did very well. We test routers both in a “near” location, 8 feet away, and in a “far” location, 36 feet away, on a higher floor, with ductwork in the way. A Wi-Fi 6 client and the NetPerf software are used for the bandwidth test. For this, we have a laptop with an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160MHz wireless adapter set to use the widest 160 MHz channel width on the 5 GHz frequency.

The speeds on the Asus RT-AX82U are very good, especially on the 5 GHz frequencies. Also impressive was how little the speeds dropped in the 5 GHz test. This seems like a good choice if you have things like a TV or game console that aren’t close to the router.

Next, we looked at how well the games worked. We did this on an Asus ROG G512 Strix i7 RTX 2070 16GB/512GB gaming laptop. We did the same tests on both wired and wireless connections as a way to check our own work. For the wired tests, a CAT 5e cable was used to connect the laptop to the router. We did tests both with the connection to an Ethernet port on the router and with the connection to the Gaming Port.

Final Words

The price of the Asus RT-AX82U is $229. This puts it firmly in the upper middle range of gaming routers, and at this price point, it offers a lot of value. We were impressed by the high FPS scores, the ability to set QoS settings for gaming, and the security that was already built in. The one USB port, the few Ethernet ports, the small effect of the Gaming port, and the lack of WTFast on a gaming router are all things that could be made better.

Overall, the Asus RT-AX82U has a good balance of speed and gaming performance, and it comes in a nice-looking, fairly small package. We’ll be testing a number of gaming and non-gaming routers, but we started with Asus because its routers have a good reputation. At the moment, this is the one to beat. We’re excited to see how the other routers compare.

FAQs

What is the range of the Asus RT-AX82U?

ASUS RT-AX82U 5400 Dual Band + Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Router, PS5 Compatible, up to 2000 sq ft and 30+ devices, Mobile Game Mode, ASUS AURA RGB, Lifetime Free Internet Security, Mesh Wi-Fi support, gaming port, black.

Does Asus RT-AX82U need a modem?

There is a DSL port on DSL-AX82U. You won’t need any extra equipment to use the first gamer modem that works with WIFI 6 and 802.11AX. You can use powerful devices like the ASUS DSL-AX82U DSL Modem in Router mode if you upgrade your infrastructure to fibre while still using ADSL or VDSL.

Dian Erwin
Dian Erwin
Dian Erwin is a review writer for Bollyinside, covering topics related to computing, such as laptops, tablets, phones, and other hardware. Dian spends much too much of his free time on Twitter, reading speculative fiction novels, playing video games, and reading comic books. He also enjoys reading video game manuals.

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The Asus RT-AX82U is a versatile WI-Fi 6 router that is suitable for many families. The powerful hardware ensures high speeds, even when multiple devices are connected at the same time. Asus has also included a robust software package with security and parental control features for free.Asus RT-AX82U review (2023) a powerful mid-range gaming router