ASUS ZenWiFi Mesh WiFi System ZenWiFi AC (CT8, WiFi 5) & ZenWiFi AX (XT8, WiFi 6)

76% External
Keywords: asusrouterwifi-6wireless

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Photo 0of ASUS ZenWiFi Mesh WiFi System ZenWiFi AC (CT8, WiFi 5) & ZenWiFi AX (XT8, WiFi 6)Photo 1of ASUS ZenWiFi Mesh WiFi System ZenWiFi AC (CT8, WiFi 5) & ZenWiFi AX (XT8, WiFi 6)

Product Overview

The ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8) and AC (CT8) include two WiFI 6 / WiFi 5 routers in a ready-to-deploy mesh configuration for maximum coverage at high performance.
The ZenWiFi AX achieves up to 6.6 Gbps maximum throughput across one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz bands. The two stylish ZenWiFi nodes communicate over a dedicated 4x4 WiFi 6 backhaul at speeds up to 4804 Mbps without interfering with the clients. Features such as MU-MIMO and OFDMA ensure that each WiFi 6-compatible device gets its share of bandwidth even in highly congested network envrionments.
The ZenWiFi AC features a pair of AC3000 routers that deliver maximum throughput up to 3 Gbps. Each router has four vertically positioned and two diagonally positioned internal antennae, resulting in a clean design that fits in any interior decor while ensuring optimal coverage and performance.

Ratings

What we found**

Pros
  • Excellent Wi-Fi performance
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Comprehensive app-based controls and customizations
Cons
  • Nothing in particular

What external reviewers found***

External score 76% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
  • Excellent Wi-Fi 6 performance
  • Excellent throughput performance
  • Excellent mesh performance
  • Excellent performance
  • Good value for money
Cons
  • Lacks Wi-Fi 6
  • Lacks anti-malware tools
  • Lacks AES 256-bit encryption
  • No 2.5Gbps WAN port
  • Privacy policy isn't very clear
  • No power-saving idle mode
Read More

Price Comparison

Specifications

ACAX

Connectivity

Antennae6x internal
Ports3x 1Gb LAN + 1x 1Gb WAN + 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1
Wireless ConnectivityIEEE 802.11a, b, g, n, ac + IPv4, IPv6IEEE 802.11a, b, g, n, ac, ax + IPv4, IPv6

Dimensions

Size | Depth7.5 cm
Size | Height16.15 cm
Size | Width16 cm
Weight730 g716 g

Function

Processor1.5 GHz quad-core processor
SecurityWPA2-Personal, WPA-Personal, WPA-Enterprise , WPA2-Enterprise , WPS support / IPSec Pass-Through, PPTP Pass-Through, L2TP Pass-Through, PPTP server, OpenVPN server, PPTP client, L2TP client, OpenVPN clientWPA3-Personal, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Personal, WPA-Enterprise , WPA2-Enterprise , WPS support / IPSec Pass-Through, PPTP Pass-Through, L2TP Pass-Through, PPTP server, OpenVPN server, PPTP client, L2TP client, OpenVPN client
WANInternet connection type : Automatic IP, Static IP, PPPoE(MPPE supported), PPTP, L2TP

Performance

Memory | Capacity256 MB RAM512 MB RAM
Storage128 MB Flash256 MB Flash

Production

Availability2020-01
Debut2020 CES

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Launch Comparison
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3rd-Party Review Videos

External Reviews

cnet[1]

Reviewer score 79%
Reviewers from cnet have found the following***:
The Asus ZenWiFi AX is an excellent mesh router. It nearly managed to match the best-in-class performance of the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 version. At $450, this is still a splurge, but if you're looking for the best value, it's worth it.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent mesh performance
  • Excellent Wi-Fi 6 performance
  • Good value for money
Cons
  • Privacy policy isn't very clear

pcmag[2]

Reviewer score 83%
Reviewers from pcmag have found the following***:
The Asus ZenWiFi CT8 is an excellent choice for an 802.11ac mesh-based Wi-Fi system. It installs in minutes and delivered excellent speed and coverage throughout our test home. It comes with a lifetime AiProtection subscription that gives you robust parental controls and liftetime malware protection.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent throughput performance
  • Strong parental controls
  • Easy to install
Cons
  • Lacks AES 256-bit encryption

pcmag[3]

Reviewer score 79%
Reviewers from pcmag have found the following***:
The Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 is an excellent all-around choice for folks who want the latest in their homes. The platform ticks all the boxes: easy and fast mesh networking, Wi-Fi 6 support, and robust security tools to keep your family and data online. All that under the hood makes it a pricey system, but still not quite as expensive as some of the other mesh systems we've tested.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Easy and fast mesh networking
  • Easy to install
  • Supports 802.11ax and 2.5G
Cons
  • Lacks anti-malware tools

techradar[4]

Reviewer score 70%
Reviewers from techradar have found the following***:
The Asus ZenWiFi AX supports tri-band Wi-Fi 6 on the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands, with a total speed of 6600Mbps (6.6Gbps) That's far beyond the speed of most current routers that use 802.11ac wi-fi, and even faster than many new Wi- Fi 6 routers as well. Each router also has a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port for high-speed Internet connections. The Asus Router app and set-up procedure aren't quite as straightforward as other mesh systems, but it provides an impressive range of features.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent performance
  • Good parental controls
  • Easy to set up
Cons
  • App doesn’t explain what’s going on
  • Dynamic DNS

tomsguide[5]

Reviewer score 65%
Reviewers from tomsguide have found the following***:
The ZenWiFi AX runs without a problem for a week, distributing emails, music, videos and the occasional gaming session. The two years of warranty coverage that Asus provides is among the best in the business and blows away Netgear's 90-day policy. It's easy to turn on the system's QOS software to set priorities for gaming, file transfer and other activities.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent performance
  • Two-year warranty
  • Easy to set up
Cons
  • Lacks Wi-Fi 6
  • No power-saving idle mode

trustedreviews[6]

Reviewer score 82%
Reviewers from trustedreviews have found the following***:
Asus ZenWifi AX is set up and configured through the smartphone app. System comes as two devices, giving you a main router and a satellite that you can place elsewhere. Each rounded cuboid satellite (160 x 75 x 161.5 mm) is identical, down to the slightly confusing array of ports on the rear.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent throughputs
  • Easy to set up and configure
  • Excellent parental controls
Cons
  • No 2.5Gbps WAN port

User Reviews

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References

  1. ^ Asus ZenWiFi AX review: This Wi-Fi 6 mesh router hits the sweet spot. [cnet]. https://www.cnet.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ax-review/. 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  2. ^ Asus ZenWiFi AC (CT8) Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ac-ct8. 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  3. ^ Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ax-xt8. 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  4. ^ Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) review. [techradar]. https://www.techradar.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ax-xt8. 2020-08-24. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  5. ^ Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) review. [tomsguide]. https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ax-xt8. 2021-02-23. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  6. ^ Asus ZenWifi AX Review. [trustedreviews]. https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ax. Retrieved 2021-03-22.

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These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.

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