Verdict
The latest Wi-Fi 6E 6GHz network, ultra-fast 5GHz Wi-Fi and dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet makes the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 a beast of a router. With a simple app control and excellent gaming options, this is a top-end router for those that need and demand the absolute best.
Pros
- Very fast
- Includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Excellent gaming and parental control
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Ethernet portsFour Gigabit Ethernet and dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports make this router ready for anything. -
WirelessRuns the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard, for ultra fast 5GHz and 6GHz networking.
Introduction
At just over £500, there’s no getting away from the fact that the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 is an expensive router.
Your money isn’t going to waste though, as this router is fully kitted out to deliver the best performance, including Wi-Fi 6E and dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Design and features
- Bold and chunky design
- 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Supports Wi-Fi 6E
If I’m going to buy an expensive router, I want it to look and feel expensive. Fortunately, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 fits into that category. A mass of antennas, the router looks like it means business.
Looking around the outside, it’s clear that there’s a lot going on inside this model, with a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet WAN port (which is faster than is required today and will last into the future), four Gigabit Ethernet ports and two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports that are ideal for the latest PCs and a fast NAS.
Once the router is powered on, the Perspex lid lights up in a pattern of colours. It’s a cool effect, and one that can be controlled via the app or web interface, either changing the colour and pattern, or just turning the lights off if you find them distracting.
There are two USB ports, one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0, which can be used for sharing external storage. They’re a slight step down from the USB 3.2 ports on the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000, but that doesn’t bother me too much. In all of the years I’ve been reviewing routers and mesh systems, I’ve never once actually needed to use a USB port on a router.
The router can be configured through the web interface or the Asus router app. Both give roughly the same level of control, and I slightly prefer using the app.
First, the app got me to connect to my internet connection, and then it gave me the option of configuring the networks. By default, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 separates its networks, although you can combine them under one name.
I think it’s easier to have them separate, so you can pick which network you want to connect to. Entering a network name in the 2.4GHz box auto-populates the other networks adding _5G-1, _5G-2 and _6G. That’s for the two 5GHz networks (one lower channels, one higher) and the 6GHz network, respectively.
The router has high-spec networks, with the 2.4GHz running four streams at a maximum of 1148Mbit/s, the 5GHz networks both running four streams at up to 4804Mbit/s, and the 6GHz also running four streams at up to 4804Mbit/s.
The fastest speeds require the widest channels, which are 40MHz on the 2.4GHz band and 160MHz on the 5GHz and 6GHz bands. Interference is likely to be an issue, and I found that only the 6GHz band could give me the fastest connection speed. That’s no surprise, and Wi-Fi 6E was designed specifically for this reason.
Via the main web interface, there’s a Game Radar, which shows current Ping times for common multiplayer games. ASUS provides a Boost option to increase gaming performance, available via the web interface or app, alongside different prioritisation profiles including work from home and media streaming.
The range of gaming controls isn’t quite as detailed as those in Netgear DumaOS routers, such as the Netgear Nighthawk XR1000, which lets you lock down which servers you connect to. However, the controls on the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 are simpler to turn on and off.
Via the app, you can create family profiles for each member of your household, assigning their devices. Each profile has web filtering set by the rough age, although categories of content can be manually added or unblocked, plus bedtime settings. And, a profile can be blocked at any time.
Power by Trend, AIProtection will block malicious sites automatically, and block potentially infected devices from connecting to the internet. It’s nice to have a bit of extra protection in the mix.
AIMesh is supported, letting the router use other AIMesh devices to build a mesh network. That’s handy if you want the physical power that a router like this brings, but need the flexibility of a mesh to give better performance throughout your house.
Performance
- Very fast, particularly on the high 5GHz band
- Quick Wi-Fi 6E throughputs
Wi-Fi 6E is capable of delivering some of the fastest wireless speeds, provided a device is within reach. I tested using a Wi-Fi 6E motherboard on a desktop PC, running my throughput tests to a device connected via 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet to the router. I was pleased to see throughputs of 911.86Mbit/s. That’s just shy of the 934Mbit/s I saw on the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 but close enough: the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 is still capable of wired networking speeds.
Next, I moved onto the wireless tests. I found that the best throughputs were to be had on the second 5GHz network, which uses the higher channel numbers, which have less interference to them. At close range, I managed 652.74Mbit/s, which is extremely fast; moving to the second floor 5m away, speeds were 509.30Mbit/s; on the second floor, at 10m from the router, I saw speeds of 473.95Mbit/s. These are the kinds of speeds I might expect from a powerful mesh system, showing that the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 has power and range.
Testing the 2.4GHz band, I was impressed with the 95.11Mbit/s speed at close range. Speeds drop off after that, due to the levels of interference on this band: I saw speeds of 69.82Mbit/s at 5m and a decent 52.79Mbit/s at 10m.
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Should you buy it?
You want the best performance:
This router is fast across the board, but 6GHz networking and dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet mean it’s at the cutting edge.
You’ve got more basic needs:
If you don’t need all of this power, but just want reliable Wi-Fi, a cheaper router or mesh system may suit.
Final Thoughts
Capable of delivering huge speeds, and with dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1600 is one of the most expensive standalone routers, but it’s still good value, as you’re getting a lot for your money. Its gaming controls are great, and it’s a powerful standalone router all-round.
If you’re after a single router and want the best performance, this is an excellent choice. You can see alternatives in our guide to the best wireless routers.
How we test
Unlike other sites, we test every wireless router we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as our main wireless router for the review period
We throughput test all wireless devices using the same equipment in the same locations so that we have accurate comparisons
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FAQs
Using this technology, you can add another AIMesh product to boost this router’s signal.
With 10x the throughput of Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet is good for connecting up multiple compatible switches or for high demand devices, such as desktop PCs and NAS drives.
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As part of this mission, whenever we review a product, we send the company a series of questions to help us gauge and make transparent the impact the device has on the environment
We currently haven’t received answers to the questions on this product, but we will update this page the moment we do. You can see a detailed breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability info page.
