Struggling with the daily frustration of a disconnected, unreliable home Wi-Fi network? Maybe your old router can’t quite meet the demands of all the devices in your home. Perhaps you live in a condo or apartment where nearby Wi-Fi networks are constantly interfering with yours. Or maybe your last-generation technology just can’t handle your bandwidth needs. For all of these scenarios, an advanced WiFi 6E router could be the answer you need.
WiFi 6E, the latest wireless networking standard, takes the full suite of congestion-relieving technologies introduced with WiFi 6 and adds one more: access to the newly released 6GHz band. This wide-open spectrum has only recently opened in certain regions and offers a wide-open alternative to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands used by last-generation routers and devices.
We’ve got everything you need to rise above the congestion that comes between you and the fast, reliable Wi-Fi network you need. In this WiFi 6E buying guide, we’ll walk you through our options so you can find the router that best suits your needs and budget. Then we’ll help you find compatible laptops, smartphones, and motherboards so you can take full advantage of all that WiFi 6E has to offer.
The best WiFi 6E routers for gaming
Nothing ruins a match of Valorant or Apex Legends just like a spotty internet connection. For today’s competitive online gamers, we have two high-quality wireless routers from the Republic of Gamers.
ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000
Let’s start at the top with the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000. As the world’s first quad-band WiFi 6E gaming router, it features a full arsenal of tools to enhance your gaming experience. The 6GHz band offers data rates of up to 4,804 Mbps to compatible WiFi 6E devices, and it has two 5GHz bands with the same bandwidth on top. Together with the 2.4 GHz band’s 1,148 Mbps, that’s a total throughput of 16,000 Mbps waiting for you.
The GT-AXE16000’s wired connections also have high data rates. It features a pair of 10 Gbps ports, four 1 Gbps LAN ports, and a 2.5 Gbps WAN port for flexible connectivity. A variety of configuration options allow you to get maximum bandwidth exactly where you need it. Information is sent through the router using a new quad-core 64-bit CPU operating at 2GHz. The same platform also accelerates applications running on the GT-AXE16000, such as AiProtection Pro and Instant Guard. Game Boost’s adaptive quality of service makes it easy to prioritize game traffic with the click of a switch. And integrated gamer VPN technology connects the GT-AXE16000 to gaming servers via optimized routes for reduced latency.
| ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 | |
|---|---|
| Availability (US) | ASUS |
ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000
For a more mainstream option, consider the world’s first WiFi 6E router: the ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000. This tri-band router offers total speeds of up to 11,000 Mbps. Access to the new 6GHz frequency band, with its wider channels and higher capacity, means you can enjoy higher performance, lower latency and less interference.
Since many gamers place their router close to their primary gaming PC, the GT-AXE11000 has a flexible 2.5G WAN/LAN port. All network traffic through this port is given the highest priority, so connect it to the device that matters most to you and enjoy a seamless connection. As with the quad-band GT-AXE16000, you’ll also enjoy three-level game acceleration, a robust suite of security tools, and the performance benefits of a quad-core CPU running your network.
| ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 | |
|---|---|
| Availability (US) | ASUS |
The Best WiFi 6E Routers for Productivity
The performance of your home Wi-Fi network can be hampered by more than just the number of nearby networks and the sheer amount of connected devices. It may also struggle with the size or construction of your home. Our mesh Wi-Fi systems neatly solve this problem by using multiple units scattered throughout the house to manage one network. Behind the scenes, the routers determine in real time which node gives the best signal to your device. They communicate with each other wirelessly or via a wired Ethernet connection (called a “backhaul”) so you can ensure that every room has reliable internet.
To make sure everyone in your household has a reliable connection for their remote work and online education needs — not to mention their after-hours entertainment and gaming hobbies — one of our ZenWiFi mesh Wi-Fi systems might be perfect for your needs. Check out our full guide to ZenWiFi mesh WiFi systems to learn more about all the options in the family, but if you’re specifically looking for the combo of WiFi 6E and mesh WiFi technology, here are two models to consider.
ZenWiFi ET8
For most people, the ZenWiFi ET8 will be an excellent starting point. After a quick and easy setup process, you’ll have a whole-home wireless network that intelligently provides the best signal to all your devices. Flexible configuration options allow you to take advantage of WiFi 6E in two ways. Out of the box, ZenWiFi ET8 dedicates its 4×4 WiFi 6E radios to backhaul, giving you reliable connections no matter which access node your devices connect to. After you upgrade your device selection with WiFi 6E compatible models, you can quickly adjust the network settings to allow your upgraded devices to access the 6GHz band.
| ZenWiFi ET8 | |
|---|---|
| Availability (US) | ASUS |
ZenWiFi Pro ET12
Time is money, so here’s an option tailored to the needs of professionals who can’t afford the downtime of waiting for their wireless Internet connection. ZenWiFi Pro ET12 uses a dual-band 4×4 antenna array to provide top speeds across the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and a dedicated 4×4 antenna array to the 6GHz spectrum. In select markets, it will also have access to the recently opened 5.9GHz band for premium speeds in this coveted part of the spectrum. All together, it can provide a total data rate of up to 11,000 Mbps. For professionals working from home, there is no better choice for a wireless home network.
| ZenWiFi Pro ET12 | |
|---|---|
| Availability (US) | ASUS |
| Availability (CA) | Amazon |
The devices you need to take advantage of WiFi 6E
Now that you’ve found your WiFi 6E router, let’s talk about the rest of your devices. To experience all that WiFi 6E has to offer, you’ll need a WiFi 6E router in addition to WiFi 6E-enabled smartphones, laptops, and other technology throughout your home. To be clear, you don’t have to upgrade everything right away. WiFi 6E routers are backwards compatible with older devices. But in order for all your devices to communicate with your new router over the 6GHz band, it must be WiFi 6E compatible.
When it’s time for you to upgrade your laptop, we’ve got your needs covered – whether you need a powerful gaming machine, a fully loaded creative workstation, or a thin and light ultraportable, we’ve got it all. For those who prefer to build their own systems, we offer a wide selection of motherboards, many with built-in WiFi 6E support. And our PCE-AXE58BT adapter makes it easy to add WiFi 6E support to your existing desktop PC.
Gaming devices ready for WiFi 6E
For gamers on the go, we offer a wide range of gaming laptops, and this year’s ROG models feature WiFi 6E connectivity across the board. Click here to learn more about our different families of gaming laptops and find the one that’s right for you. Need even more portability? Check out the all-new ROG Phone 6. This decked-out gaming smartphone features integrated WiFi 6E and is ready to perform in all your favorite competitive mobile games.
Perhaps you prefer to assemble your own PCs? In that case, you’re in luck: builders around the world rely on our motherboards to give them the performance and features they need for their machines. You’ll find WiFi 6E radios on a wide selection of our Z690 motherboards – and if you’re passionate about cutting edge technology, keep an eye out for the new motherboards we’re preparing for Intel’s next-generation CPUs and AMD.
Equip your existing desktop PC with WiFi 6E
You may already have a desktop PC that you’re completely happy with, aside from the lack of WiFi 6E connectivity, of course. With the PCE-AXE58BT you quickly get to the fast lane. Simply install the adapter into an open PCIe x1 slot, plug in the antenna module and you’re good to go. In addition to equipping your PC with WiFi 6E, it also gives you an instant upgrade to Bluetooth 5.2, making it easy to connect your wireless peripherals.
Upgrade your creative potential with WiFi 6E
For creators, we offer a full line of laptops ready to streamline your workflow in filmmaking, 3D design, engineering, animation and many other areas. Creative professionals should start with our ProArt Studiobook series. They offer dazzling and accurate displays, a complete set of ISV certifications and first-class performance thanks to their professional components from Intel, NVIDIA and AMD. Select models, including the ProArt Studiobook 16 H7600, have built-in WiFi 6E support.
For laptops that combine sophisticated designs, powerful hardware, intuitive inputs and premium OLED displays, check out our Zenbook Pro range. And if you’re looking for a sleek, lightweight laptop that provides effortless everyday computing at a great price, consider our Vivobook S family of laptops. Whichever line suits you best, you will find plenty of options equipped with WiFi 6E.
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