ReviewFinder Routers

Asus RT-AC86U

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17 Verified Hands-On Reviews

To combat fake reviews we only accept video reviews from verified channels. Each review must show the product and the face of the reviewer.

Expert reviews [17]

86
Total expert reviews: 17
  • with a score: 9
  • without a score: 8
Highest score by TechRadar
100
Average score based on 17 reviews
86
Lowest score by Gadget Review
73

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
ReviewFinder: authentic product reviews summarized by a powerful AI engine.

Expert consensus

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a high-performance device with excellent speed and range, advanced features, and easy setup, making it an ideal choice for streaming, gaming, and other bandwidth-intensive applications.

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a high-performance device that offers excellent speed and range, making it an ideal choice for streaming, gaming, and other bandwidth-intensive applications. With a coverage area of up to 3,000 square feet, the router can easily handle multiple devices connecting to it simultaneously without significant drops in performance.

It comes with advanced features such as parental controls, VPN options, and Trend Micro's AiProtection software that blocks access to malicious sites and detects viruses. The router is easy to set up and use, with a well-thought-out initial setup wizard and user-friendly web interface and mobile app.

It is highly compatible with most cable and DSL modems and devices that support the IEEE 802. 11ac wireless standard. Overall, the Asus RT-AC86U router is an excellent choice for families and gamers who need a reliable and secure router with advanced features.

Speed

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a high-speed device designed for gamers, capable of delivering Wi-Fi speeds of up to 2900Mbps, with advanced features like WTFast game acceleration and Adaptive QoS bandwidth prioritization.

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a high-speed device capable of delivering Wi-Fi speeds of up to 2900Mbps, with 750Mbps on its 2. 4GHz band and up to 2167Mbps on its 5GHz band. It performs well in real-world scenarios such as streaming 4K video and online gaming, with no lag or buffering.

The router is specifically designed with gamers in mind, with features like WTFast game acceleration and Adaptive QoS bandwidth prioritization. It is capable of covering up to 3,000 square feet of space, making it an excellent choice for larger homes and offices. The router has beamforming and MU-MIMO technology that help to focus the router's signal towards connected devices and allow multiple devices to be connected simultaneously, respectively.

Additionally, the router has advanced Quality of Service (QoS) controls that allow users to prioritize traffic for different applications and devices. Overall, the Asus RT-AC86U router is a high-performance device that is ideal for streaming, gaming, and other bandwidth-intensive applications.

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Range

The Asus RT-AC86U is a high-performance router with excellent range and signal strength, equipped with MU-MIMO technology, AiRadar 2.0 BeamForming technology, and RangeBoost feature to improve long-range WiFi performance and coverage.

The Asus RT-AC86U is a high-performance router that offers excellent range and signal strength, making it an ideal choice for both small apartments and large houses. With a coverage area of up to 3,000 square feet, the router can easily handle multiple devices connecting to it simultaneously without significant drops in performance.

The router is equipped with MU-MIMO technology, which allows multiple devices to connect to the router and receive data simultaneously. Additionally, the router offers AiRadar 2. 0 BeamForming technology and RangeBoost feature to improve the long-range WiFi performance and gain better coverage.

Overall, the Asus RT-AC86U is a reliable and powerful router that can meet the needs of most users.

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Features

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a feature-packed device that offers robust parental controls, advanced QoS controls, and VPN options, making it an excellent choice for families and gamers who need a reliable and secure router with advanced features.

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a feature-packed device that offers robust parental controls, advanced QoS controls, and VPN options. It comes with Trend Micro's AiProtection software that blocks access to malicious sites, detects viruses, and applies parental controls to restrict access to adult-oriented sites, social media sites, and streaming media and entertainment content.

The router also has access to parental controls to restrict access to certain sites on your devices. The QoS controls prioritize traffic for different applications and devices, including gaming, video streaming, and file transfers. The router supports a wide range of VPN services, including OpenVPN and PPTP, and can work as a VPN server or a VPN client.

It has two USB ports- one USB 2. 0 port and one USB 3. 0 port- that can be used to connect to a printer, an external hard drive, or other storage devices. The router also supports MU-MIMO, beamforming technology, and firewall setup. Overall, the Asus RT-AC86U router is an excellent choice for families and gamers who need a reliable and secure router with advanced features.

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Security

The Asus RT-AC86U router offers robust security features, including WPA3 encryption, a guest network feature, a built-in firewall, and Trend Micro's AiProtection, making it a secure choice for home and small business use.

The Asus RT-AC86U router offers robust security features, including WPA3 encryption, a guest network feature, a built-in firewall, and Trend Micro's AiProtection. The AiProtection uses machine learning to monitor the network for malicious activity and neutralize infected devices, while also blocking access to malicious sites and providing parental controls.

The security settings and options are user-friendly and customizable for both novice users and network engineers. This router is a secure choice for protecting your network against cyber threats, making it ideal for home and small business use.

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Ease of use

The Asus RT-AC86U router is easy to set up and use, with a user-friendly web interface and mobile app, customizable settings, and advanced features that make it an excellent choice for gamers and power users.

The Asus RT-AC86U router is considered easy to set up and use, with a well-thought-out initial setup wizard that takes just a few minutes to get the network ready. The web interface and mobile app, ASUS Router, are both user-friendly and offer a wide range of customizable settings and features, including advanced QoS controls and VPN support.

The mobile app has an excellent interactive interface that shows real-time processor and RAM usage, while the web interface has more detailed information. The menu is highly customizable, and the router is equipped with useful tools for optimal performance, including embedded support for WTFast game acceleration and Adaptive QoS bandwidth prioritization.

Overall, the Asus RT-AC86U is an excellent choice for users who want a router that is easy to set up and use, with a high level of customization and control over network settings. It is particularly well-suited for gamers and power users who require advanced features and tools for optimal performance.

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Compatibility

The Asus RT-AC86U router is a highly compatible and versatile option that supports the latest wireless standards and encryption, as well as smart home integration.

The Asus RT-AC86U router is highly compatible with most cable and DSL modems, as well as with devices that support the IEEE 802. 11ac wireless standard. It is easy to set up and configure using its web-based interface, which can be accessed from various devices, including smartphones and laptops.

The router also supports MU-MIMO technology and the latest WPA3 encryption standard, providing increased security for wireless networks, including IoT devices. Additionally, it is compatible with Amazon Alexa and other smart home devices, allowing users to control various aspects of the router using voice commands.

Overall, the Asus RT-AC86U router is a reliable and versatile option for users looking for a router that is compatible with a wide range of devices and technologies.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all routers.

Rank Change Price Router
Laptop Mag
Tom's Guide
Wirecutter
How To Geek
T3
PCMag
Digital Trends
TechRadar
Business Insider
Lifewire
1
- $1500
Netgear Orbi 970
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3
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-
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-
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1
2
- $330
Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8
The Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 router is a high-performance Wi-Fi 6 mesh system with excellent speed and range, advanced features such as parental controls and QoS settings, and easy setup and management through a mobile app.
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4
-
-
-
1
-
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3
- $300
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 router is a high-performance router that supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 and 6E standards, offering top speeds of up to 11,000 Mbps, and is ideal for users who require high-speed internet for activities such as streaming and gaming.
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6
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8
-
-
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3
-
4
- $96
TP-Link Archer AX50
The TP-Link Archer AX50 router is a highly recommended Wi-Fi 6 router that offers fast and reliable speeds, supports over 40 connected devices, and has advanced features such as parental controls and antivirus protection.
3
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-
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2
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Asus RT-AC86U did not receive any endorsements this month.