In today’s world, where a high-speed internet connection is as essential as electricity, the advent of Wi-Fi 6, mesh networking systems, and tri-band technology has revolutionized our online experiences. These advancements ensure seamless Wi-Fi coverage in every corner of our homes, offering consistent connectivity across various frequency bands. Gone are the days when streaming 4K movies or engaging in remote gaming on platforms like PC or PS5 was marred by lags, necessitating a LAN connection or router-switching to manage dead zones and bandwidth choices. The introduction of Wi-Fi 6, combined with mesh networking and tri-band capabilities, has significantly enhanced this landscape. Wi-Fi 6 boosts both the speed and reliability of our internet connection. The mesh system, now enriched with tri-band technology, facilitates an effortlessly expandable wireless network that blankets your entire home. Within this new realm of connectivity, the latest ASUS lineup, especially the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6, is made for this.
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh system, which is an all-in-one SSID with 3 different bands for 2.4GHz and two 5GHz bands. This system features two mesh routers, each powered by the formidable AX10000 Wi-Fi specification which enables the system to achieve speeds of up to 10 Gbps. With uplink/downlink OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology, the Wi-Fi 6 router promises up to 4x greater capacity and 2.7x faster speeds compared to Wi-Fi 5. The GT6 also boasts impressive hardware, including nine strategically placed antennas, a tri-core 1.7GHz processor, 512MB DDR4 RAM, and 256MB of flash storage. On the security front, the GT6 is equipped with robust features like AiProtection Pro that protects your network from malicious sites, and other network related attacks. For the gaming side, they have game acceleration wherein it prioritizes game traffic for smooth online experience. For wired connections, the router includes three 1GB LAN ports, catering to diverse connectivity needs. The best part, it features gaming-centric hardware, a futuristic hexagonal aesthetic complemented by a customizable dotted Aura RGB lightning which will adds flair to your gaming rig.
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is priced in the Philippines at PHP 29,995.
In this review, we’ll thoroughly assess the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6, testing its ability to fulfill its advertised capabilities. A key focus will be on its efficacy as a mesh gaming router, particularly how it handles simultaneous, high-demand online gaming.
Packaging
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 arrives in their usual solid ROG box packaging, with their iconic red and black theme. The box prominently features an image of the two mesh routers, with the title stylishly presented in silver and rainbow colors. It highlights the router’s key features, the WiFi 6, the tri-band system, and among others.
The back of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6’s packaging serves as a comprehensive guide to what the product offers. It has all of the details of the router’s features, from its extensive coverage area and advanced software capabilities to its speed specifications.
Upon opening the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 package, the design suggests an emphasis on a quality unboxing experience. The package features a pop-up design, which facilitates easy access to the contents. Inside, the two mesh routers are placed within carved designed cartons which serve as a secure placement and protection during transit.
The ROG Rapture GT6
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 mesh gaming router comes with its futuristic hexagonal shape and a predominantly black color scheme and is designed to be positioned in portrait mode. Its build, consisting of sturdy plastic, lends a robust feel to the device. Adding to its aesthetic appeal are horizontal carved straight-line patterns, which provide a textured look and feel that contrasts with its somewhat bulky design. Furthermore, the lack of external antennas results in a cleaner, more streamlined appearance.
The front panel of the mesh router showcases a visually appealing design, highlighted by a dotted LED pattern forming the ROG logo. This feature includes customizable RGB lighting, allowing users to animate various light patterns. The inclusion of the ‘Republic of Gamers’ label and subtle border icons on the sides enhances the router’s aesthetic appeal. Additionally, the design integrates sensible venting on both the top and back portions for efficient heat dissipation – more details on these design elements will be discussed later in the article.
The left side of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 prominently highlights its Wi-Fi 6 capability through the use of large, striking fonts, reminiscent of those seen on mecha or Gundam movies akin to the numerical labels on ships in such films, not only underscores the router’s main feature but also adds a visually appealing, futuristic touch. In addition to this, the integration of an exhaust fan on the same side is a thoughtful design choice. It serves a dual purpose: ensuring efficient heat management during heavy usage and aesthetically complementing the router’s high-tech design. Upon testing, it was noted that the router does warm up under load, but the temperature remains within a safe and manageable range, not becoming excessively hot.
On the right side corner of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6, the design remains consistent with the router’s overall aesthetic, featuring another exhaust vent. However, this vent uniquely incorporates the brand’s identity: a carved inscription, “For those who dare,” doubles as both a vent and a bold statement.
The rear panel of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 continues the consistent venting style seen on its other sides, contributing to the router’s unified design aesthetic. A unique feature here is the inclusion of the ROG’s geographical coordinates “24’49’14.5 N 121’01’36.1 E” pointing to the ASUS headquarters in Taiwan. This area also hosts an array of essential ports like the three LAN ports for wired connections, and there’s the 2.5G/1G WAN port for internet connectivity, and USB 3.0 port is also available for network storage solutions. Completing the back’s functionality is the power button for easy on/off control and the power cord connection.
The top of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 plays a crucial role in housing key internal components of the router. Concealed beneath a dark-shaded plastic cover are four antenna pipes, essential for powering the router’s connectivity as well as the distinctive ROG carved logo. In a departure from the conventional external antenna design, these antennas are internally situated, aligning with the router’s sleek aesthetic. However, a notable concern regarding this design choice is the glossy plastic cover’s susceptibility to hairline scratches. Given the router’s premium status and price point, the decision to use glossy plastic instead of a more durable material raises questions.
The bottom of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 serves as an informative hub, offering a detailed overview of the router’s specifications and compliance information. This section is designed to provide users with quick access to vital details, eliminating the need to refer to the packaging. The bottom of the router features a QR code, which allows for easy pairing of the mesh router with its dedicated app. The reset and WPS are also placed on the left corner.
The best part of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 truly comes to life when powered up, unveiling its visually captivating RGB lighting effect that can instantly become the centerpiece of your gaming rig. Equipped with Aura RGB, it offers extensive customization options for its dotted RGB lighting, enabling users to create a mesmerizing visual display that shines particularly bright in dim environments.
Here is a closer look at the RGB in action, lighting the individual 294 (if our count is correct) dotted RGB.
Setting Up
Setting up the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is a bit different from the usual plug-and-play routine that you might expect with most traditional routers. In this section, we’ll walk you through our experience of setting up the mesh system.
The journey began with the straightforward task of connecting the main mesh unit to the internet either from an existing router or from the ISP’s modem.
Next up was downloading the ASUS Router app, easily found on both Google Play and the App Store or through the QR code from the packaging. Launching the app, we were prompted to scan the QR code sticker located on the bottom part of the mesh unit. The scan initiates an automatic setup process, eliminating much of the guesswork typically involved in network configurations.
As for the first-time user, the system required a firmware update, a minor detour in the setup journey. This update process, while necessary, added a few extra minutes to the overall setup time.
Once the update was completed, connecting to the mesh network will be automatic. Setting up the WiFi access credentials was the last step in the process. From start to finish, the entire setup, including the update, was wrapped up in about 7 minutes. If you exclude the firmware update, a user could potentially be up and running in under a minute.
Features
Next in our review, we examined the advanced features provided by the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6, which are enabled through its proprietary firmware. This firmware is designed to contribute to network management and security enhancements.
Below is a summary of the primary features that set the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 apart from conventional routers:
AiMesh
It allows for management of the mesh network, including visibility of connected devices on each mesh node and the capability to assign devices to specific nodes. It offers the option to label nodes with designations like ‘Hall,’ ‘Office,’ or ‘Dining Room.’ Additionally, the router features one-click optimization options intended to enhance the performance of the mesh network.
AiProtection
Powered by Trend Micro, AiProtection includes a range of security features:
- Router Security Assessment: This feature aims to identify potential vulnerabilities in the router’s settings and advises on security best practices.
- Malicious Sites Blocking: Designed to restrict access to websites that may pose security risks.
- Two-Way Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Offers protection by monitoring both incoming and outgoing network traffic to detect potential threats.
- Infected Device Prevention and Blocking: Aims to prevent compromised devices within the network from being used in broader network attacks.
Game Acceleration
The Game Acceleration feature includes various levels of gaming enhancement, but it’s important to note that some features are accessible only through a subscription (level 3) and are exclusive to ROG devices (Level 1). So, we are only able to test the Game Packet Prioritization (Level 2). During our testing, we did not observe a noticeable improvement in performance, which could be due to already optimal internet speeds, or our network is just not that congested. While we were unable to quantify a definitive performance enhancement with this feature, it could potentially be beneficial in different network conditions. Another aspect of Game Acceleration is the Gear Accelerator, which allows specific devices to be designated as gaming devices, theoretically prioritizing them for a better gaming experience.
Game Radar
It is designed to allow users to monitor the ping status across different server regions for a selection of popular games. We noted that while the feature functions as intended, the list of games currently supported by this tool appears to be outdated. An update to include more recent games would certainly add value to this tool.
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 firmware integrates advanced networking capabilities with features targeted at gaming. The only area for improvement we noted was in updating some features to remain relevant with current gaming trends.
Benchmark
In order to evaluate the performance of the mesh router in scenarios involving device connectivity within a local network, specifically for streaming content and remote play between mobile devices, PCs, and consoles, including VR devices, we conducted a series of tests.
For these tests, we utilized a Raspberry Pi device with a maximum network bitrate speed of 946Mb/s. Given that the Raspberry Pi’s Wi-Fi speed is capped, we connected it to the mesh network via LAN on mesh node 1. This approach was chosen to ensure consistent testing conditions across all our evaluations.
| Hardware Devices | Specification |
| Raspberry Pi 4 Model B | CPU: Quad Core Cortex-A72 64-bit @ 1.8GHz Memory: 8GB LDDR4-3200 SDRAM WiFi: 802.11ac, dual-band |
| Desktop PC – AMD Ryzen 9 7900 | CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7900 12-Core @ 5.4GHz Memory: 32GB T-Force DDR5 @ 6200MHz Motherboard: GIGABYTE X670 Gaming X AX WiFi: AMD Wi-Fi 6E RZ616 |
We structured our tests across four distinct setups, each designed to reveal how the GT6 handles data transmission under varying conditions when connecting to different mesh setup:
- WiFi to Mesh 1 and LAN to Mesh 1: This configuration was used to test the router’s ability to handle WiFi connections when both the WiFi device and the LAN-connected server are connected to the same mesh unit.
- WiFi to Mesh 2 and LAN to Mesh 1: In this setup, we examined how the router manages connections when a WiFi device is connected to a different mesh unit than the LAN-connected server, thereby evaluating its performance in a split mesh network scenario.
- LAN to LAN Across Mesh Units: This test involved connecting two devices via LAN, each to a different mesh unit. The goal was to assess the router’s performance in handling LAN connections across multiple mesh units.
iPerf 3 Test Benchmark
In our iPerf 3 testing, aimed at measuring the maximum achievable bandwidth and overall efficiency of network connections, we observed distinct results across various scenarios. When the WiFi connection was established to the same mesh unit, we recorded a bandwidth of 516 Mbits/s. In contrast, a WiFi connection to a different mesh unit yielded a lower bandwidth of 306 Mbits/s. Interestingly, the LAN connection across different mesh units demonstrated superior performance, achieving a top speed of 949 Mbits/s.
These results provide valuable insights into the TCP and UDP performance under differing network configurations.
OpenSpeedTest Benchmark
In conducting the OpenSpeedTest, which was designed to gauge the real-world performance of our network setup, we observed notable results. Utilizing a Raspberry Pi device, we achieved a download speed of 966.2 Mbps and an upload speed of 976.1 Mbps when connected via WiFi to the same mesh unit. This performance reflects the maximum capability of our Raspberry Pi. Conversely, when testing the WiFi connection on a different mesh unit, the speeds is almost the same, registering at 950 Mbps for download and 963 Mbps for upload.
Steam Link Testing Network
Considering the impressive overall speeds above, the results from our Steam Link remote play network testing indicate that the requirement of speeds over 100 Mb/s is easily achievable when connected to both WiFi on the same and different mesh unit.
While remote playing some games, we experienced smooth and responsive controls without noticeable delays. Regarding the range, the maximum distance we achieved without encountering lag was 13 meters.
Internet Speedtest
We included a real-world test using Ookla’s Speedtest to compare the default WiFi and internet speeds of our ISP-provided router/modem with those achieved when connected to the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6. It’s important to note that standard ISP routers often do not support the latest WiFi standards like 5G or 6G, which can limit their speeds unless a LAN connection is used. In our tests, both the ISP router and the ROG Rapture GT6 were evaluated to determine their performance capabilities. The results showed that with the ROG Rapture GT6, we were able to fully utilize our ISP’s advertised speeds, reaching 617.80 Mbps for download and 190.51 Mbps for upload.
We not only used Ookla’s Speedtest to assess the internet speeds but also cross-verified these results with the speed metrics available in the router’s admin panel, which is also powered by the same company. Interestingly, both testing methods yielded consistent results, showing that we were able to achieve the full bandwidth of our ISP subscription with the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6: 617.80 Mbps download and 190.51 Mbps upload speeds.
Internet Range Test
In assessing the range capabilities of the mesh router, we conducted tests to measure the reach and speed at various distances. The results were indeed impressive, demonstrating the router’s effectiveness over a considerable range. At a close distance of 5 meters, the router maintained near-maximum speeds, achieving 616 Mbps download and 190 Mbps upload. As the distance increased to 10 meters, there was a noticeable decrease, with speeds registering at 395 Mbps for download and 168 Mbps for upload. At 15 meters, the speeds further reduced to 132 Mbps download and 53 Mbps upload. At 20 meters, the router still provided usable speeds of 72 Mbps download and 29 Mbps upload. Notably, even at the farthest tested range of 30 meters, the router managed to sustain a connection, albeit at significantly reduced speeds of 3 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload.
Based on the results of our range testing, it appears that the most effective placement for mesh nodes with the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is at intervals of approximately 10 meters. This distance allows for optimal performance and consistent speeds, as evidenced by our tests showing strong connectivity and high speeds within this range. Extending the placement of mesh nodes to 20 meters can still provide satisfactory speeds, though with some reduction in performance. Consequently, strategically positioning the mesh nodes at these intervals could effectively extend the overall network coverage of the router to a radius of up to 50 meters.
Overall Benchmark Result
To provide a clear and convenient overview of our comprehensive testing results, we have compiled all the data below:
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is an impressive option in the world of high-performance mesh gaming routers that includes the latest technology; the all-in-one SSID tri-band and the WiFi 6. Its design is not only futuristic and visually striking but can also utilized its full power, catering to the needs of digitally advanced households. The router excels with features tailored for gamers with the customizable Aura RGB lighting and fast network speeds that are ideal for remote gaming and streaming. Although the glossy top is prone to scratches and some gaming features may be outdated, along with the price being a consideration, these factors are offset by the router’s exceptional performance, making it a worthwhile investment.
Our benchmarks show that the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 consistently delivers on its promised speed, achieving up to 966Mbps download and 979Mbps upload at network-based speed test, which is more than sufficient for remote gaming across various platforms. The internet speeds are also impressive, fully utilizing the bandwidth of your subscription at 617Mbps download and 189Mbps upload. Furthermore, the router’s range is notably robust, providing strong signal even through concrete walls and can reached up to 20 meters at an optimal speed.
Adding to its appeal is the generous 3-year warranty, which underscores the manufacturer’s confidence in the product’s durability and performance. Overall, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 stands out as a top choice for gamers and tech-savvy users looking for a reliable, high-end mesh router solution and tri-band connection.