Product test
Mesh Wi-Fi test: TP-Link Deco BE85 only halfway convincing
by Martin Jud
Wi-Fi system review: Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Mesh outclasses the competition
23.6.2023
Translation: Katherine Martin
When it comes to data processing performance, the Asus ROG beats every single mesh system I’ve tested at home. The Rapture GT6 Mesh doesn’t use the latest Wi-Fi standard, nor does it have to. Instead, its numerous, strong antennae prove more valuable.
My Wi-Fi speed tests have finally seen some progress again. Though single routers and mesh systems have steadily upped their data processing performance in recent years, it’s been a while since any have done it as dramatically as these two ROG Rapture GT6s. Asus’s router duo averages over 700 megabits per second (Mbps) in my two-story apartment. What’s more, the mesh system blows through the gigabit barrier in one room.
That means my test laptop reaches an average of 1437 Mbps at the office, whereas in my bedroom, it still gets 1022 Mbps. However, I’ve only ever tested a few mesh systems that have a WAN connection even allowing more than one gigabit.
The two-router mesh system is available in black and white:
You can also get the Asus ROG Rapture GT6 as a single router:
Hardware and features: nine antennae, Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5-gigabit WAN
I won’t go into more detail about the lighting in this article. However, I do like that my orange-red LED setting looks like candlelight at night. You can also deactivate the ROG eye if you want.
The ports include a 2.5-gigabit WAN port, three 1-gigabit LAN ports and one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1×1. Although, strangely enough, the USB port (as you can see in the photo above) is marked as «3.0». There’s also a WPS button, a reset button and a power switch.
Here are the specifications of the ROG Rapture GT6 in detail:
In a mesh system, the connection between the router and the satellites, referred to as backhaul, is usually established via radio waves. This system, however, uses a second frequency band in the 5-gigahertz range. Alternatively, you’ve got the option of setting up this connection with a network cable. However, I won’t go into further detail about ethernet backhaul in this review.
Setting up: apartment floor plan and router location
After my modem is connected to the first router’s WAN port and the second one is ready, I scan a QR code in the quick guide. I then move on to the Asus router smartphone app, and a few minutes later, I’ve set up my new mesh system. The Asus set-up is just as simple as those I’m used to getting with other manufacturers. The app is clearly arranged and has numerous settings. If you want, you’ve also got the option of using the web interface.
After setting up, I always wait at least a week before I start testing a new Wi-Fi. It needs to have communicated with various devices in every room before it can reach its full power.
Speed, ping and signal strength per room
I take the Wi-Fi measurements using a Wi-Fi 6E-capable Lenovo laptop. It’s equipped with two antennae, so can theoretically achieve half of the gross peak values given in the router specifications (2×2 MU-MIMO at 5 GHz instead of 4 × 4 MU-MIMO). I’ve never come across a laptop with more than two antennae. Even smartphones usually only have one.
To test the mesh system, I use NetSpot to determine the signal strength. The same software also generated the signal level heatmaps shown below. To measure latency, I ping my desktop PC. I determine download speeds by downloading from my PC. All measurements are taken at the same 37 points in my flat, as always. They can be seen on the map below.
Results
Here’s how the Asus ROG Mesh fares:
The signal coverage underscores this performance and is also the highest I’ve ever measured in a 5 GHz frequency band. In the 2.4 GHz frequency band, the equally good signal coverage puts it at second place across all my reviews. The fact that the signal and speed next to the balcony are also weak in room 2 is typical of this apartment. It’s probably down to the pipes in the wall between rooms 2 and 3.
What the best 5 GHz Wi-Fi coverage to date looks like
Signal strength is measured in decibel milliwatts (dBm). Excellent values are between -35 to -50 dBm, good ones up to -60 dBm. From -70 dBm, things become critical for many devices, and anything below -80 dBm usually results in a failed connection.
In the following heatmaps, signal coverage is visualised using colour. If you see blue, the signal is poor. In turquoise, any data processing performance, such as on the balcony, drops sharply.
What 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi coverage looks like
Purely in terms of transmission power, this is the second-best 2.4-GHz frequency band I’ve ever measured. When data processing performance is considered, however, it’s only the fourth best.
Comparison with the competition
Here’s a comparison of 5 and 6 GHz (sorted by data processing performance):
2.4-GHz comparison (sorted by data processing performance)
Verdict: Asus ROGs my world!
The ROG Rapture GT6’s performance is remarkable and both surprised and impressed me.
The ROG Rapture GT6 Mesh gets my recommendation.
Header image: Martin Jud
Martin Jud
Senior Editor
martin.jud@digitecgalaxus.chI find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.
