Routers and gaming. Name a more incompatible duo. The on-going trend of attaching anything “gaming” to any hardware to make it more expensive is still rolling even up to this day. Most of the time, these “gaming” tech do not offer anything worth looking at. But sometimes, they do provide something better than their non-gaming counterparts. This time, we’re here to review the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000, a router made for gaming that looks like it would fly off at any moment. But is it actually good? Let’s find out.
| Model Name |
GT-AX6000
|
| Network Standard |
IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ax, IPv4, IPv6
|
| Product Segment |
AX6000 ultimate AX performance
|
| AX technology | Yes |
| Data Rate |
2.4GHz AX: 4×4 (Tx/Rx) 1024 QAM 20/40MHz, up to 1148Mbps
5GHz AX: 4×4 (Tx/Rx) 1024 QAM 20/40/80/160MHz, up to 4804Mbps |
| Antenna |
External antenna x 4
|
| Transmit/Receive |
2.4 GHz 4 x 4
|
|
5 GHz 4 x 4
| |
| Processor |
2.0 GHz quad-core processor
|
| Memory |
256 MB Flash, 1 GB RAM
|
| Boosts speed |
OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access),
Beamforming: standard-based and universal, 1024-QAM high data rate, 20/40/80/160 MHz bandwidth, |
| Operating Frequency |
2.4G Hz / 5 GHz
|
| Ports |
RJ45 for 2.5 Gigabits BaseT for WAN/LAN x 1, 2.5 Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 4,
USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1, USB 2.0 x 1 |
| Button |
WPS Button,
Reset Button, Power Button, LED Control Button |
| LED Indicator | Power x 1 2.4GHz x 1 5GHz x 1 2.5G WAN x 1 2.5G LAN x 1 LAN x 1 WPS x 1 |
| Power Supply |
AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz)
DC Output : 19 V with max. 2.37 A current or 19.5 V with max. 2.31 A current |
| Package content |
GT-AX6000 WiFi 6 Dual-Band Gaming Router
RJ-45 cable Power Adapter Quick Start Guide Warranty Card |
| Product Weight (g) | 1121.4 g |
| AiMesh |
AiMesh : Yes
Primary AiMesh router : Yes AiMesh node : Yes |
| Router APP |
ASUS Router APP : Yes
|
| Game |
Game Boost/acceleration : Yes
ROG_First : Yes OpenNAT (Game Profile) : Yes Gaming port : Yes |
| AiProtection |
AiProtection : AiProtection Pro
Router Security Assessment : Yes Malicious site blocking : Yes Two-Way IPS : Yes Infected Device Prevention and Blocking : Yes |
| Parental Control |
Parental Control : Yes
Customized Internet schedule : Yes |
| Traffic Control |
Adaptive QoS : Yes
Bandwidth Monitor : Yes Bandwidth limiter : Yes Maximum Bandwidth limiter rule : 32 Traditional QoS : Yes Maximum Traditional QoS rule : 32 Traffic Monitor : Yes Real-time traffic monitor : Yes Wired Traffic Monitor : Yes Wireless Traffic Monitor : Yes Traffic Analyzer : Yes Traffic analysis period : Daily, Weekly, Monthly Website history : Yes |
| Wireless |
IPv6 : Yes
MU-MIMO : Yes Wi-Fi Encryption : Open system, WPA/WPA2/WPA3-Personal, WPA/WPA2-Enterprise UTF-8 SSID : Yes Guest Network : Yes Maximum Guest Network rule : 2.4GHz x3, 5GHz x3 Guest Network Encryption : Open system, WPA/WPA2/WPA3-Personal WPS : Yes Wi-Fi MAC address filter : Yes Maximum MAC filters : 64 Wireless scheduler : Yes Airtime fairness : Yes RADIUS Server : Yes Universal beamforming : Yes |
| WAN |
Explicit beamforming : Yes
Internet connection Type : PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP, Automatic IP, Static IP Dual WAN : Yes WAN Aggregation : Yes 3G/4G LTE dongle : Yes Android tethering : Yes Port forwarding : Yes Maximum port forwarding rule : 64 Port triggering : Yes Maximum port triggering rule : 32 DMZ : Yes DDNS : Yes NAT Passthrough : PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, RTSP, H.323, SIP Passthrough,PPPoE relay |
| LAN |
DHCP Server : Yes
IGMP snooping : Yes IPTV : Yes LAN Link Aggregation : Yes Manually assign IP address : Yes Maximum manually assign IP address rule : 64 |
| VPN |
L2PT : Yes
OVPN : Yes PPTP : Yes IPSec : Yes OVPN : Yes PPTP : Yes Fusion : Yes |
| USB application |
File System : HFS+, NTFS, vFAT, ext2, ext3, ext4
HDD hibernation : Yes Safely Remove disk : Yes AiCloud : Yes Download master : Yes AiDisk : Yes Media Server : Yes Time Machine : Yes Samba Server : Yes FTP Server : Yes Shared Folder privileges : Yes |
| Administration |
Operating mode : Accesspoint, AiMeshnode, Mediabridge, Repeater, Router
Operating system : ASUSWRT Free OS upgrade : Yes Firewall : Yes Maximum Firewall keyword filter : 64 Max Firewall network service filter : 32 Maximum Firewall URL filter : 64 Wake on LAN (WOL) : Yes SSH : Yes Configuration backup and restore : Yes Diagnosis tools : Yes Feedback system : Yes System log : Yes |
The ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 was tested in an urban environment populated with multiple wireless signals and other interference. This is typical to what you would find in urban sprawls like Metro Manila or Metro Cebu. The test was done using 802.11ax devices, all of which were directly and wirelessly connected to the router. Devices were tested to perform while connected to either the 5 Ghz or 2.4 Ghz bands. For benchmarking, iperf3 was used to produce controlled transfers to measure speeds. Note that performance is highly dependent on several factors and may be incredibly different compared to the “ideal” performance that is usually advertised by router makers.
| ROG GT-AX6000 | Device 1 (Host) | Host Frequency | Device 2 (Client) | Client Frequency | Average Speed (MB/s) | Notes |
| Test 1 | PC | 5 | Laptop | 5 | 22.4 | w/in 1m |
| Laptop | 5 | PC | 5 | 22.3 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 2 | PC (802.11ax) | 5 | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | 20.75 | w/in 1m |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | PC (802.11ax) | 5 | 22.63 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 3 | Laptop (802.11ac) | 5 | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | 23.5 | w/in 1m |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | Laptop (802.11ac) | 5 | 24.8 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 4 | Laptop (Wired) | – | PC (802.11ax) | 5 | 45.7 | w/in 1m |
| PC (802.11ax) | 5 | Laptop (Wired) | – | 43.8 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 5 | Laptop (Wired) | – | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | 43.7 | w/in 1m |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | Laptop (Wired) | – | 41.1 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 6 | PC (802.11ax) | 2.4 | Laptop (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 6.37 | w/in 1m |
| Laptop (802.11ax) | 2.4 | PC (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 6.41 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 7 | PC (802.11ax) | 2.4 | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 6.33 | w/in 1m |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 2.4 | PC (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 6.78 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 8 | Laptop (802.11ax) | 2.4 | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 6.1 | w/in 1m |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 2.4 | Laptop (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 6.25 | w/in 1m | |
| Test 9 | PC (802.11ax) | 5 | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | 3.98 | 35m~40m + wooden wall |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 5 | PC (802.11ax) | 5 | 4.11 | 35m~40m + wooden wall | |
| Test 11 | PC (802.11ax) | 2.4 | Smartphone (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 1.11 | 35m~40m + wooden wall |
| Smartphone (802.11ax) | 2.4 | PC (802.11ax) | 2.4 | 0.93 | 35m~40m + wooden wall |
The ROG GT-AX6000 is by far the strongest router in terms of range that I have ever tested. In my previous router reviews, all of them failed to reach even the 50m mark from where I usually test. Previously, 5 Ghz was nigh impossible and 2.4 Ghz was just a tick. This time, with the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000, I was able to get to the 50m mark with both the 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz. Although speeds were not something you could write home about, it is still surprising to see a router reaching that distance for the first time.
One of the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000’s highlighted features is its Gaming Port. Simply plugging in a PC or gaming console to this port grants it the highest priority in the network. Useful if you’re up grasping for bandwidth while up against dozens of machines that want to stream videos at the same time.
Another flagship feature, the dual 2.5G ports can help your system reach incredible speeds using just two ports. This has two configurations: WAN & LAN aggregation. WAN allows you to use two designated ports and combine them to reach an ideal maximum of 3.5 Gbps speeds or 437.5 MB/s. That number might seem high because it is, especially here in the Philippines where typical households manage with only 18.68 Mbps or 2.34 MB/s (2022 average).
Next, we have LAN aggregation. This feature is for heavy load systems such as NAS servers as you can combine two 1 Gbps LAN ports to create a single 2 Gbps line. Highly recommended for those with network setups that typically transfer heavy files.
As this is a gaming router, it comes with a bunch of features to help you in your gaming experience. Notable ones include the Game Radar, a built-in ping checker that you can run to check speeds before you dive into your multiplayer game. Another one is Game Boost which forcibly sets your router to prioritize data for video games.
Worth mentioning here is OpenNAT. Given that I frequently play Ubisoft games and have been closely acquainted with the NAT status errors, I find OpenNAT as a solution to solve my usual predicament. With this, you can easily add and use Port Forwarding with the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 without having to use arcane arts just to make certain online games function on your rig.
Through the ASUS Router App, you could check the status of your router, see the devices connected to it, and even change the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000’s mode. You can choose to have your router be in Gaming Mode to prioritize games, or set it to other modes like videos and file transfers to easily change the priority of packets without having to manually access the router’s dashboard.
With the tests and benchmarks done with the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000, I can definitely say its the most powerful consumer router that I’ve ever handled. The hardware allows it to reach farther while maintaining decent speeds decent enough for regular consumption. If you are planning on just having one router to cover a great distance, say for a farm or a very large garden, then you may consider getting having the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 to provide you with your wireless needs.
The SRP for the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 is PhP 20,789 as of the writing of this review. Extremely high especially for a router that is targeted towards gamers. Or maybe because it’s for gamers hence the price?
Although undeniably a pretty impressive piece of technology, I still find it hard to be too into the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000. Maybe because of its price. For me, it’s too high and it may be likely because I’m not part of it’s target market. The less feature-filled gaming routers like the TUF AX3000 is more than enough to suit my needs. Another thing is that most of its flagship features are currently not accessible to typical gamers, especially here in the Philippines. Having dual 2.5G ports sounds impressive on paper but in reality, most gamers would find it hard to take advantage of that flagship feature.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a router to cover a lot of ground and have a capacity to connect to a dozen or even hundreds of machines at the same time, then this is a possible solution. Having the dual 2.5G ports can also be an advantage here as a form of redundancy should your primary connection fail. Maybe the target market should have been business owners or small enterprises? Perhaps ASUS should create a new line of products with a name like Republic of Businessmen or ROB? But I digress.
With boatloads of features marred with an exorbitant price tag, the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 nonetheless gets a mark of recommendation for us. It is undeniably powerful and the range is remarkable. Features are a also great provided that you can use them. However, even for a gamer with enough dough to buy this, the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 can be incredibly absurd and one would likely just waste a good half of its features. A word of warning though, make sure you have the infrastructure for this thing before you buy it. Although it’s certainly worth investing on, you might find it better to utilize less powerful and more affordable alternatives instead.
The ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 is currently available here in the Philippines. It has an SRP of PhP 20,789. You can purchase it online via the official ROG store on Lazada.
For those looking for a more affordable alternative, check out our ASUS TUF AX3000 Review or ASUS RT-AX53U Review.
For more information about the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000, read the official product page.
