Asus GS-AX5400 vs. GS-AX3000: Two Identical yet Distinctive Gaming Routers

This quick post is the GS-AX5400 vs. GS-AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 router matchup. These two distinctive gaming routers, part of Asus’s ROG STRIX series, have a lot in common yet sizable differences in performance.

When through, you’ll be able to figure out which one to pick for yourself.

And if you still can’t decide and live in a relatively large home, well, it’s OK to get both to build an AiMesh system. Just make sure you have already gotten your home wired if you want the best performance out of the pair.

Asus GS-AX5400 vs. GS-AX3000: Similarities

The two router looks (almost) the same, with just one visual difference: The ROG logo on top of the GS-AX5400 is covered in white dots while the GS-AX3000’s is smooth.

However, neither of the logos works as the Aura RGB lights like the GT-AX(E)11000. Instead, both routers have this light on their front, similar to the RT-AX82U.

Both routers are part of Asus’s ROG STRIX series, which is generally more affordable than the premium ROG family. As a result, neither has a Multi-Gig port nor do they support high-end gaming features like a built-in license for the WTFast gamer private network.

But both are gaming routers that have more than just the bare minimum gaming-related features, or tier one as I’d call them. They even have slightly more than the RT-AX82U.

You can read more about Asus’s (gaming) routers in this post. The table below shows where these two routers land among the networking vendor’s extensive collection of Wi-Fi machines for gamers.

That said, in terms of features and design the there’s no difference between the GS-AX5400 and the GS-AX3000. Both are feature-rich—you can do a lot with them thanks to Asus’s extensive standard router feature set.

That brings us to what sets them apart: their 5GHz Wi-Fi band, as shown in the hardware specification table below.

Asus GS-AX5400 vs. GS-AX3000: Hardware specifications

Full Name	Asus ROG STRIX GS-AX5400 Dual-band Gaming Router	Asus ROG STRIX GS-AX3000 Dual-band Gaming Router
Model	GS-AX5400	GS-AX3000
Dimensions	10.56 x 7.08 x 6.53 in (268 x 180 x 160 mm)	10.56 x 7.08 x 6.53 in (268 x 180 x 160 mm)
Weight	1.55 lbs (701.3 g)	1.63 lbs (740 g)
Hardware Specs	1.5 GHz Tri-core CPU,  256 MB Flash, 512 MB RAM	1.5 GHz Tri-core CPU,  256 MB Flash, 512 MB RAM
Wi-Fi Technology	Dual-Band AX5400	Dual-Band AX3000
5GHz Wi-Fi Specs	4×4 AX: Up to 4.8Gbps (20/40/80/160MHz)	2×2 AX: Up to 2.4 Gbps (20/40/80/160MHz)
2.4GHz Wi-Fi Specs	2×2 AX: Up to 574Mbps (20/40 MHz)	2×2 AX: Up to 574Mbps (20/40 MHz)
Backward Compatibility	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Wireless Security	WPA, WPA2, WPA3	WPA, WPA2, WPA3
Mobile App	Asus Router	Asus Router
Web User Interface	Yes	Yes
Bridge Mode	Yes	Yes
AP Mode	Yes	Yes
Mesh Support	AiMesh 2.0	AiMesh 2.0
USB Port	1x USB 3.2 Gen 1	1x USB 3.2 Gen 1
Gigabit Port	4x LAN, 1x WAN	4x LAN, 1x WAN
Dual-WAN	Yes (WAN+LAN/USB)	Yes (WAN+LAN/USB)
Link Aggregation	Yes (LAN and WAN)	Yes (LAN and WAN)
Multi-Gig Port	None	None
Gaming Features	Aura Gaming Light Gaming Port Game Boost Gear Accelerator Mobile Game Mode OpenNAT ROG First VPN Fusion	Aura Gaming Light Gaming Port Game Boost Gear Accelerator Mobile Game Mode OpenNAT ROG First VPN Fusion
U.S. Price (at review)	$250	$170

Asus GS-AX5400 vs. GS-AX3000: Differences

As you might have noted from the table above, the 5GHz band is the only thing that sets the two routers apart.

This band of the GS-AX5400 is a top-tier 4×4 with cap speeds of up to 4800Mbps, double that of the GS-AX3000.

By the way, the two use different power adapters despite the same look and processing power, as you’ll note in the picture below.

This difference is not a huge deal, but you won’t be able to use the GS-AX3000 with the power adapter of almost any other Asus router—they just won’t fit. On the other hand, the GS-AX5400 will work with the power adapters of most other Asus routers.

Asus GS-AX5400 vs. GS-AX3000: Ratings and performance

I rated these two the same despite their differences in performance. That’s because the faster GS-AX5400 costs significantly more and proves to be a better router if you live in a large household.

If you have just a few clients, though, both will deliver the same experience, both as a regular router and as a gaming one.

For this matchup, I also tested the two as satellite nodes in a wireless AiMesh system.

Specifically, I used the GS-AX3000 as the satellite for the GS-AX5400, which itself was a satellite of the RT-AX82U. In all, as expected, the GS-AX5400 was generally faster.

Which to get

The GS-AX5400 is decidedly a better router, but it’s also significantly more expensive.

That said, if you have just a few (gaming) clients, the GS-AX3000 will get the job done. However, if you live in a large household, the GS-AX5400 is a better investment.

Of course, you can always get both to use them in an AiMesh system. In this case, it’s best to use a network cable to link the two up—you can use either as the primary router.

Want to see more Wi-Fi solutions compared against each other? Check them all out here.