ASUS’s ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, first announced late last month together with the non-Pro version, is poised to be available in the North American market—Canada and the US, to be specific.
It’s no clickbait: I’m looking at one right now and have photo proof. Apparently, ASUS has gotten conditional approval, as stated in the FCC router ban instituted earlier this year.
This preview will give you my first impression of this massive router with the latest Wi-Fi standard, which is still in draft form.
Right off the bat: It’s an improved version of the Wi-Fi 7 GT-BE98 Pro, though the two share lots of similarities. Check back soon for the in-depth review to see, among other things, how its real-world performance pans out.
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: The Wi-Fi 8 version of the GT-BE98 Pro, now with AFC
As the name suggests, the new GT-BN98 Pro is practically the Wi-Fi 8 version of the previous Wi-Fi 7 GT-BE98 Pro.
Mind the little detail: In the model names of the two routers above, BE is short for Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), as BN is short for Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn).
As Wi-Fi 8 doesn’t offer any bandwidth improvement—the ceiling speed for each of the three frequency bands remains the same—the two are identical in total Wi-Fi bandwidth: 30000 Mbps across their four bands.
And their quad-band configuration is the same, too: both come with 6 GHz split into two sub-bands.
Finally, they share the same “dead spider” design, with eight external (non-detachable) antennas attached around the massive, squarish body, and the same number of ports: two 10GbE ports, four 2.5GbE Multi-Gig ports, one Gigabit port, and a couple of USB ports.
This design began with ASUS’s Wi-Fi 5 hardware and has remained largely unchanged for over a decade. It thus can be “iconic” to some and “boring” to others. One thing is clear: it likely won’t pass that “spousal approval” hurdle in many cases.
By the way, the GT-BN98 Pro’s antennas can only swivel around the joint, while remaining at 90 degrees relative to the router’s body. Unlike those of the GT-BE98 Pro, you can’t extend them outward.
However, as the latest router, the GT-BN98 Pro has a few features that previous models lack. We’ll get to those, and let’s start with the table below that compares the hardware specs of the two flagship routers.
Hardware specifications: ASUS GT-BN98 Pro vs. GT-BE98 Pro
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro Quad-band Wi-Fi 8 Gaming Router | ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router |
| Model | GT-BN98 | GT-BE98 Pro |
| Antennas | 8 x external | |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Quad-band BN30000 (Wi-Fi 8) | Quad-band BE30000 (Wi-Fi 7) |
| Modulation Scheme (QAM) | 4096-QAM (all bands) | |
| 1st Band (channel width) | 2.4GHz: 4×4 BN with up to 1376Mbps (20/40MHz) | |
| 2nd Band (channel width) | 5GHz: 4×4 BN with up to 5762Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | |
| 3rd Band (channel width) | 6GHz-1: 4×4 BN with up to 11,525Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) | |
| 4th Band (channel width) | 6GHz-2: 4×4 BN with up to 11,525Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) | |
| Multi-Link Operation (MLO) | Yes | |
| Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) | Yes (at launch) | Planned (not yet available in late 2026) |
| Network Standards | IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ax, IEEE 802.11be, IPv4, IPv6 | |
| ASUSWRT Firmware Version (at launch) | ASUSWRT 6 | ASUSWRT 5 |
| Network Features | Web User Interface ASUS Mobile App ASUS Core Features ASUS Gaming Features | |
| Mesh-Ready | Yes (AiMesh) | |
| Processing Power | Quad-core 2.6GHz CPU, 256MB Flash, 2GB DDR4 RAM | |
| Operation Mode | Router Access Point Repeater Media Bridge | |
| Multi-Gig Port | 1x 10GBASE-T WAN/LAN, 1x 10GBASE-T LAN, 1x 2.5GBASE-T WAN/LAN, 3x 2.5GBASE-T LAN | |
| Gigabit Port | 1 x Gigabit LAN | |
| Link Aggregation | Yes | |
| Dual-WAN | Yes | |
| USB Port | 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 | |
| Hardware Buttons | Power Switch, Reset Button, WPS Button, LED Control | |
| Dimensions (with antennas) | 14.12 x 14.12 x 8.77 in (358.6 x 358.6 x 222.8 mm) | |
| Weight | 4.41 lbs (2 kg) | |
| Release Date | Q3 2026 (planned) | Q1 2024 |
| US Launch Price | $899.99 (planned) | $799.99 |
| Warranty | 3 years | |
ASUS GT-BN98 Pro vs. GT-BE98 Pro: A few things to set them apart
As mentioned, from the look of it, the new GT-BN98 Pro is like a different color option of the previous GT-BE98 Pro. The two look identical otherwise.
However, on the inside, there are a few things that make the GT-BE98 Pro “better”.
The first is that it features Wi-Fi 8, which prioritizes connection quality, meaning it’ll likely deliver faster sustained throughput and more reliable wireless connectivity in real-world use.
The second is that, according to ASUS, the GT-BN98 Pro will have the AFC feature at launch, joining ASUS’s existing small group of AFC-enabled models that includes the GT-BE19000AI and GS-BE18000.
This feature, which extends the 6GHz band to match the 5GHz band, requires certification, which is why the GT-BE98 Pro, originally released with AFC in mind, hasn’t had it even in late 2026 and likely won’t have it at all.
It’s worth noting that, up to now, AFC has been available in only a handful of Wi-Fi 7 access points/routers, with the top five shown below.
Top 5 best Wi-Fi 7 access points/routers with AFC
 |  |  |  |  | |
| Name | Ubiquiti Enterprise7 (UniFi E7)'s Rating | ASUS ROG GT-BE19000AI's Rating | Ubiquiti U7 Pro Outdoor's Rating | ASUS ROG Strix GS-BE18000's Rating | TP-Link Omada EAP787's Rating |
| Price | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rating | |||||
| Description | |||||
| Statistics | |||||
| Buy this product |
Finally, the GT-BN98 Pro will be the second router, after the GT-BE19000AI, to run ASUS’s latest ASUSWRT 6.0 firmware, which, according to the company, is “a notable departure and a major update to performance and layout for ASUS WRT.”
Among other things, the new firmware introduces a new and more robust web-based user interface that provides more information and is easier to use. Still, the interface is self-explanatory for those familiar with the ecosystem.
The takeaway
As mentioned, check back soon, as I plan to update this post into an in-depth review with more details on the new GT-BN98 Pro and how it performs in the real world.
Until then, from the look of it, as Wi-Fi 8 is the refined version of Wi-Fi 7, the GT-BN98 Pro is going to be a more refined version of the GT-BE98 Pro and has enough to justify the extra cost—the new router will likely carry a $899.99 retail price tag, which is $100 more than the previous model.
That said, if you’ve been holding out for the top ASUS router, it’s sensible to wait a bit longer for the GT-BN98 Pro so you can stay on the latest and greatest. On the other hand, if you want a deal, the previous model, which is now discounted, is what you should bring home.
If you already have the GT-BE98 Pro or any high-end ASUS Wi-Fi 7 router, for that matter, there’s no need to upgrade. Chances are, you’ll see little difference between routers of the two Wi-Fi standards via existing clients. So, wait until Wi-Fi 8 is widely available on devices—which will take years.
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Sorry to hear that. I’ll look into this. I don’t actually manage the ads myself.