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Asus unveiled the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI, its first “AI-driven” gaming router, at CES 2025 today.
Asus is not new to gaming. In fact, the company has produced the most products related to this field over the years in the Wi-Fi realm alone. So, the GT-BE1900AI seems to be another new router of this trend.
Or is it?
ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: An upgrade to the GT-BE98 Pro?
At a glance, the GT-BE19000AI appears to be a lesser beast than the previous GT-BE98 Pro, which is currently Asus’s most potent gaming router. Among other things, this new router is a tri-band Wi-Fi broadcaster instead of a quad-band.
Looking closer, though, things start to get interesting. The “AI” notion alone is entirely new.
According to Asus, the GT-BE19000AI has “intelligent AI-optimized” features and is powered by a tri-core system that includes a CPU (central processing unit), an NPU (neural processing unit), and an MCU (microcontroller unit) to form an on-device AI. As a result, it can deliver “next-gen game acceleration, cutting-edge security, and energy-saving modes that reduce power use by up to 46%.”
While all that sounds great, it can just be marketing language. What’s clear, however, is that this AI notion requires more hardware and not simple firmware updates. In other words, it has new capabilities that previous Asus routers, including the GT-BE98 Pro, will not ever get simply via firmware updates.
Here are the GT-BE19000AI’s highlights per Asus:
- Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 320MHz channelwidth on the 6 GHz band and 4096-QAM to deliver up to 19Gbps of total wireless bandwidth.
- Quad-core 2.6GHz CPU, plus an NPU, an MCU, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and 32GB eMMC Flash.
- AI-powered triple-level game acceleration with ROG AI Game Booster optimizes routes in real-time to reduce ping, jitter, and packet loss. Adaptive QoS 2.0 allows dynamic priority adjustments for different workflows.
- Intelligent ad and tracker blockers with advanced on-device processing keep your data local and secure while removing unwanted ads and trackers.
- AI-powered noise detection improves Wi-Fi stability by identifying interference and offering network insights, giving you complete control.
- The tri-core design enables power-saving architecture, activating performance mode when needed and reducing energy use by up to 46% when idle.
- Wired network capacity up to 31G with dual 10G ports, four 2.5G ports, and extreme 20G Link Aggregation
- Up to five SSIDs or powerful VLAN controls for game acceleration, IoT devices, and VPN with the Guest Network Pro and ROG Exclusive Gaming Network.
- Easy extendibility with compatible ASUS AiMesh routers for seamless and secure whole-home WiFi
Overall, Asus claims that “the GT-BE19000AI delivers blazing WiFi 7 speeds up to 19000Mbps” (which is the case of all BE19000 hardware) and enables users to “enjoy AI-driven unparalleled control and privacy, making every connection smooth, secure, and optimized for today’s gaming and streaming demands.”
Clearly, all that remains to be determined. However, judging from the specs below, the new router sure has something unprecedented to offer in comparison to the GT-BE98 Pro.
Hardware specifications: GT-BE19000AI vs. Asus GT-BE98 Pro
| Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router | Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Model | GT-19000AI | GT-BE98 Pro |
| Antennas | 8 x external | |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Tri-band BE19000 | Quad-band BE30000 |
| Modulation Scheme (QAM) | 4096-QAM (all bands) | |
| 1st Band (Qchannel width) | 2.4GHz: up to 1376Mbps | |
| 2nd Band (channel width) | 5GHz: up to 5762Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | |
| 3rd Band (channel width) | 6GHz: up to 11,525Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) (all channels) | 6GHz-1: up to 11,525Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) (lower channels) |
| 4th Band (channel width) | None | 6GHz-2: up to 11,525Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) (upper channels) |
| 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 | |
| Network Features | Web User Interface Asus Mobile App Asus Core Features | |
| Gaming Features | Asus’s AI-driven Gaming features | Asus Gaming Features |
| Mesh-Ready | Yes (AiMesh) | |
| Processing Power | Quad-core 2.6GHz CPU, 16GB Flash, 4G DDR4 RAM | Quad-core 2.6GHz CPU, 256MB Flash, 2GB RAM |
| 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 | |
| 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) | |
| DC Power Adapter | 100~240 V | |
| Release Date | Summer 2025 | Q1 2024 |
| Firmware (at review) | AsusWRT 6.0 (new) | 3.0.0.6.102_32882 (AsusWRT 5.0) |
| Power Consumption (per 24 hours) | TBD | ≈ 560 Wh (as tested) |
| US Launch Price | $799.99 | $799.99 |
As shown in the table above, for the most part, the GT-BE19000AI is similar to its predecessor, the GT-BE98 Pro. However, there are a few significant differences:
- The GT-BE19000AI is a tri-band router. While this seems somewhat of a shortcoming, it actually makes things easier since band-splitting can be complicated.
- The GT-BE19000AI has much more processing power, including a double amount of RAM and 128 times more in internal storage alone.
- Per Asus, the new router will be the first to run a new major release of its Linux-based AsusWRT firmware, version 6.0.
So, it’s safe to say that the GT-BE19000AI has more where it matters, and that means the pricing is friendly enough.
Asus told me that the router’s large amount of RAM and flash allows it to handle all the AI-related functions locally instead of communicating with a third party, which is part of Asus’s effort to protect users’ privacy.
It’s worth mentioning, though, that if you’re thinking that Asus would release an AI version of the GT-BE98 Pro, the company informed me that it had no plan or intention to do that. In other words, the GT-BE19000AI is intended to be an entirely different class. It’s also different from the GT-BE19000, which has the same Wi-Fi specs but is similar to the GT-BE98 Pro and is available only outside of the US.
Availability and pricing
Asus says the new GT-BE19000AI will be available later this year, likely during the summer. Its estimated retail cost is $799.99.
By now, it’s pretty clear that the GT-BE19000AI is going to be an exciting router. Even if the AI notion turns less than what Asus claims, it remains a sensible tri-band version of the complicated quad-band BT-BE98 Pro.
On the downside, the bulky design means it still will not ease that “spouse approval” pain some might have endured. But it is what it is. You just can’t have everything.
Check back later in the year to see if this router will be available as promised and, if so, how it pans out in real-world usage.
I had several ASUS routers, including the AX11000 PRO and AXE16000. Unfortunately, with each firmware version, the routers started to work worse and worse. IOT devices on the 2.4 GHz band disconnected constantly. The MESH system from this company is a disaster, it doesn’t work at all in the sense that the devices can’t switch between routers and not lose connection to the network.{…} It’s a waste of time on solutions that don’t work.
A bit harsh (and very troll-like), Mike, but yes, Asus stuff could have some improvement for sure on the firmware front.
Hey Dong,
The none AI version of this exact product (The black version) supports guest wireless pro and also vlan. Can you perhaps explain the difference here. I heard guest pro can function almost as a vlan for wifi devices and the actual vlan support is only for the lan ports? Is that true? Does the built in vlan functionality allow you to create vlans and control traffic with ACLs between the Vlans? I have the gt-axe11000 and im considering upgrading to this, and then using the gt-axe11000 in mesh/backhaul mode.
Yes, MP, that’s the case with all routers running AsusWRT 5.0 firmware. You can use the virtual SSIDs as part of the main subnet or one of its own as a VLAN. It might just need a firmware upgrade which lump Wireless and Guest Network Pro to Network.
Your chart has “Asus’s AI-driven Gaming features” under the GT-BE98 Pro.
Also, strangely, the global spec page for the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI currently lists the same physical dimesons as the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro’s global spec page. I assume your listed size information comes from some other (press) source, and that it (rather than the global spec page) is correct.
I like the white color. I hope this is something they offer on future ROG branded models.
I wonder if Adaptive QOS 2.0 will actually be useful, and am curious if you will be able to show any difference in testing of it.
Fixed. Thanks. I have a bit of dyslexia.
The specs were those I got from Asus at at CES but by itself it seems to be about the same size give or take a bit, as you can see in the photos, so that’s a minor thing. We’ll have to wait till summer to see how it pans out.
I have similar difficulties, see “dimesons.”
I’m excited to hear your take on this “AI” stuff. Here’s hoping that the extra memory is well utilized and there’s something more to it than marketing,
Thanks for this update. Worth watching for release date, functions and price. Also, the comparison chart was helpful. All in all, good info!
I just updated the post with more info. More to come.
I just ordered two BE98PROs for a mesh configuration for my home (lowest price drop I’d seen so far) and was worried that Asus would announce a large evolution in devices during CES. The AI version of the BE98PRO is interesting to me, especially since its dropping a band – I’m looking forward to how it performs when you get your hands on one for a review.
I’ll probably stick with my BE98PROs and get them up and running versus waiting 6+ months for the “AI” tri-band system. (I’m upgrading from a dual-band 802.11ac orbi system and struggling with connectivity across our house).
I don’t know anything about the AI version of the GT-BE98 Pro, Joe, but the current one is as good as it gets. This one is not out yet, and unclear exactly when it’ll be.
Will be released in Dec 2025 when the next router will be announced. So it would already be outdated at launch. TBH, this AI nonsense is just Asus riding on the AI marketing hype train.
It does seem to have a lot of flash and RAM, so maybe there’s something. We’ll see.