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Asus today announced its Republic of Gamers (ROG) Rapture GT6 as “the first ROG mesh WiFi system optimized for gamers.”
If you know Asus routers, this is not its first Wi-Fi hardware designed for gamers, far from it. But the GT6 does have a few things to stand out from the company’s existing crowded gaming pool.
In all, the ROG Rapture GT6 seems a natural progression.
Update (February 2, 2023): Asus told me GT6 would “officially” be launched in the US in late February 2023, despite having been available at retail store for over a month. That generally means Asus will soon to release the first version of fully-tested firmware for it. Check back soon for its in-depth review.
Table of Contents
ROG Rapture GT6: A new class of hardware
You can quickly build a gaming mesh system today using existing Asus hardware.
All you need is a gaming router, such as the latest GT-AXE16000, or any in the chart below, and build an AiMesh system by adding more hardware.
| Model/Name | Multi-Gig Port | Gaming Private Network | Game First/ROG First | VPN Fusion | Game Boost | Gaming Port | Open NAT | Mobile Game Boost | Gear Accelerator | GeForce Now | Aura RGB LED Lights |
| GT-AXE16000 | 1×2.5Gbps 2x10Gbps | WTFast | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| GT-AX11000 Pro | 1×2.5Gbps 1x10Gbps | WTFast | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GT-AXE11000 | 1×2.5Gbps | Outfox | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| GT-AX11000 | 1×2.5Gbps | WTFast | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| GT-AX6000 | 2×2.5Gbps | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| GT-AC5300 | None | WTFast | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| GS-AX5400 | None | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| GS-AX3000 | None | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| RT-AX88U | None | WTFast | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| RT-AX89X | 1x10Gbps 1xSFP+ | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| RT-AC88U | None | WTFast | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| RT-AX86U | 1×2.5Gbps | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| RT-AX86S | None | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| RT-AX82U | None | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| RT-AX92U | None | WTFast | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| RT-AC86U | None | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| RT-AC68U | None | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| TUF-AX5400 | None | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
However, gaming is not an explicit offer among the company’s purpose-built mesh system, namely the ZenWiFi product line. You can still play games with them, but some features are not there, and the hardware might not have the bling to match.
That’s where the new Rapture GT6 fits in. It’s the first canned mesh system that comes with the signature ROG design and features made to arouse gamers specifically. It’s supposed to be a legit gaming system, however way you define “legit” in this case.
ROG Rapture GT6: Designed to be bold yet functional
Like most ZenWiFi mesh sets, the new ROG Rapture GT6 includes two identical mesh-ready units. Use one as the primary router, and the other will work as a satellite to extend the coverage.
In the appearance department, though, Asus says the new kid on the block is “built with premium form and function in mind.”
Specifically, each GT6 has no external antennas — similar to the case of all existing ZenWiFi hardware — and adopts a “futuristic style highlighted by an Aura RGB logo, slashed vents, and the ROG tagline For Those Who Dare etched into one side.”
Additionally, top and bottom ventilation grills are aligned with the heatsinks inside to create “convective effects and heat dissipation.”
Finally, the router’s top is transparent, revealing the component on the inside. My guess is it’ll also have some cool lighting to match, similar to the ZenWiFi Pro ET2 or XT12.
While all the new design touches above might amount to pure bling, there’s something the GT6 has on the inside that will make a significant impact as a mesh system: the support for the UNII-4.
ROG Rapture GT6: First purpose-built mesh with UNII-4
UNII-4, also known as the 5.9GHz band or the final frontier of Wi-Fi 6, is the newly available portion of the 5GHz band. It allows for a third and only clean 160MHz channel which works excellently as the backhaul in a fully wireless mesh system.
UNII-4: What 5.9GHz band is, and why it’s hot
The GT6 is not Asus’s first UNII-4 supporting hardware. The company has recently enabled this on the ZenWiFi XT8 via firmware, and its upcoming ZenWiFi Pro XT12 and GT-AX11000 Pro also have it.
However, as a purpose-built mesh set, the GT6 is the first announced, so far, to support the 5.9GHz portion.
When it comes to gaming, nothing beats network cables — you should get your home wired — but for homes that must use a fully wireless mesh, UNII-4 is the best wireless alternative.
ROG Rapture GT6: Hardware specifications
| Model | ROG Rapture GT6 | ZenWiFi XT8 |
| Mesh-Ready | Yes (2-pack) AiMesh | Yes (2-pack) AiMesh |
| Dedicated Backhaul Band | 5GHz-2 | 5GHz-2 |
| Wired Backhaul | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.78 x 3.1 x 6.96 in (17.23 x 7.81 x 17.68 cm) | 6.29 x 2.95 x 6.35 in (16 x 7.5 x 16.15 cm) |
| Weight | 1.94 lbs (880 g) | 1.56 lb (716 g) |
| 1st Band (channel width) | 4×4 5GHz-1 AX Up to 4804Mbs (20/40/80/160MHz) | 2×2 5GHz-1 AX Up to 1200 Mbps (20/40/80MHz) |
| 2nd Band (channel width) | 4×4 5GHz-2 AX Up to 4804Mbs (20/40/80/160MHz) | 4×4 5GHz-1 AX Up to 4804Mbs (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| 3rd Band (channel width) | 2×2 2.4GHz AX up to 574 Mbps (20/40MHz) | 2×2 2.4GHz AX up to 574 Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11ac/n/g/a/b | 802.11ac/n/g/a/b |
| Data Rates (up to) | 802.11a/g: 54Mbps 802.11b: 11Mbps Wi-Fi 4: 300Mbps Wi-Fi 5: 1733Mbps Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz): 574Mbps Wi-Fi 6 (5 GHz-1): 4804Mbps Wi-Fi 6 (5 GHz-2): 4804 Mbps | 802.11a/g: 54Mbps 802.11b: 11Mbps Wi-Fi 4: 300Mbps Wi-Fi 5: 867Mbps Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz): 574Mbps Wi-Fi 6 (5GHz-1): 1201Mbps Wi-Fi 6 (5GHz-2): 4804Mbps |
| Mobile App | Asus Router | Asus Router |
| Web User Interface | Yes | Yes |
| AP Mode | Yes | Yes |
| USB Port | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Gigabit Port | 3 x LAN | 3 x LAN |
| Multi-Gig Port | 1x 2.5 Gpbs WAN | 1x 2.5 Gpbs WAN |
| Link Aggregation | Yes | No |
| Dual-WAN | Yes | Yes |
| Processing Power | TBD CPU, 256MB Flash, 512MB DDR 4 RAM | 1.5GHz quad-core CPU, 256MB Flash, 512MB DDR 3 RAM |
| Release Date | TBD | January 2020 |
| US Retail Price (at launch) | $599.99 (2-pack) | $450 (2-pack) $250 (single router) |
Single 2.5Gbps port. Familiar features and settings
Besides that, Asus says the ROG Rapture GT6 has smart antennas and RangeBoost Plus to supposedly increase its Wi-Fi coverage. The networking company claims a 2-pack can handle up to 5800 ft2 (539 m2).
The GT6 comes with a single 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig port, like the case of the ZenWiFi XT8, and supports Link Aggregation. So it’s a bit tight on the port department — by now, I’d hope that all new routers have at least two Multi-Gig ports, like the case of the GT-AX6000 or ZenWiFi Pro ET12.
One thing is for sure: the ROG Rapture GT6 will share all the standard features and settings found in all Asus routers, plus those available in the company’s gaming hardware.
As mesh hardware, the GT6 uses AiMesh, meaning it’ll also work with other supported hardware, such as the privacy router or a satellite node.
So it’s going to be a familiar beast.
Asus Wi-Fi hardware: All you need to know
Availability and pricing
Asus says the ROG Rapture GT6 will be available in the last quarter of 2022 with a $599.99 price tag.
Overall, the new gaming hardware seems to be a souped version of the ZenWiFi XT8, which, as mentioned above, also recently got the UNII-4 treatment.
I’ll update this post as I learn more. So check back if you want to find out how this new gaming mesh pans out when it’s available.
I was able to purchase a pair in late December. So far, I’ve been very happy with the performance, no modifications, just setup out of the box. I rent a condo, so cannot hardwire for backhaul. Range is exceptional compared to my AX86U and AX11000. My AX11000 would drop one 5GhZ channel intermittently, which has not been an issue with the GT6. I also get 800mpbs on my laptop, which betters the 400-500mbps I would get with the AX11000. Looking forward to the full review.
Noted. Thanks for sharing the experience.
Really looking forward to your review of the GT-6! Any idea when you’ll publish it?
It’s not available yet. So we’ll see.
Lol cheap SoC but dedicated gen 2 radios supporting unii-4
Don’t think its worth 599.99, but it will certainly perform well due to unii4 power output..
We’ll have to wait and see…
9 antennas but only 2×2 on 2.4GHz. Is this a misprint or something else?
It’s something else, like your assumption that you know what you’re talking about. What does the number of antennas have to do with this? 🙂
More on antennas in this post.
Wow! You are literally the rudest blogger I have come across. Time and time again you insult your readers. You could have answered Layne way less snarky, and been so much more polite in your response. Instead, you continue to be rude to your readers to the point where you push them away. Just stop it, Dong. You’re so rude and a complete a$$.
Thanks for the message, Richard. Hope it made you feel good about yourself.
I think Layne could have defended themselves if need be. I was writing with tongue in cheek. Most importantly, I answered the question the way it was asked. And, by the way, Layne was a return reader, and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t kissing their ass the last time or times.
You’re such a judgemental di*ck, Richard, and impolite, too. What an irony.
Dong’s initial response was fine, considering the questioning. I’d say the same thing. And to your comment, I’d say, “f*ck off!”
It was not fine. Go read most of Dong’s responses to his readers. Every week I’m reading smart a$$ remarks back to his readers. It’s like he berates his readers on a weekly basis. I’ve never seen a blogger treat his readers this way. It’s so uncalled for.
@Richard
I couldn’t reply directly to your last comment. But I’d like you to hear this:
Why are you still here, Dick? Didn’t you mention that Dong “push”ed your kind away with his style? Why did you return? Who do you think you are to say something is fine or not?
I’ve followed Dong for almost two decades, and he’s the ONLY tech reviewer who doesn’t pander to bullshit, the type you’d like to eat.
It’s not my place to say this but seriously, f*ck off! There’s NOTHING wrong with how he answers any efing comment because he simply could have just ignored them.
If you ask a stupid question, then you deserve whatever comes after.
Get a life!
Gents,
Before things get out of hand, I’d like to have the last word in this thread.
I appreciate your input, but let’s put an end to this.
Keep your opinion about me to yourself, or bring it elsewhere. I didn’t make this website to talk about myself or to address folks’ feelings.
If you think this is me “berating” you, so be it! But if you leave any more comment here on the matter, it’ll be your very last comment on this website.
Thank you!
@Richard, you’re such a hypocrite! Even if Dong wasn’t joking, Layne’s question was flippant at best.
Why do you think Dong has to be “polite” when you’re clearly incapable of being nice, yourself? Just read your comment again!
Just for the record, you’re the only one who’s rude.
Fail after fail after fail with just single 2.5 gbe port. It seems like Asus will go bankrupt if they include a 2nd 2.5 gbe port. This goes into my auto-ignore list. Dong you should really come down harshly on devices which feature single when you review them.
As harsh as can be! 🙂
would be great to see how it compares in terms of performance (like the range, signal strength, quantity of supported users, etc.) with the GT-AXE16000.
This one is a mesh — it’s a 2-pack. The GT-AXE16000 is a standalone router. But I’ll test a single unit, too, to see how it pans out. It’ll be a while till it’s out, though.