ASUS
ASUS RT-AX86U Pro
Wi-Fi 6 · AX5700
88
/ 100
From $279
VS
Firewalla Gold Pro SE wins by 2
Firewalla
Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Layer-7 firewall · 10 GbE · No subscription
90
/ 100
From $729
Specdex verdict
Firewalla Gold Pro SE takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-AX86U Pro lands at 88 and Firewalla Gold Pro SE at 90. That puts Firewalla Gold Pro SE ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS RT-AX86U Pro if…
- ✓Current-gen Wi-Fi
- ✓App-driven setup
- ✓Parental controls (brand-dependent)
Pick Firewalla Gold Pro SE if…
- ✓10 GbE WAN + LAN
- ✓Best layer-7 protection without subscription
- ✓On-device Family Mode + DNS filtering
ASUS RT-AX86U Pro 88
vs 90 Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Score breakdown
ASUS RT-AX86U Pro
88 throughput 88
range 86
features 86
value 82
ease 0
Firewalla Gold Pro SE
90 throughput 96
range 70
features 100
value 0
ease 84
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS RT-AX86U Pro | Firewalla Gold Pro SE |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 6 | — |
| Throughput | AX5700 | — |
| CPU | — | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 |
| RAM | — | 8 GB |
| Storage | — | 128 GB |
| Ports | — | 10 GbE × 2 + 2.5 GbE × 4 |
| Concurrent connections | — | 500K+ |
ASUS RT-AX86U Pro
Pros
- +Current-gen Wi-Fi
- +App-driven setup
- +Parental controls (brand-dependent)
Cons
- −Advanced features sometimes subscription-gated
- −Range varies
- −Firmware stability improves over time
Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Pros
- +10 GbE WAN + LAN
- +Best layer-7 protection without subscription
- +On-device Family Mode + DNS filtering
Cons
- −Steeper learning curve vs eero
- −No built-in Wi-Fi (need separate APs)
- −Mobile-app-centric setup
FAQ: ASUS RT-AX86U Pro vs Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Which is better, ASUS RT-AX86U Pro or Firewalla Gold Pro SE? +
Firewalla Gold Pro SE scores 90 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS RT-AX86U Pro worth the price? +
At $279, ASUS RT-AX86U Pro delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in throughput.
Is Firewalla Gold Pro SE worth the price? +
At $729, Firewalla Gold Pro SE delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in features.
Does ASUS RT-AX86U Pro or Firewalla Gold Pro SE last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.