ASUS
ASUS RT-BE86U
Wi-Fi 7 · 9.4 Gbps · Dual 2.5G WAN
88
/ 100
From $299
VS
ASUS RT-BE96U wins by 4
ASUS
ASUS RT-BE96U
Wi-Fi 7 · 19 Gbps tri-band · 10G WAN
92
/ 100
From $599
Specdex verdict
ASUS RT-BE96U takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-BE86U lands at 88 and ASUS RT-BE96U at 92. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS RT-BE86U if…
- ✓Sub-$300 Wi-Fi 7 router
- ✓Dual 2.5 GbE WAN with link aggregation
- ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro
Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…
- ✓10G WAN + 10G LAN
- ✓Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
ASUS RT-BE86U 88
vs 92 ASUS RT-BE96U
Score breakdown
ASUS RT-BE86U
88 throughput 88
range 88
features 90
ease 88
ASUS RT-BE96U
92 throughput 96
range 90
features 96
ease 78
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS RT-BE86U | ASUS RT-BE96U |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 7 tri-band 4x4 | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band |
| Total bandwidth | 9400 Mbps | ▲ 19000 Mbps |
| WAN | 2× 2.5 GbE | 10 Gbps |
| LAN | 4× 1 GbE | 1× 10G + 4× 1G |
| USB | 1× USB 3.2 | 2× USB 3.0 |
| Coverage | ~3000 sq ft | ~3500 sq ft |
ASUS RT-BE86U
Pros
- +Sub-$300 Wi-Fi 7 router
- +Dual 2.5 GbE WAN with link aggregation
- +AiMesh + AiProtection Pro
Cons
- −Tri-band only (no 6 GHz dedicated)
- −No 10G WAN
- −Plastic chassis
ASUS RT-BE96U
Pros
- +10G WAN + 10G LAN
- +Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- +AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
Cons
- −Antennas not removable
- −Pricey vs Wi-Fi 6E
- −Web UI cluttered
FAQ: ASUS RT-BE86U vs ASUS RT-BE96U
Which is better, ASUS RT-BE86U or ASUS RT-BE96U? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS RT-BE86U worth the price? +
At $299, ASUS RT-BE86U delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in features.
Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +
At $599, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in throughput.
Does ASUS RT-BE86U or ASUS RT-BE96U 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.