Skip to content
Specdex
Compare now
ASUS RT-BE86U — Wi-Fi 7 · 9.4 Gbps · Dual 2.5G WAN
ASUS

ASUS RT-BE86U

Wi-Fi 7 · 9.4 Gbps · Dual 2.5G WAN

88
/ 100
From $299
VS
ASUS RT-BE86U wins by 2
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 — Wi-Fi 6E · AXE11000
NETGEAR

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500

Wi-Fi 6E · AXE11000

86
/ 100
From $599
Specdex verdict

ASUS RT-BE86U takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-BE86U lands at 88 and NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 at 86. That puts ASUS RT-BE86U ahead by 2 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 NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 if…

  • ✓Current-gen Wi-Fi
  • ✓App-driven setup
  • ✓Parental controls (brand-dependent)
Share this comparison: Share to Reddit X / Twitter

Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Throughput

ASUS RT-BE86U

Compared on the throughput sub-score

ASUS RT-BE86U leads on throughput (88 vs 86).

Range

ASUS RT-BE86U

Compared on the range sub-score

ASUS RT-BE86U leads on range (88 vs 86).

Features

ASUS RT-BE86U

Compared on the features sub-score

ASUS RT-BE86U leads on features (90 vs 84).

Value for money

ASUS RT-BE86U

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

ASUS RT-BE86U more score per dollar ($299 vs $599).

ASUS RT-BE86U 88
vs
86 NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500

Score breakdown

ASUS RT-BE86U
88
throughput 88
range 88
features 90
ease 88
value 0
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500
86
throughput 86
range 86
features 84
ease 0
value 82

Specs side-by-side

ASUS RT-BE86U versus NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 — full spec comparison
Spec ASUS RT-BE86U NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500
Standard
Wi-Fi 7 tri-band 4x4
Wi-Fi 6E
Total bandwidth
9400 Mbps
—
WAN
2× 2.5 GbE
—
LAN
4× 1 GbE
—
USB
1× USB 3.2
—
Coverage
~3000 sq ft
—
Throughput
—
AXE11000

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

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500

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

FAQ: ASUS RT-BE86U vs NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500

Which is better, ASUS RT-BE86U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500? +

ASUS RT-BE86U scores 88 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. 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 NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 worth the price? +

At $599, NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in throughput.

Does ASUS RT-BE86U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 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.

Which is better for throughput, ASUS RT-BE86U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500? +

ASUS RT-BE86U — leads on throughput (88 vs 86). Compared on the throughput sub-score.

Which is better for range, ASUS RT-BE86U or NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500? +

ASUS RT-BE86U — leads on range (88 vs 86). Compared on the range sub-score.