ASUS RT-BE96U
Wi-Fi 7 · 19 Gbps tri-band · 10G WAN
Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Layer-7 firewall · 10 GbE · No subscription
ASUS RT-BE96U takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS RT-BE96U lands at 92 and Firewalla Gold Pro SE at 90. That puts ASUS RT-BE96U ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS RT-BE96U if…
- ✓10G WAN + 10G LAN
- ✓Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- ✓AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
Pick Firewalla Gold Pro SE if…
- ✓10 GbE WAN + LAN
- ✓Best layer-7 protection without subscription
- ✓On-device Family Mode + DNS filtering
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testFeatures
Firewalla Gold Pro SECompared on the features sub-score
Firewalla Gold Pro SE leads on features (100 vs 96).
Throughput
TieCompared on the throughput sub-score
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Ease of use
Firewalla Gold Pro SECompared on the ease of use sub-score
Firewalla Gold Pro SE leads on ease (84 vs 78).
Value for money
ASUS RT-BE96USpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
ASUS RT-BE96U more score per dollar ($599 vs $729).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS RT-BE96U | Firewalla Gold Pro SE |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 4x4 tri-band | — |
| Total bandwidth | 19000 Mbps | — |
| WAN | 10 Gbps | — |
| LAN | 1× 10G + 4× 1G | — |
| USB | 2× USB 3.0 | — |
| Coverage | ~3500 sq ft | — |
| 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-BE96U
- +10G WAN + 10G LAN
- +Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 with 320MHz
- +AiMesh + AiProtection Pro included
- −Antennas not removable
- −Pricey vs Wi-Fi 6E
- −Web UI cluttered
Firewalla Gold Pro SE
- +10 GbE WAN + LAN
- +Best layer-7 protection without subscription
- +On-device Family Mode + DNS filtering
- −Steeper learning curve vs eero
- −No built-in Wi-Fi (need separate APs)
- −Mobile-app-centric setup
FAQ: ASUS RT-BE96U vs Firewalla Gold Pro SE
Which is better, ASUS RT-BE96U or Firewalla Gold Pro SE? +
ASUS RT-BE96U scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS RT-BE96U worth the price? +
At $599, ASUS RT-BE96U delivers a Specdex score of 92 — 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-BE96U 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.
Which is better for features, ASUS RT-BE96U or Firewalla Gold Pro SE? +
Firewalla Gold Pro SE — leads on features (100 vs 96). Compared on the features sub-score.
Which is better for ease of use, ASUS RT-BE96U or Firewalla Gold Pro SE? +
Firewalla Gold Pro SE — leads on ease (84 vs 78). Compared on the ease of use sub-score.