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The last gamer-centric, tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router we tested from Asus was the RT-BE96U , an arachnid-esque router with strong 6 GHz performance and a wealth of configuration options. We now have our hands on the ROG Strix GS-BE18000, another tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router with a gaming focus, but with a less animalistic look.
The router is stacked with features, offering seven 2.5 GbE LAN ports (plus one 2.5 GbE LAN port), a USB 3.0 port, configurable RGB lighting, and a relatively compact form factor. Asus offers all of this in a router with a street price of around $450, but the lack of a 10 GbE LAN port and performance that can’t quite match its peers means that it isn’t ranked among the best Wi-Fi routers . The lack of a 10 GbE LAN port and relatively subpar 2.4 GHz performance.
Design of the Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000
At first glance, the ROG Strix GS-BE18000 doesn’t even look much like a router — in fact, it appears more like an Asus small form factor PC than a router. It has a tall, book-style design with no external antennas (the router’s eight antennas are all internal). The front face of the router has a large RGB-illuminated ROG logo and four status LEDs in the lower-right corner (Wi-Fi, LAN, WAN, Power). You’ll also find a generous smattering of “Republic of Gamers” printed on the front of the router.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
Where the real action happens, however, is on the back of the router, which is loaded with ports. It’s not often that we see eight Ethernet ports on the back of a gaming router, but that’s what you have assembled here. Asus provides one 2.5 GbE port for WAN, and seven 2.5 GbE LAN ports (two of which are designated as Gaming ports with automatic network prioritization). There’s also a USB 3.0 port that can be used for external storage or connecting a smartphone or USB cellular modem for Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity. One thing that you won’t find is a 10 GbE port, which is expected at this price point for a gaming router.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
As for wireless connectivity, the ROG Strix GS-BE18000 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router with 2.4 GHz (2x2), 5 GHz (4x4), and 6 GHz (4x4) bands. The 2x2 2.4 GHz radio is a downgrade from the 4x4 arrangement on the RT-BE96U, resulting in a theoretical maximum of 688 Mbps rather than 1,376 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.
Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000 Specifications
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