Asus TUF Gaming AX5400 WiFi 6 gaming router Price.
Equipping your game setup is usually a lot of fun. After painstakingly managing the cables to build a gaming PC and shelling out for the perfect peripherals, you’re finally ready to venture online.
The team is in the CS: GO lobby and you are ready to go 16-0 in Cache. Then right after the warm-up period, your connection is broken.
Turns out your ISP’s stock router isn’t up to scratch, your team now has less than one player, and you’ve earned yourself a nasty competitive cooldown for leaving the game. It’s in this Friday night charade that you realize that choosing a reliable gaming router isn’t the most exciting purchase, but it’s one of the most important.
The Asus TUF Gaming AX5400 router is designed for every type of gamer, giving you a reliable connection both wired and wireless. It features WiFi 6 functionality, which boasts stronger signals over a wider area compared to WiFi 5.
While it is unlikely that you have an internet plan that takes full advantage of the speeds that WiFi 6 promises, upgrade your router to the next generation of WiFi should provide you with a more stable connection.
This also means that even if your network is stacked with your entire family’s devices, they will all receive the same bandwidth.
Setting up the AX5400 is easy; just connect the cables from the modem to the router. This router is packed with several advanced features, all of which you can fine-tune using its dedicated app, but you don’t have to get bogged down with them from the start.
In my experience, the AX5400 works flawlessly out of the box, and there are even some bells and whistles like OpenNAT, VPN support for games, and the ability to use USB modems that make it feel much more premium than its RRP.
Unfortunately, Asus has cut a few corners to reach this price point. The biggest omission of the AX5400 is the lack of a built-in modem. Depending on your ISP, this may not be a concern, but it’s worth setting aside some cash just in case.
Setting up a separate modem adds a few more steps to the setup process, but if you’re the type to read a review like this, it shouldn’t cause you any problems. It would also be nice to have a few more Ethernet ports on the back of the router. Given the price, four ports certainly feel fair.
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This router has WiFi 6 functionality, but is your current network solution worth upgrading? Well, that depends on how many devices you have that support this latest standard.
If you recently upgraded your phone or laptop, chances are your device supports WiFi 6 speeds. That said, it’s the early days and most of your devices probably won’t be able to take advantage of the new technology.
The Asus TUF AX5400 doesn’t stretch across three floors, but it shines when paired with the ZenWiFi XD6 Mesh system.
My living space spans three floors and some of my devices still use 2.4GHz. Having previously used the Netgear Nighthawk X4S with the Nighthawk X6 WiFi Extender, there were many areas where the connection could not reach.
Compared to the X4S, the AX5400’s range is slightly better thanks to WiFi 6, but I still have the same wireless dead spots. Devices like my Nest doorbell get disconnected regularly and I can’t stream podcasts on my phone in my room because they are being buffered too often.
The AX5400 really shines when it includes the ZenWiFi XD6 Mesh system. It consists of a pair of ASUS AX5400 WiFi 6 routers, with a coverage of 5400 square feet between them;
You can also buy a single unit, which covers an area of 2,700 square feet. If you plan to use your PC or consoles wirelessly, this is another add-on you may have to consider depending on the size of your home.
The Asus TUF Gaming AX5400 matches the TUF aesthetic in that it is a sturdy and durable little spaceship that will sit perfectly in the corner of your living room or office. While it’s by no means the prettiest router, you’d be hard-pressed to find one in the same price range that doesn’t look like a plastic spider.
More importantly, the XD6 Mesh system, which will actually be on display, is much more pleasing to the eye and blends in with its surroundings with its sleek and harmless design.
The router makes port forwarding easy with the OpenNAT feature; This makes playing online, particularly on consoles, a simple process.
If your NAT type is strict, it may be difficult for you to connect with other players in multiplayer games and even prevent you from being able to use voice chat with your peers.
I did not experience any NAT-related issues when using this router, but I know how many headaches it can be from past experiences. While the OpenNAT functionality is not something I used during my review period, it is reassuring to know that I have the option in case this issue arises.
Once you have a better internet connection, you will want to increase the fps
The ZenWiFi XD6 Mesh System is the real star in my home setup. I found the XD6 Dual Pack Mesh System to be an expensive but essential add-on for me with a living situation that spans three floors.
However, if you’re interested in upgrading to WiFi 6 on a budget, the Asus TUF AX5400 is a cheap and cheerful option that will let you take advantage of the latest wireless technology, without a dazzling price tag.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.