If you think the RT-BE92U is simply the Wi-Fi 7 version of the previous Wi-Fi 6 RT-AX92U, that’d be reasonable. After all, the RT-BE86U is the latest variant of the RT-AX86U, and the RT-BE88U is the latest in the RT-XX88U lineage.
But you’d be wrong.
The RT-BE92U is a new beast entirely. If you want to compare it with anything at all in terms of hardware specs, that’d be the TP-Link Archer BE550.
This quick preview, among other things, will make that point clear, and from the look of it, this Asus router is likely a better deal thanks to the more robust firmware and slightly better hardware. After all, the two share a similarly friendly $300 launch price tag.
RT-BE92U: A mid-tier Wi-Fi 7 mesh router
As mentioned, the RT-BE92U is totally different from the RT-AX92U. Aside from supporting Wi-Fi 7, it’s a larger router designed to be placed vertically on a surface. So, it’s more like the tri-band version of the dual-band RT-BE86U.
On the inside, this new router is similar to the TP-Link Archer BE550. The two share the same 5GHz and 6GHz specs. It does have one 10Gbps port and a better-on-paper 2.4GHz, however. The table below shows the hardware specs of the two.
Asus RT-BE92U vs. TP-Link Archer BE550: Hardware specifications
| ASUS RT-BE92U Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 Router | TP-Link BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Router | |
|---|---|---|
|
 |
|
| Model | RT-BE92U | Archer BE550 |
| Dimensions | 9.73 x 4.00 x 11.32 in (247.18 x 101.59 x 287.47 mm) |
9.12 x 7.99 x 2.99 in (231.6 x 202.9 x 75.9 mm) |
| Weight | 1.74 lbs (789 grams) | 2.45 lbs (1.11 kg) |
| Processing Power | 2GHz quad-core CPU, 256MB Flash, 1GB DDR4 RAM |
Undisclosed |
| Wi-Fi Standard | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) | |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Tr-band BE9700 | Tri-band BE9200 |
| 1st Band (channel width) |
3×3 2.4 BE: Up to 1032 Mbps (20/40MHz) |
2×2 2.4GHz AX: Up to 574 Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| 2nd Band (channel width) |
2×2 5GHz-2 BE: Up to 2880 Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | |
| 3rd Band (channel width) |
2×2 6GHz BE: Up to 5760Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) | |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/axe Wi-Fi | |
| Wireless Security | WPA / WPA2 / WPA3 | |
| Multi-Link Operation (MLO) |
Yes | |
| Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) |
TBD | |
| Web User Interface | Yes | |
| Mobile App | Asus Router (optional) |
TP-Link Tether (optional) |
| Operating Roles | Router (default) Repeater Access Point Media Bridge AiMesh Router/Node |
Router (default) or Access Point |
| Mesh-Ready | Yes (AiMesh) |
Yes (EasyMesh) |
| USB Port | 1x USB 3.0 | |
| Gigabit Port | None | |
| Multi-Gig Port | 1x 10Gbps WAN/LAN 1x 2.5Gbps LAN/WAN 3x 2.5 Gbps LAN |
1x 2.5Gbps WAN 4x 2.5 Gbps LAN |
| Link Aggregation | LAN and WAN | LAN only (LAN2 + LAN3) LACP or Static |
| Dual-WAN | Yes | No |
| Power Intake | 100-240V | |
| Power Consumption (per 24 hours) |
TBD | ≈ 310 Wh (as tested) |
| Release Date | December 2024 | October 2023 |
| Firmware (at review) |
TBD | 1.0.7 Build 20240119 |
| U.S. Launch Price | $299.99 | |
The single 10Gbps port blue
As shown in the table above, the RT-BE92U beats the Archer BE550, hands down, by the fact that it has a 10Gbps port.
However, in real life, without a second port of the same grade, it ends up a 2.5Gbps router in most cases anyway. While 2.5Gbps is plenty fast, it’s not 10Gbps.
On the wired connectivity front, the RT-BE92U cannot deliver a 10,000 Mbps connection, even if you’re willing to invest in a top-tier switch.
The single 10Gbps port means that if you have 2.5Gbps or slightly faster broadband, the router can fully support it. However, those with significantly faster Internet access will find it inadequate.
On the wireless front, the fastest Wi-Fi 7 clients are all dual-stream (2×2). As a result, the router’s real-world wireless speed won’t be much faster than 2.5Gbps, and if so, only on the 6GHz band at a close distance.
It’s worth noting that while the RT-BE92U’s 2.4GHz band is of a higher tier, it’s unlikely to be any faster than the Archer BE550 in real-world usage. This band has an incredibly low real-world vs. theoretical speed ratio due to the lack of wider-than-40MHz channel width support.
So, spec-wise, the Asus RT-BE92U is a comparable counterpart to the TP-Link BE550. Real-world performance remains to be determined, though it’s safe to say it’s likely to be a bit faster overall.
A familiar router in Asus’s RT series
What is beyond speculation is the fact that, like any other Wi-Fi 7 model in Asus’s RT series, the RT-BE92U runs the latest AsusWRT 5.0 firmware and, therefore, has the core features of the lineup.
As a result, you can expect the following:
- Flexible network port configurations. Specifically, you can:
- use its 10Gbps as the WAN (default) or switch that function to the 2.5Gbps WAN. In any case, any port that doesn’t function as the WAN will work as a LAN.
- use the router in a dual-WAN setup. In this case, you can use the 10Gbps and any of the other LAN ports as the two WAN ports.
- use the USB port as a third WAN source to host a tethered smartphone or cellular modem.
- use the router in Link Aggregation on both the WAN and LAN sides.
- Universal backup restoration: The RT-BE92U can load the backup file of almost any other Asus router, making upgrading from one router to another quick and easy. (However, not all settings can be ported, depending on the models.)
- Robust web user interface with optional Asus Router mobile app. You can set up the router the way you do any standard router via its default IP address, which is 192.168.50.1.
- AiMesh support. The RT-BE92U works best with wired backhauling, but thanks to the MLO support, it can reasonably be used with any other tri-band Wi-Fi 7 AiMesh broadcaster in a wireless setup.
- Built-in Parental Controls and online protection (AiProtection) plus other traffic-related features.
- USB-based features (cellular tethering, network storage, media streaming server, etc.)
- The new router supports advanced VPN, including WireGuard and Instant Guard.
- Tons of useful network/Wi-Fi settings, tools, and other features, including web-based remote management via Dynamic DNS.
That’s to say, if you’ve used an Asus router before, the RT-BE92U will be a walk in the park. Most of what it can do will be self-explanatory.
Pros
One 10Gbps and four 2.5Gbps ports accompanied by decent Wi-Fi 7 specs
Lots of valuable features thanks to AsusWRT 5.0, including AiMesh, online protection, Parental Controls, SDN Wi-Fi SSIDs, and VLAN
Flexible network ports with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation support
Universal setting backup and restoration; open source firmware
Relatively compact, fan-less design, comparatively affordable
Should you buy the Asus RT-BE92U?
In all, the RT-BE92U looks promising for a relatively small home with Gigabit or faster broadband. A large, wired home can also benefit from multiple units linked together as a mesh system. At the cost of $300, it seems to be a safe purchase.
That said, if you’re looking for a mid-tier Wi-Fi 7 router that has everything for a home network, including all the caveats of the latest standard, consider the Asus RT-BE92U today. Or check back in early 2025 to see how it performs in real-world, hands-on testing.
