Packaging and parameters
WiFi 6 has been with us for a while now, but the adoption of this new wireless standard has been a bit lackluster. And it’s not for lack of clients, WiFi 6 is in new devices for sure. I consider the main reason to be poorer availability, as WiFi 6 has so far appeared mainly in top router models costing hundreds of euros, which only a connoisseur will reach for. But with the arrival of the affordable RT-AX53U, this situation is changing.
Packaging and exterior
The design on the front of the package captures the look of the router as well as some of the main features, which are detailed on the back. The depiction matches the design language we have seen in previous models.
Inside you will find the router itself, LAN cable, power adapter and documentation. For an easy first start-up and configuration of the router, there is an application, which we will also take a brief look at.
The new product retains the compact dimensions we know from the RT-AC53/58U models, but the design is more similar to the larger models thanks to the sharp lines and ribbing.
The RT-AX53U offers four external antennas that can be positioned, but not unscrewed as we’re used to seeing with the AX88U and AC88U.
In addition to the design changes, we have also seen an update of the connectors. The number of LAN ports increased from two to three compared to RT-AC53, but decreased by one compared to RT-AC58U. The reason for this is the presence of a USB 2.0 connector on the back. All LAN ports and WAN ports have a standard 1 Gb speed.
I find the downgrade of the USB port from version 3.0 to 2.0 rather strange compared to its predecessor, the RT-AC58U V3, which doesn’t make much sense given the higher price of the router. Nor does the fact that the USB port took one LAN position when its predecessor had four and the USB port was located in the front. As a missed opportunity, I also consider not using a 2.5 Gb port, which would be useful with WiFi 6, as the router can wirelessly transfer higher speeds than through a cable, which we already saw with the AX88U and what the AX89X with 10 Gb ports remedied. Of course we can’t expect 10 Gb ports in an entry level router yet, but at least a 2.5 Gb port would be a nice change. Especially since many motherboards already commonly use 2.5/5 Gb LAN connectors.
The new product has significantly improved in memory compared to its predecessors, with 128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM. In comparison, the AC-58U V3 offered only 32 MB Flash and 128 MB RAM. The newcomer is still dual band only and offers a 2×2 configuration in both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. Maximum theoretical speeds are 574 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 1201 Mbps at 5 GHz. One of the most important features of WiFi 6, namely the 160 MHz band, is missing here, so you’ll only have to rely on the regular 80 MHz.
Of the WiFi 6 new features, the RT-AX53U offers OFDMA and TWT, which is certainly a positive, but it is only a fraction of what WiFi 6 offers. The absence of higher speeds in the 160 Hz band could still be understood at a lower price tag, but what really doesn’t make sense is the absence of Asus AiMesh technology, which would make the RT-AX53U a great node or an introductory step into the ecosystem.
WiFi 6 has been with us for a while now, but the adoption of this new wireless standard has been a bit lackluster. And it’s not for lack of clients, WiFi 6 is in new devices for sure. I consider the main reason to be poorer availability, as WiFi 6 has so far appeared mainly in top router models costing hundreds of euros, which only a connoisseur will reach for. But with the arrival of the affordable RT-AX53U, this situation is changing.
Software – General settings and first start-up
You may know the AsusWRT interface from previous reviews of routers from this manufacturer, AX53U offers virtually all the basic elements and settings, although similar to the HW features, even in the SW area it is not equal to its more expensive siblings, and in addition to the already mentioned AiMesh, there are a few advanced features such as Game Boost, IFTTT support, WAN and LAN aggregation, etc. missing here. Still, it is a very good, clear and understandable GUI.
The second option to control the router is with the ASUS Router app, which you can download on both Android and iOS. Considering the entry level price tag and the focus of the router, the simple installation and initial setup of the router is definitely a good step to make life easier for less tech-savvy users. You’ll also appreciate this app if you don’t have a computer at hand and need to set up a secure WiFi network, since the basic one is open.
After a simple setup, where you just create a login to the admin environment and a name and password to the WiFi networks, you get to the main page, where you are met with current information about network load, options for setting WiFi as well as the router itself. A good example is the software update, which even from a smartphone went quickly and smoothly.
I rate the web GUI and the application positively, I’ve been using them for several years now and they are definitely among the best I’ve had the opportunity to try so far. So for this area I give the manufacturer full praise.
WiFi 6 has been with us for a while now, but the adoption of this new wireless standard has been a bit lackluster. And it’s not for lack of clients, WiFi 6 is in new devices for sure. I consider the main reason to be poorer availability, as WiFi 6 has so far appeared mainly in top router models costing hundreds of euros, which only a connoisseur will reach for. But with the arrival of the affordable RT-AX53U, this situation is changing.
Methodology
The aim of the tests is to show the real transfer speeds between the router and the client in a panel building environment, not under laboratory conditions. This means that there are many other WiFi networks in the area, and during the 10-meter distance test, the signal must pass to the third room, with the individual rooms separated by reinforced concrete walls but open doors.
Upload and download tests are performed using the TamoSoft Throughput Test application, where we select the results of TCP upload and TCP download. The router is connected to our test bench for graphics cards using several types of connections – 1 and 10 Gbps RJ45 or SFP+ DAC cable serves as a server. The client is a laptop Asus ZenBook 14 with the Intel WiFi AX201 card, which supports WiFi 6, i.e. the 802.11ax standard. The transfer takes exactly 1 minute. All tests are performed twice and the results are the average of both measurements.
WiFi 6 has been with us for a while now, but the adoption of this new wireless standard has been a bit lackluster. And it’s not for lack of clients, WiFi 6 is in new devices for sure. I consider the main reason to be poorer availability, as WiFi 6 has so far appeared mainly in top router models costing hundreds of euros, which only a connoisseur will reach for. But with the arrival of the affordable RT-AX53U, this situation is changing.
In the immediate vicinity
The new product performs surprisingly well in WiFi speed tests, especially in upload, where it significantly outperforms the older but higher-end AC88U. In a pure WiFi transfer between client and server, it was able to match the wired server connection of the aforementioned AC88U. Download shows slightly lower results, but for LAN server, the AX53U is still in close proximity to the AC88U which is three to four times its price.
From a distance of ten metres
We also see a very good result in the distance test, where the AX53U is only slightly slower in upload than the AX88U and more than twice as fast as the AC88U. In downloading we already see a certain deficit and the compared competitors achieve twice the numbers here.
Wired transfers
In the wired tests between the two devices, we see that the AX53U ranked last in both tests with a loss of about 100 Mbps to the AC/AX88U. I assume that the slower dual-core processor was a factor in this bandwidth test. Still, this is no disaster and considering that we are comparing a novelty with models with prices several times higher these are quite good results.
WiFi 6 has been with us for a while now, but the adoption of this new wireless standard has been a bit lackluster. And it’s not for lack of clients, WiFi 6 is in new devices for sure. I consider the main reason to be poorer availability, as WiFi 6 has so far appeared mainly in top router models costing hundreds of euros, which only a connoisseur will reach for. But with the arrival of the affordable RT-AX53U, this situation is changing.
Conclusion
The Asus RT-AX53U is the cheapest WiFi 6 router in the Asus range, so you could say it’s the gateway to the next generation of wireless networking, and with a budget friendly price tag. Higher data rates or WiFi 6 ODFMA and TWT features are now available to everyone thanks to the AX53U. I commend the solid results in both the near and 10-meter distance transmission speed tests, where the new product beat an older WiFi 5/ac router that cost over three times as much at the time of introduction.
Still, after testing the AX53U, I was left with a bitter aftertaste in my mouth, as I feel that Asus missed a great opportunity here. Downgrade of USB ports, less LAN ports or incomprehensible absence of AiMesh make the new product a bit without potential for the future.
Možno by stálo za to zredukovať lineup smerovačov, nakoľko RT-AX55, RT-AX56U a RT-AX58U It might be worth reducing the lineup of routers, as RT-AX55, RT-AX56U and RT-AX58U all do offer AiMesh, and the latter even has 160 MHz bandwidth, which is one of the main advantages of WiFi 6 compared to WiFi 5. In case you are considering an entry level WiFi 6 router from the Asus range, it’s probably worth considering paying about 10 euros and picking up the AX55 because of the AiMesh support, or saving a bit more on the AX58U, which is very solidly equipped, although it costs about twice as much as the tested model.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš