While Wi-Fi 6 terminology has been looming for years, it’s only recently begun to gain traction. We’re finally seeing support grace smartphones and tablets, which arguably increases the amount of pressure router manufacturers face to get new and innovative products on the market. We’ve seen several Wi-Fi 6 routers debut, and now more than ever, mesh solutions are coming to the surface. Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini is the company’s latest 3-node mesh offering, and it manages to deliver Wi-Fi 6 while sticking with a compelling price tag. Continue reading to learn more.
Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini: An affordable upgrade
The latest from Asus is a mesh Wi-Fi 6 networking solution comprised of one router and two extension nodes. Once set up, the company claims performance can reach up to up to 1800Mb/s with 574Mb/s on 2.4GHz and 1201Mb/s on 5GHz. When it comes to coverage, it’s unclear exactly how many square feet this setup will cover, as Asus only states it can blanket “large homes.”
Along the back of the router is a barrel port for power and two Ethernet ports. Unlike Nest Wifi, the nodes do have Ethernet and it can be used as backhaul to ensure you have rock-solid coverage. Using the companion app, owners are able to configure parental controls which are powered by Trend Micro.
Pricing and availability
The new Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini includes three Wi-Fi nodes for $299.99. At the moment it can only be ordered from Best Buy. It’s unclear if it will be remain a permanent exclusive, or if competitors like Amazon will eventually sell this bundle.
Electronicsforward’ Take
At $100 per node, Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini appears to be a great value. Only time will tell if performance makes it a solid choice across the board. The fact that someone can spend $300 and have support for up to 1800Mb/s performance over Wi-Fi 6 makes big names like eero and Nest Wifi feel drastically overpriced.
The only real bummer I see with ZenWiFi AX Mini is that Asus opted to use a barrel plug instead of going with USB-C for power. This is something I applaud in the original Google Wifi and latest eero Pro routers. As I continue to adopt USB-C, buying any new product without it tends to feel like I’m taking two steps forward and one step back. All-in-all, this is only a minor disappointment as Asus latest mesh solution on the surface seems to be a price-conscious slam dunk.
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