If you’re thinking the RT-BE92U is simply the Wi-Fi 7 version of the previous Wi-Fi 6 RT-AX92U, that’d be reasonable. After all, we’ve gotten the RT-BE86U as the latest variant of the RT-AX86U and the RT-BE88U as 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. The support for Wi-Fi 7 aside, it’s a larger router designed to be placed on a surface in a vertical position. So, design-wise, it’s like the 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 | 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 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. However, in real life, considering the lack of a second 10gbps, it ends up a 2.5Gbps router anyway. And while 2.5Gbps is plenty fast, it’s not as fast as 10Gbps.
The single 10Gbps port means that if you have a faster-than-2.5Gbps broadband, the router can host it in full. Without a second 10Gbps port, there’s no way for the RT-BE92U to deliver a 10,000 Mbps connection, even when you’re willing to invest in a top-tier switch.
Since on the receiving end, the fastest Wi-Fi 7 clients are all 2×2, chances are the router’s real-world wireless speed won’t be much after 2.5Gbps, and if so, only don’t the short-range 6GHz band and at a close distance.
It’s worth noting that while the RT-BE92U’s 2.4GHz band has a higher spec, it’s unlikely any after than the RT-BE550 in real-world usage. That’s because this band has an incredibly low real-world vs. theoretical speed ratio due to the lack of wider-than-40MHz channelwidth support.
So, for the most part, specs-wise, you can consider the Asus RT-BE92U as a comparable counterpart of the TP-Link BE550. As for real-world performance, that’s to be determined, though it’s safe to say it’s likely a bit faster in certain situations.
A familiar router in Asus’s RT series
What is clear 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: You can load the backup file of almost any other Asus router onto the RT-BE92U. This makes upgrading from one router to another a quick job. (Keep in mind that not all settings can be ported, which depends 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 it can reasonably be used with any other tri-band Wi-Fi 7 AiMesh broadcaster in a wireless setup, thanks to the MLO support.
- 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
Cons
No 2nd 10Gbps ports; mid-tier 5GHz band
Should you buy it?
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 else for a home network, consider the Asus RT-BE92U today. Or check back in early 2025 to see how it performs via real-world, hands-on testing.
