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ASUS RT-AC68U vs Netgear Nighthawk RAX50: Comparison
ASUS RT-AC68U vs Netgear Nighthawk RAX50: the wifi standard difference
The first real difference is wifi standard: ASUS RT-AC68U WiFi 5 against Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 WiFi 6. There is a split on cpu clock as well, 0.8 GHz on the ASUS RT-AC68U versus 1.5 GHz on the Netgear Nighthawk RAX50. They differ on release year too, 2013 on the ASUS RT-AC68U versus 2021 on the Netgear Nighthawk RAX50. Wifi generation is not the same on both, WiFi 5 on the ASUS RT-AC68U versus WiFi 6 on the Netgear Nighthawk RAX50. 5ghz streams is not the same on both, 3 on the ASUS RT-AC68U versus 4 on the Netgear Nighthawk RAX50.
Who each one is for
it is the wrong buy for households that want WiFi 6 or newer standards. It also earns its place with buyers who want a long-proven, AiMesh-compatible router at a budget price. The Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 suits typical households that want proven, well-reviewed mid-range WiFi 6 performance, though it is not the pick for device-dense homes that would benefit from tri-band or 6GHz coverage. Our rating of the ASUS RT-AC68U (6.5/10): A decade-old design kept alive by mature firmware and AiMesh support. Our rating of the Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 (7/10): proven, well-reviewed mid-range WiFi 6 without tri-band extras.
What ASUS RT-AC68U and Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, wired ports, supports 6ghz, router type, band configuration and device type included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASUS RT-AC68U and Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 differ on usb ports?
Yes. USB Ports reads 2 ports on the ASUS RT-AC68U versus 1 ports on the Netgear Nighthawk RAX50.
Is the Spatial Streams Total the same on the ASUS RT-AC68U and Netgear Nighthawk RAX50?
It is. Both are listed at 6, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
WiFi Standard
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- WiFi 5 (802.11ac)
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
Brand
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- ASUS
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- Netgear
Router Type
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- Standalone Router
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- Standalone Router
Model Number
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- RT-AC68U
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- RAX50
Band Configuration
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- Dual-Band
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- Dual-Band
Release Year
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 2013
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 2021
Device Type
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- Standalone Router
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- Standalone Router
Wired Ports
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 4x Gigabit LAN, 1x Gigabit WAN
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 4x Gigabit LAN, 1x Gigabit WAN
WiFi Generation
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- WiFi 5
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- WiFi 6
Supports 6GHz
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- No
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- No
Aggregate WiFi Speed
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 1900 Mbps
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 5400 MbpsBest
Speed Class
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- AC1900
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- AX5400Best
Spatial Streams Total
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 6
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 6
5GHz Streams
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 3
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 4
WAN Port Speed
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 1GbE
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 1GbE
Max LAN Port Speed
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 1GbE
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 1GbE
LAN Port Count
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 4 ports
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 4 ports
USB Ports
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 2 ports
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 1 ports
CPU Cores
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 2 cores
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 3 coresBest
CPU Clock
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 0.8 GHz
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 1.5 GHz
RAM
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 256 MB
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 512 MB
Flash Storage
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 128 MB
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 256 MB
External Antennas
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- 3 antennas
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- 4 antennas
WPA3 Support
- ASUS RT-AC68U
- No
- Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASUS RT-AC68U if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASUS RT-AC68U | Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
ASUS RT-AC68U
6.5 / 10 Expert Rating
A decade-old design kept alive by mature firmware and AiMesh support.
Netgear Nighthawk RAX50
7 / 10 Expert Rating
Proven, well-reviewed mid-range WiFi 6 without tri-band extras.