ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 and more: New routers for CES 2023

ASUS has introduced a whole range of new routers just in time for CES 2023. Among them is the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 as the world’s first quad-band WiFi 7 gaming router that reaches wireless speeds of up to 25,000 Mbps. Then there’s the new ExpertWiFi series and the ZenWiFi Hybrid XC5, which even concrete and brick walls can’t harm.

ROG Rapture GT-BE98: Gaming router with Wi-Fi 7

The manufacturer is going full throttle with the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 and ASUS RT-BE96U gaming router unveiled at CES 2023. The former marks the world’s first quad-band Wi-Fi 7 gaming router, while the RT-BE96U marks a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router for home and business.

In Wi-Fi 7, both routers utilize the latest technologies such as expanded 320 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band, 4K QAM modulation, multi-link operation and multi-RU puncturing. In addition to the new networking features, the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 offers up to 25,000 Mbps bandwidth, while the ASUS RT-BE96U peaks at up to 19,000 Mbps. The 6 GHz channel of both routers offers speeds of up to 11,525 Mbps.

Visually, the Rapture GT-BE98 relies on a partially transparent surface on the top and otherwise goes for a futuristic gaming look. It also has three 10 Gbit/s LAN ports, while the RT-BE96U has one 10 Gbit/s LAN/WAN port and one 10 Gbit/s LAN port.

Both routers are powered by powerful quad-core 2.6GHz processors. They also rely on ASUS RangeBoost Plus technology to extend signal coverage and range.

Exclusive to the GT-BE98, there’s also three-stage gaming acceleration, which should improve connections from the local network to a game server anywhere in the world. Additional Wi-Fi 7 routers from ASUS are also slated to follow later in 2023.

New ASUS ExpertWiFi Router Series

With the ExpertWiFi router series, ASUS is also creating a whole new line of routers that feature a minimalist and professional look. At the same time, the devices can be mounted on the wall or even on the ceiling, or be free-standing, if desired.

With the self-defined networking feature, each of the Ethernet ports on these ExpertWiFi devices can be assigned to a VLAN for different business scenarios. Businesses can also choose between different types of guest portals.

To better integrate the routers into their own businesses, the ExpertWiFi router series models also support custom logos, branding and visual templates. First up are the EBM68, EBA63 and EBR63 models, which support up to 12 node connections. This allows the size of an enterprise network to be significantly expanded with AiMesh-compatible devices.

Another practical feature is the ability to provide backup WAN access. So if Internet is not available or unavailable on the business premises, business owners can connect one of these ExpertWiFi devices to their Android phone or iPhone with a USB cable to use it as a mobile hotspot for the entire local network.

Enterprise-grade network security is also provided in the form of a free subscription to ASUS AiProtection Pro and Safe Browsing, as well as easy WiFi network setup and management via the all-in-one ASUS Router Mobile app.

ZenWiFi Hybrid XC5: World’s First MoCA Mesh System

Anyone who lives in a basement apartment or otherwise has thick interior walls in the apartment knows the problem that a Wi-Fi signal is difficult to get everywhere after all. That’s where the new ASUS ZenWiFi hybrid XC5 comes in.

The world’s first MoCA mesh system offers a combination of physical connections, wireless connections and 160 MHz radio channels to boost network speeds up to 5500 Mbps – 2500 Mbps over MoCA, 2402 Mbps on the 5 GHz channel and 574 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz channel.

This involves setting up the network wherever coaxial cable is already installed. Four-way hybrid backhaul is also available over MoCa, the two WiFi bands and Ethernet. All connected devices benefit from special features such as AiMesh, AiProtection, Instant Guard and Safe Browsing.

More from CES 2023:

• CES 2023: ASUS ROG peripherals – new input devices and gear
• ASUS ROG Notebooks at CES 2023: The hottest new products

Prices and Availability

All of the newly unveiled ASUS routers are expected to make their way to retail in the first half of 2023. The ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Wi-Fi 7 router is priced at an MSRP of 799 euros. The ExpertWiFi EBR63 will be available at an MSRP of 149 euros, and the ExpertWiFi EBA63 for 129 euros.

You can get the ExpertWiFi EBM68 in a double pack for 599 euros, while the ZenWiFi Hybrid XC5 will be offered both individually and in a double pack. The prices here are 159 euros and 299 euros, respectively.