# ASUS RT-AX88U Pro vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the ASUS RT-AX88U Pro (ASUS) and Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 (Netgear) among wi-fi routers. ASUS RT-AX88U Pro is the cheaper of the two at $349.99.

## Side by side

| Spec | ASUS RT-AX88U Pro | Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $349.99 | $699.99 |
| Brand | ASUS | Netgear |
| Released | 2023 | 2021-10 |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) |
| Max speed (Mbps) | 6000 | 10800 |
| Bands | Dual-band (2.4 GHz 1148 Mbps + 5 GHz 4804 Mbps) | Tri-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz) |
| Coverage (sq ft) | 3000 | 3500 |
| Ports | 2x 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN (1x WAN, 1x LAN), 4x 1 Gbps LAN, 1x USB 3.0 | 1x 1 Gbps WAN, 4x 1 Gbps LAN, 1x 2.5 Gbps Multi-Gig (configurable WAN/LAN), 2x USB 3.0 |
| Mesh | Yes | No |
| Processor | 2.0 GHz quad-core | Quad-core 1.8 GHz |

## Key differences

- Wi-Fi standard: ASUS RT-AX88U Pro Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
- Max speed (Mbps): ASUS RT-AX88U Pro 6000 vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 10800
- Bands: ASUS RT-AX88U Pro Dual-band (2.4 GHz 1148 Mbps + 5 GHz 4804 Mbps) vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz + 6 GHz)
- Coverage (sq ft): ASUS RT-AX88U Pro 3000 vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 3500
- Ports: ASUS RT-AX88U Pro 2x 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN (1x WAN, 1x LAN), 4x 1 Gbps LAN, 1x USB 3.0 vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 1x 1 Gbps WAN, 4x 1 Gbps LAN, 1x 2.5 Gbps Multi-Gig (configurable WAN/LAN), 2x USB 3.0
- Mesh: ASUS RT-AX88U Pro Yes vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 No
- Processor: ASUS RT-AX88U Pro 2.0 GHz quad-core vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Quad-core 1.8 GHz

## What reviewers say

**Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500** — Two whitelisted testers (Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide) lab-benched this exact RAXE500. Both praise record-setting close-range throughput (Tom's Guide measured 2.396 Gbps at 15 feet, boosted by the 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E band) but flag steep falloff with distance and a very high ~$599 price. Tom's Hardware additionally found severe congestion/QoS problems and did not recommend the router; Tom's Guide did not run a congestion test and named it Editor's Choice. RTINGS not found. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- ASUS RT-AX88U Pro: https://www.asus.com/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/all-series/rt-ax88u-pro/ (asus.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500: https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/2021/07/netgear-nighthawk-raxe500-product-guide-everything-you-need-to-know/ (smallnetbuilder.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/wifi-routers/asus-rt-ax88u-pro-vs-netgear-nighthawk-raxe500/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, ASUS RT-AX88U Pro ($349.99) vs Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 ($699.99) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/wifi-routers/asus-rt-ax88u-pro-vs-netgear-nighthawk-raxe500/
License: CC BY 4.0.