Asus RT-AC3200 Triband Wireless Gigabit Router Review

Asus is a well-known brand that develops excellent gadgets and other modern computer equipment; however, it is also known for having some of the best routers in the market today.

The Asus RT-AC3200 Triband router is one such impressive device that is most certainly one of the most excellent tri-band routers that you can get your hands on today.

The top-notch design and performance of the Asus RT-AC3200 are undeniable, and its features and functionalities further elevate it to new heights.

Has the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband router piqued your interest? If you are still on the fence on whether to get this powerful Asus router, you have come to the right place to set your mind at ease.

In this article, we will be taking an in-depth look at the Asus RT-AC3200 and determine its strengths and weaknesses to figure out whether this triband router is the right fit for your personal needs.

 Main Features 

1.

802.11ac Triband Wireless router

2.

Triband Smart Connect feature

3.

AiRadar Beamforming technology

4.

AiProtection network security

5.

Supports Asus router app

6.

Comes with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports

 Design 

 A Sleeker Router from Asus 

One of the most noticeable elements of the RT-AC3200 is how virtually similar it is to the RT-AC87U router model.

A closer look though will show that the RT-3200 is coming with a slightly sleeker size and the fact that the AC-3200 uses triband technology while the bulkier RT-AC87U features quad-stream with dual-band wireless technology.

While the RT-AC3200 is more compact compared to the Asus RT-AC87U, it still has a considerable footprint so take that into account, mainly if you have limited space to work within your home.

The Asus RT-AC3200 comes with a total of six detachable antennas, yes, you read that right.

This beast comes with six beamforming antennas that pretty much guarantees that its signal will be able to reach every nook and cranny of your residences.

Over at the back, you will see four gigabit LAN ports and a single gigabit WAN port.

There is also a USB 2.0 port along with the LAN and WAN ports here while the USB 3.0 port is placed on the front – a strange design choice as the USB 3.0 port will most likely be the external storage of choice.

Setting the USB 3.0 port at the front will make for a somewhat disorganized setup once you plug in an external HDD.

You will also notice another slight difference when it comes to the LED status lights. Unlike the previous model, the RT-AC3200 now positions its LED lights to jut on the front meaning you can see the status of your router no matter what angle you look at it.

Overall, the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband could have focused on delivering a more compact and tightly designed router.

While there is nothing that we would consider as a dealbreaker in its aesthetics, the large design does feel like it is overcompensating for something.

 Unleash the Beast Within 

While the exterior of the Asus RT-AC3200 looks sleek and unassuming, the interior holds quite a significant bit of hardware. The RT-AC3200 features the Broadcom BCM4709 dual-core 1GHz processor.

This processor holds a substantial 256MB of DDR3 system memory and flash storage of 128MB.

To the initiated, that hardware is almost equal to having your very own mini-server – making the RT-AC3200 one of the most powerful routers available today.

The RT-AC3200 utilizes a powerful three-stream triband router which allows reaching impressive internet speeds.

Of course, your overall network performance will depend on several factors, such as your ISP – but if you have a lightning-fast ISP, you will be able to make the most out of it with the Asus RT-AC3200.

The Asus RT-AC3200 measures in 2.3 x 11.4 x 7.4 inches (H x W x D) and is certainly on the larger end of the spectrum.

That said, it still managed to exude a relatively sleek and futuristic charm which somewhat balances out its actual size and prevents it from being too cumbersome.

The front of the router features all the LED indicators that show the status of the router’s power and internet connectivity. You will also find the WPS button alongside the status indicators.

 Setup 

 As Easy as 1-2-3 

One thing you can always expect from premium-grade routers, especially the ones that are manufactured by top-tier brands like Asus, is that installation and setup are incredibly quick and straightforward.

Once you have connected the router and turned it on, you will be given a choice to either use the setup wizard or the manual setup.

Choose the setup wizard if you are unfamiliar with adjusting router settings and go with the manual if you wish to optimize your router to your preference fully.

A critical aspect of this procedure that you must complete as soon as possible is with creating your Wi-Fi ID and implementing a password.

The router comes with a SmartConnect feature which lets you set up your wireless network.

There is also a Standard Setup feature which is where you input the SSID and password for the three frequency bands that the RT-AC3200 is using.

 Functionalities and Features 

 Feature-rich with Top-notch Functionalities 

It seems that Asus did not hold back in regards to the RT-AC3200’s features as it looks packed with all the unique bells and whistles previous Asus routers had in their arsenal.

The ‘big guns’ here are the AiProtection, and Adaptive QoS features that will considerably enhance your internet speeds and online experience in general.

If you are unfamiliar with these two wireless router technologies, let me give you the lowdown.

The AiProtection is a security program that is designed to provide your home network with a more enhanced online defense against malware and viruses.

AiProtection is also programmed to stop personal information from being sent in the instance wherein a connected device is already infected with a virus.

We also have the Adaptive QoS, which allows users to prioritize specific clients in the network when it comes to bandwidth allocation.

This is an advanced version of the standard QoS as it also allows users to prioritize the type of traffic. For example, if you are a gamer, you can place “gaming” at the top of the Adaptive QoS pole.

This is to ensure that lags won’t hinder your online gaming experience. The RT-AC3200 also comes with the standard QoS feature if you prefer to tinker with this setting manually.

Additionally, there is a feature called App Analysis which allows the admin to check each client and app’s total bandwidth usage.

This is a beneficial feature if you are working with limited monthly data as you can check whether a client or application is taking way too much unnecessary bandwidth.

Besides the standard router features such as SSID and WPS settings, the RT-AC3200 also incorporates the RADIUS server feature and a wireless bridge setting.

Other notable features include Denial of Service (DoS) protection, firewall settings (IPv6), URL, and keyword filtering.

 Performance 

 Top-Marks Across the Board 

The RT-AC3200 can be expected to perform just as well as a top-tier AC1900 router.

Why? Because each of the three bands utilized by this Asus router utilizes AC1900 technology if individual connectivity performance is to be the basis.

That said, our test run using the RT-AC3200 yielded impressive results which we will be elaborating further.

We tested the 2.4GHz band with the router and device placed in the same room – pretty much within 7 feet of each other, give or take.

The RT-AC3200 did not disappoint as we clocked in an average of 85Mbps. As for the 5GHz band, we pushed the distance further for up to 20-feet​​​​, and we managed to maintain around 500Mbps speeds.

We stress-tested the 5GHz connection as well by connecting six devices at the same time. The performance virtually stayed the same and managed to retain absolute stability.

Take note that we used each device to stream HD videos during this test, and the router still maintained its performance.

We doubt you will experience bandwidth clogging caused by the router itself with these levels of performance.

Of course, you should be aware that while we gather these test scores using settings that are as close to real-world applications, actual performance will be subjective for each case.

We would also like to note that while these numbers are impressive, similar routers from D-Link and Nighthawk provided higher scores than what the Asus RT-AC3200 delivered. Of course, those routers are also more expensive than the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband.

When it comes to file transfer performance, you can also expect the Asus RT-AC3200 to obtain substantial numbers as it uses USB 3.0 ports.

The RT-AC3200 managed to clock a transfer rate of up to 30Mbps, and while this is relatively fast, we found that it is nowhere near the transfer rate that Linksys routers which clocked in a blistering 60 to 80Mpbs.

 A Router Designed to be Multimedia-Friendly 

A quick browse through the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband’s specs will show a bunch of features dedicated to multimedia purposes.

All of these helpful settings are available by going to the Asus’ official web portal interface.

One such useful feature is the Network Map. This setting allows the admin to keep track of all clients and USB devices that are connected to the router.

Additionally, the Network Map will also display the status and security protocol settings implemented by each client and device. This is a nifty feature to help you keep track of all the clients within your network.

The RT-AC3200 also comes with a Guest Network, which is where you can set up restricted access to guest devices.

The Guest Network allows other devices to connect to your router without giving them access to your network.

I would also like to point out the bandwidth monitor feature, which is quite convenient to help you check the current status of your upload and download speeds. There is also a traffic analyzer to give you the data usage of each connected client.

 Price 

The Asus RT-AC3200 Triband router is priced at a relatively reasonable range all things considered.

Brand new models will cost around $200 while second-hand units can be bought for about $150. This router is slightly more affordable than some of its competition.

However, we did find that the Asus RT-AC3200’s performance also reflects this price difference as it did not manage to match up to similar routers from Netgear, Linksys, and D-Link.

That said, the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband still managed to deliver a reliable performance which significantly benefitted from the advanced features that Asus injected the RT-AC3200 with.

All in all, we do find the RT-AC3200 to be slightly expensive, but it is still a more affordable alternative if you want a modern router that provides outstanding all-around performance.

 Pros 

  • Well-rounded performance scores.
  • The RT-AC3200 router can also double as a VPN/NAS server.
  • Excellent throughput.
  • Comes with AiProtection, which significantly improves overall online security.
  • 5GHz band performance is quite impressive.
  • LED status lights are designed to be low profile and less prominent.
  • The RT-AC3200 is packed with advanced features.

 Cons 

  • The design seems to take up too much unnecessary footprint and is impractically bulky.
  • The router does not name clients using an IP reservation list with only their MAC address being shown.
  • For a router that uses USB 3.0 ports, the transfer file rate is underwhelming.
  • SmartConnect features tend to reconnect devices often, which can lead to quick disconnection errors.

 Final Verdict 

Overall, the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband is a solid effort from the well-known tech company.

However, it does seem to fall short when placed side by side with other similar routers from other notable brands.

It does manage to balance this out with its user-friendly interface and feature-rich software design.

Performance-wise, there isn’t anything to complain about. You will only notice most of the RT-AC3200’s shortcomings if you are familiar with other high-end routers in the market.

If I were to recommend the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband router, it would be for those whose devices primarily utilize 5GHz bands and those who want to take advantage of its unique functionalities.

If you have the cash and prefer a router aimed at providing convenience, the Asus RT-AC3200 Triband is an excellent router to set your sights on.

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