Mesh system technology has become increasingly popular in recent years. People look for internet connections that are reliable and provide coverage throughout their homes. In this regard, the ASUS CT8 and XT8 have proven to be excellent devices. Both of these devices have established themselves as mesh technology leaders. The technical features of these routers have increased their demand as they provide fast and powerful internet connections. Even though both of these routers have a good reputation in the networking world, we will go over their features in-depth to compare their characteristics of both.
ASUS CT8 vs XT8 Router Comparison
1. Throughput:
The most important feature of a router is its throughput. It determines the rate of data transfer of the device which can tell a lot about the performance of a router. Both the ASUS CT8 and XT8 offer a good throughput overall. Though ASUS XT8 has an overall throughput of 701 Mbps in total. To split this into 5+5+2.4 GHz bandwidth, it offers 4084 Mbps, 1201 Mbps, and 574 Mbps respectively. In comparison to ASUS CT8, the total throughput that this router provides is 1733 Mbps in the first 5GHz bandwidth, 867 Mbps in the second 5GHz bandwidth, and a total of 400 Mbps in the 2.4GHz bandwidth.
2. Design And Features:
Both the CT8 and XT8 routers come with similar designs and structures. You can find ASUS CT8 in white and charcoal colors with metallic looks for each part. Like the ASUS CT8, XT8 systems also come in white and charcoal colors for each part. Overall, the system consists of two main parts. A satellite is also referred to as a mesh node and the main router. The dimensions of the system is 6.3 x 6.4 x 3.0″ / 16.0 x 16.2 x 7.5 cm for each unit. Both the routers have a flexible mesh technology that provides high-range network coverage.
Speaking of its design, the ASUS CT8 and ASUS XT8 both have a rounded cuboid shape with 6 internal antennas which are designed to provide internet coverage to the not-so-accessible areas in your home. Moreover, an important feature of this mesh system is that it has an integrated AI Protection that offers advanced parental protocols. In addition to that, you can also access VPN and Firewall features in both the systems.
3. Setup And Installation:
This is a rather big plus point of the ASUS XT8 and CT8 that these systems do not involve complicated procedures of installing and setting up the devices. They have fairly straightforward procedures, making it simple for beginners to set up their systems. Using the ASUS router app, you can configure both XT8 and CT8 routers. Three easy steps can be taken to complete the installation and setup.
4. Wireless Coverage:
Both the systems have a great wireless coverage due to their 6 built-in antennas which provide a strong signal strength throughout your house. However, the ASUS XT8 is regarded as a more advantageous option due to its wireless coverage, which extends to approximately 5,500 square feet and is effective in up to 6 rooms. However, the wireless coverage of the ASUS CT8 is only 5,400 square feet, with effective coverage in up to 4 rooms.
5. Pricing:
When talking about an ASUS XT8, its price is a little higher than that of an ASUS CT8 system due to its added features and extended wireless coverage. Your XT8 system will provide you with advanced features with Wi-Fi 6 and a multi-gig WAN port at a price that is slightly higher than that of ASUS CT8, which is considered a fair deal.
Which One Is Better? ASUS XT8 or CT8?
From the above comparison, it is evident that both the systems possess similar characteristics but the only thing that distinguishes an ASUS XT8 from ASUS CT8 is its additional cost and an extended Wi-Fi 6 support. Therefore it will be fair to say that ASUS XT8 delivers a higher performance rate, as well as its advanced security tools consequently, make it a better choice as compared to an ASUS CT8 system.