Asus's $900 GT-BN98 Pro Debuts as First Wi-Fi 8 Router, Scores 8/10

Asus's ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, the first router built on the draft Wi-Fi 8 standard, earned an 8 out of 10 from WIRED after a month of testing, with the outlet calling it "very fast" and "very reliable" at a $900 price point, according to the review.

The decision came down to performance versus timing. Wi-Fi 8 is not yet finalized, and almost no consumer devices support it, so the review's bottom line was that the hardware delivers but the ecosystem has not caught up.

What Makes the GT-BN98 Pro the First Wi-Fi 8 Router?

The GT-BN98 Pro is a quad-band router running on Broadcom's BCM 6718 Wi-Fi chip, paired with a 2.6GHz quad-core processor, 256 MB of flash memory, and 2 GB of DDR4 RAM, WIRED reported. It covers the standard 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands plus two separate 6 GHz bands, all running 4x4 MIMO with OFDMA, 4096-QAM, and maximum-width channels.

Because the Wi-Fi 8 spec is still in draft form, the reviewer tested its real-world benefits by connecting two GT-BN98 Pro units together, since no compatible end-user devices yet exist, per WIRED.

"After a couple of weeks of testing, there's no denying the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro is an impressive bit of kit with many extras you don't get from other manufacturers," WIRED's review states.

How Fast Is It, on Paper?

Theoretical top speeds, as listed by WIRED, break down by band:

Data box: GT-BN98 Pro specs

• 2.4 GHz band: up to 1.3 Gbps
• 5 GHz band: up to 5.6 Gbps
• Each 6 GHz band: up to 11.5 Gbps
• Price: $900

Those figures are theoretical ceilings tied to the draft standard, not measured throughput on typical home devices, since no Wi-Fi 8 clients exist yet.

What Ports and Hardware Does It Include?

The router's port array includes a 10Gbps WAN/LAN port, a second 10 Gbps LAN port, four 2.5Gbps ports (one doubling as WAN/LAN), one 1Gbps LAN port, a USB 3.2 Gen1 port, and a USB 2.0 port, according to WIRED. The two 10 Gbps ports can be combined via link aggregation for a 20 Gbps wired connection.

Physically, the unit measures roughly 14 inches square and 9 inches tall with its eight fixed, adjustable antennas extended — large enough that WIRED described it as looking like "a giant dead mecha spider." Multiple heatsinks and airflow channels keep it running fanless, and the reviewer reported it stayed silent and cool to the touch throughout testing.

Is Wi-Fi 8 Actually Finalized?

No. WIRED's review notes Wi-Fi 8 is not yet certified, and the GT-BN98 Pro runs on a draft specification that Asus will update via firmware as the standard moves toward final certification. That puts early buyers in the position of paying for hardware ahead of the protocol it was built to support — and well ahead of any phones, laptops, or consoles that can take advantage of it.

The review also flagged that this generation's firmware has been more stable out of the gate than Asus's first Wi-Fi 7 systems, which needed several updates to settle down.

Timeline

• Draft stage: Wi-Fi 8 specification circulates among device makers ahead of formal certification.
• Nov. 2, 2026: WIRED publishes its review of the GT-BN98 Pro, the first router built on the draft spec.
• Ahead: Final Wi-Fi 8 certification and the arrival of compatible consumer devices, neither of which has a confirmed date in the review.

What to Watch

• Whether final Wi-Fi 8 certification changes any of the router's current specs or requires a hardware revision.
• When the first Wi-Fi 8-compatible phones, laptops, or gaming handhelds reach consumers.
• Whether Asus or competitors introduce lower-priced Wi-Fi 8 hardware once the standard locks.
• How bundled extras, including a year of NordVPN service included with the GT-BN98 Pro, factor into pricing as competition arrives.

For buyers weighing gaming-focused hardware more broadly, HTT News' gaming gear desk has covered other recent entries in the category, including adaptive peripherals unveiled at a Saudi exhibition.

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