When comparing AirPort Extreme vs Asus RT-AC3200, the Slant community recommends Asus RT-AC3200 for most people. In the question“What are the best wireless routers?” Asus RT-AC3200 is ranked 2nd while AirPort Extreme is ranked 15th. The most important reason people chose Asus RT-AC3200 is:
The RT-AC3200 is theoretically capable of 3.2 Gbps throughput over its three bands. In real life testing at a close range of 15 feet the RT-AC3200 averages around 510 Mbps. At a distance of 100 feet it averages around 290 Mbps.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Easy setup for iOS and OS X
The AirPort Extreme is very easy to configure. You just need to plug it in and the follow the instructions provided by the setup assistant that's built into iOS or in the AirPort Utility for OS X.
Pro Great performance
The RT-AC3200 is theoretically capable of 3.2 Gbps throughput over its three bands. In real life testing at a close range of 15 feet the RT-AC3200 averages around 510 Mbps. At a distance of 100 feet it averages around 290 Mbps.
Pro Uses security software for safer browsing
The RT-AC3200 uses state-of-the-art built-in security software called AiProtection. It detects infected devices and prevents any information getting stolen from those devices. It also blocks malicious websites and provides constant security check-ups.
Pro Great for an office space
You can create up to nine simultaneous guest WiFi networks so visitors of your office can browse the internet without being able to access your files and printers.
Pro Two simultaneous internet service provider connections for redundancy and load-balancing
You can turn one of routers LAN ports into a second WAN port and have two separate internet service provider connections. You can use the second connection for redundancy, or if you’re using up all of bandwidth, it can be divided between both connections.
Pro Can be used as cloud storage
You can connect a flash drive or a hard disk drive to this router and access its files from your phone using Asus AiCloud app or via web browser.
Cons
Con Windows users have to download additional software
There is no web browser control for the Extreme, so users must download the AirPort Utility for Windows to configure and manage settings.
Con Trails other AC routers in speed
This dual-band router has a theoretical peak performance of 1.75 Gbps. In real life testing at 5 feet, it hits just 209.6 Mbps and 201.6 Mbps at 50 feet. It holds its performance at distance, but it's still slower than other AC routers.
Con Lacks additional customization options
AirPort Extreme offers only the most common features, such as guest networking and port forwarding, but lacks options like parental controls and traffic prioritization. It doesn't even have a web filtering option, for blocking specific websites.
Con Expensive
At $220 the RT-AC3200 is an expensive router. Unless you have a lot of devices performing demanding tasks, this router might be overkill.
Con There’s no app for remote management
The only way to access router settings and customization features is through a web browser. When compared to other routers in this price range you would get an app for easier network management.
Con Hard to configure for most people
Even though it's one of the most customizable routers on the market, or maybe because of this fact, it's also quite hard to configure even for normal use.