ASUS Unveils GearUP Console Booster Bundle for Selected Routers in APAC

[GFreeman]

ASUS today announced that selected routers in designated countries in the APAC region will bundle a complementary trial subscription to GearUP Console Booster, a service that optimizes the network connection for more than 1,000 online games, reducing latency and improving overall gaming experiences for popular game consoles and smart handhelds. The ASUS RT-AX86U Pro and RT-AX82U routers will include a three-month subscription, while the TUF-AX6000 and TUF-AX4200 routers will include a two-month subscription. Existing owners of these routers can add support for GearUP Console Booster with a firmware update. The RT-AX86U Pro is available in the APAC region now, and the other routers in this promotion are currently scheduled to be available starting in July 2024.

Accelerate gaming with GearUP Console Booster
Through the in-house Adaptive Intelligent Routing (AIR) system, GearUP Console Booster quickly determines and activates the fastest connection to a game server. Adaptive QoS on a compatible ASUS router can prioritize this connection over others on the network to ensure that it remains fast and stable. The ASUS Router mobile app and web interface includes an intuitive setup wizard to get GearUP Console Booster running.



With more than 5 million monthly active users who get access to a global network of 75,000 server nodes, GearUP Console Booster is the only service of its kind that supports PCs, consoles and popular smart handhelds.

Top-notch gaming performance with ASUS routers
ASUS routers elevate gaming and internet experiences with cutting-edge WiFi technology, uncompromising hardware and comprehensive network features tailored for all gamers and their everyday life. ASUS AiMesh technology creates a powerful extendable network, ensuring hassle-free seamless roaming experiences around the home, ideal for mobile gaming. The network also provides extendable AiProtection Pro security with no monthly subscription, guarding against security threats. For gaming enthusiasts, router features like Mobile Game mode reduce lag, and a dedicated gaming port offers prioritized, stable connections - all manageable via the highly-rated ASUS Router app. Plus, with Adaptive QoS prioritizing gaming traffic, the network is fine-tuned to keep users in the game without interruption.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[bonehead123]

More over-priced, over-hyped gamr tois for da gamr bois, yee haw

Hello AsSus, this is 2015 calling, and we had Adaptive QoS on a lot of routers even back then, so not sure why you are trying to pawn this off as something new & innovative....

 

[phints]

Another waste of money, just buy a wifi 6 router with a strong CPU that is well supported by OpenWrt (e.g. GL-MT6000, DL-WRX36, etc.), sysupgrade to it and if you have latency/ping issues enable SQM QoS and they will be gone forever.

 

[micropage7]

just slap gamer edition sticker, lower latency for gaming, oh one that Asus miss is adding RGB effect

 

[seventy]

Braindead comments again...
Stop hating when you don't even understand what it is. It's a custom routing with 3rd-party servers, it CAN actually decrease your ping, sometimes massively, if the default routing is suboptimal.
It's not a marketing meme, value is actually being provided here.

 

[alwayssts]

Braindead comments again...
Stop hating when you don't even understand what it is. It's a custom routing with 3rd-party servers, it CAN actually decrease your ping, sometimes massively, if the default routing is suboptimal.
It's not a marketing meme, value is actually being provided here.

This is literally accurate, but in practice (at least for me) routing has minimal effect. Their servers may help (some), but I doubt it's often to any meaningful degree.

It's not often my latency is much higher (using WTFast) than not; usually they are roughly the same. That said, WTFast does keep it at the lowest rate consistently.

I used the two closest Destiny 2 servers (to me) to test, but I can't imagine it's much different for other games. These solutions *may* save you a couple ms, but the actual effect is minimal IMHO.

Also, with the tick rate in some (most?) games, it doesn't really matter that much (if at all) in practicality. JMO given my location/results using the games I play; YMMV given your situation.

These are not bad routers, but clearly this is just like a game bundle wrt clearing stock on old hardware; new models are coming that will be more inherently capable and similarly priced very soon.

 

[seventy]

new models are coming that will be more inherently capable and similarly priced very soon.

More inherently capable? Is that really the case? Specs wise, you still get virtually the same processors, the same miniscule amount of ram, the same 1gig ports. The only thing that changes are wifi standards.
If you flash OpenWRT, like you should, there is no difference in software too.
On low/mid-end, there is no real progress.
And if you care about ping, you would be using cable anyway, so any half-decent router from the last 10 years would be good enough.

The only exception are specific use cases, like streaming to virtual reality headsets, but all low/mid-range are suboptimal for that, thanks for the aforementioned trash 1gig ports, and high-end is extremely expensive.

 

[slyphnier]

This is literally accurate, but in practice (at least for me) routing has minimal effect. Their servers may help (some), but I doubt it's often to any meaningful degree.

It's not often my latency is much higher (using WTFast) than not; usually they are roughly the same. That said, WTFast does keep it at the lowest rate consistently.

I used the two closest Destiny 2 servers (to me) to test, but I can't imagine it's much different for other games. These solutions *may* save you a couple ms, but the actual effect is minimal IMHO.

Also, with the tick rate in some (most?) games, it doesn't really matter that much (if at all) in practicality. JMO given my location/results using the games I play; YMMV given your situation.

These are not bad routers, but clearly this is just like a game bundle wrt clearing stock on old hardware; new models are coming that will be more inherently capable and similarly priced very soon.

like you said, those gaming-vpn-service (wtfast/exitlag/etc..) really depends on the isp connection

it really help in the case your ISP have bad routing to game server

but if you stable and good routing from you ISP, using it wont give any benefit
and also it wont help if you ISP connection unstable with their own line (connection timeout, lots jitter, caused by low line/transmission quality)
also location based latency wont never improve, say like from US ↔ japan will always hover around 180ms

i using many asus routers, iirc i think its quite norm that they bundling with similar service (like in past they partnering with expressVPN)
those bundled routers is mid-class, which hardware wise been reused many times RT-AX82U and TUF-AX5400 is pretty much same hardware, so rather clearing old-stock, imo its just standard promotion

 

[alwayssts]

What I meant to say was that we'll see more routers with ~7.2/9.3/13gpbs capability in the former ~5400ish price range, with 2.5/10WAN and perhaps similar LAN outputs (of some quantity) rather than just 1GB.

For instance, I imagine whatever replaces the 86 (which was originally 1Gb Wan and the Pro 2.5Gb) will have 10Gb WAN and at least a couple 2.5Gb out; I could be wrong; this is just how I think things will evolve.

I know much of the processing specs haven't changed a ton, I apologize if it came across like that.

I didn't intend to come across argumentative about the routing/QoS; I know it can help more in certain situations and some may even care in a situation like mine. I just find my ISP/routing at stock is fine/good for my typical use-cases (that I think these services are generally promoting towards). You're also absolutely right there are just some limitations in which these are not a factor or can only help so much.

Wasn't trying to start a fight or miscommunication; only say I don't think they're 'generally' hugely beneficial, granted can help, and that upcoming Wifi 7 hardware in the same price class may be a better buy.

It would make sense they would have promotions on these routers as I imagine they will be discounting them and heavily transitioning to a BE lineup (across their current spectrum of products) relatively soon.