W elcome to the fastest router that has passed through the PC and Tech Authority test labs. Asus' new router combines three different wireless networks into one device to provide oodles of bandwidth for users that need to connect a large number of devices.

The Asus RT-AC family of high end routers pushes that boundary with every release, and the RT-AC5300 "Alien Spider" is a shining example of what can be done when "overkill" is not a criticism, but a design goal.

When people say quality control has gone down with reputable companies I used to think that may be it is some other reason. But I bought one of these ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 from MicroCenter and just before 30 days were over one of the LAN ports died.

With a street price ranging from $320 to more than $400, Asus' ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 is expensive for a reason. It's the only router on the market that combines powerful hardware specs, eight Gigabit LAN ports and a ton of features geared toward gaming .

The GT-AC5300 has fast performance, excellent Wi-Fi range and includes loads of unique gaming-centric features; The router has free built-in lifetime protection against online threats, has eight Gigabit LAN ports, and can combine two of them into a superfast connection

The router is bulky, expensive and generally overkill for most homes' needs; Its interface can be daunting, and its mobile app only works locally

The battle of the $399 router is quite interesting. This price point gives consumers the option of broad range mesh platforms from Linksys, ASUS, Ubiquiti, and others, or extreme performance single node solutions like a Nighthawk X8, Archer 5400v2, and now the ASUS ROG Rapture.

The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 surely isn't the cheapest device on the market, but you also get a list of awesome features. At the time of writing, it can be yours for $388.99 or £465.61 , but can be found online from other retails for around £399.99.

In the world of routers, it is not unusual that devices had the most diverse and extreme shapes. In general, you have to expect at least three - preferably more – antennae, protruding in all directions.

Replaced a 5 year old ASUS router because of some interference issues I started having and none of the same issues have occurred since installing the new one. My pings are down and my internet speeds (wifi)are almost doubled.

Super fast wifi

Kind of ugly; hate the orange accents..

Useful features such as the ability to have the auto-allocation for online gaming, which is accessible through the router website.

ASUS' ROG GT-AC5300 Rapture is a router packed with features tailor fit for gamers. It's not its only highlight though as the router also has excellent signal strength thanks to the included eight external antennas and faster than average Wi-Fi speeds due to support for 20/40/80 Mhz bandwidth.

Abundant Features; Solid I/O; Tri-Band Frequencies; Mimo Technology

Expensive; Bulky