Home › Forums › Wireless Routers › Wireless Routers Tests › I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 WiFi 7 router
- This topic has 18 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated February 20, 202512:26 pm by
Lucas96.
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- January 23, 2025 at 10:18 am #48126
The ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 is a gaming-oriented router but which, despite carrying the WiFi 7 label, it lacks 6GHz radio support. Instead, it relies on Multi-Link Operation (MLO), a feature that combines the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for a potentially better bandwidth and throughput. This might lead to confusion for users expecting 6GHz capabilities typically associated with WiFi 7. For those prioritizing 6GHz, alternatives like the U7 Pro may be better options.
The BE3600 features a compact drone-inspired design, complete with non-removable antennas and understated LED indicators that require tilting the router for visibility. It includes four gigabit LAN ports, one of which can serve as a gaming port, and a 2.5GbE WAN port, though additional 2.5GbE ports would have been ideal for the price. The router also supports 4K-QAM modulation, AiMesh, and gaming-centric features, along with a single USB 3.0 port.
In terms of performance, the BE3600 demonstrated solid results in 5GHz wireless tests, achieving speeds near 2Gbps with WiFi 7 devices and maintaining a strong throughput over higher distances. On the 2.4GHz band, it also performed well, although its results were less impressive when compared to similar routers. The multi-client tests showed mixed results: it handled lighter workloads like 1080p streaming effectively but struggled with latency during 4K streaming and intense browsing when multiple devices were active. For heavy workloads, adding wired connections will improve reliability.
A significant feature of the BE3600 is MLO, which promises aggregated bandwidth across the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. However, the test results revealed that MLO’s implementation was inconsistent, often behaving like a Smart Connect feature rather than true aggregation. This suggests that current firmware and client support may still have limitations.
The BE3600’s design choices, solid heat management, and gaming-specific features make it a compelling option for gamers, but its compromises—like limited multi-client performance and incomplete MLO support—may leave some users questioning its value for the price. For most, it’s a decent gaming router, but its appeal might hinge on future firmware improvements or specific use cases. Read the full review here to see the in-depth testing results and comparison with other wireless routers.
- This topic was modified 1 month ago by
Mark B.
January 27, 2025 at 12:41 pm #48152How does the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600’s gaming-specific features compare to those of other similarly priced gaming routers and do these features justify its lack of 6GHz band support?
January 27, 2025 at 2:10 pm #48155@JosephHess The NetDuma routers are also very good contenders for what could be called the best gaming routers on the market. But I wouldn’t put much value on these particular features since most are just glorified QoS features. Don’t get me wrong, they’re nice to have if you’re a gamer, but I wouldn’t get a new router just for these features alone. As for the lack of the 6GHz support, no way do the gaming feature make up for it.
January 29, 2025 at 5:49 pm #48179How does the BE3600 handle online multiplayer gaming with multiple devices connected? Any noticeable lag or latency issues?
January 30, 2025 at 3:27 pm #48186How does the BE3600’s performance hold up during peak hours with multiple devices running heavy online games simultaneously?
January 30, 2025 at 7:02 pm #48190How does the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 perform when it comes to heat management during prolonged gaming sessions?
January 30, 2025 at 7:05 pm #48191Has anyone tried running VR games on multiple devices with this router? How did it handle the load and was there any noticeable drop in performance?
January 31, 2025 at 7:13 pm #48197@DonaldMeyers “Has anyone tried running VR games on multiple devices with this router? How did it handle the load and was there any noticeable drop in performance?”
I’ve used this router for VR gaming across two devices simultaneously. It handled the load effectively, and I did not observe any significant performance drops. However, ensure you’re within a reasonable range, as distance can impact the signal strength and consequently, your gaming experience.
January 31, 2025 at 7:44 pm #48201@Michael & @Elizabeth60 If you want the best gaming performance, it’s always better to go the wired route, the WiFi will always be far more unstable and have a higher latency.
January 31, 2025 at 7:45 pm #48202@DonaldMeyers This is a bit of a strange question. It’s not like you’re gaming on the BE3600, and that 5 to 30Mbps should not raise the temperature of the router that much..
February 1, 2025 at 7:18 pm #48207@Elizabeth60 “How does the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 perform when it comes to heat management during prolonged gaming sessions?”
The ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 is designed with an upgraded heat sink and fan layout that works efficiently to dissipate heat during intense gaming sessions. However, as with any device, make sure the room is well-ventilated and that the device itself isn’t enclosed, as this can hinder heat dissipation. Always consider the overall room temperature for optimal performance.
February 5, 2025 at 12:00 pm #48219@Elizabeth60 “How does the BE3600’s performance hold up during peak hours with multiple devices running heavy online games simultaneously?”
The BE3600 holds up fairly well under heavy load. It can handle several devices running demanding online games at once without significant lag or reduction in speed. However, it may struggle a little if every device is using high-bandwidth applications at the same time. This situation could result in slightly slower response times. But for typical gaming and streaming, it performs quite well even during peak hours.
February 5, 2025 at 2:11 pm #48221How does the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 compare to the NetDuma routers in terms of handling multiple devices for online multiplayer gaming?
February 7, 2025 at 11:47 am #48223How does the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 handle VPN connections? Any issues with speed drops or connection stability while using a VPN for gaming or streaming?
February 10, 2025 at 1:06 pm #48229Has anyone tried pairing the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 with a mesh network system? How well does it integrate and perform in such a setup?
February 10, 2025 at 6:18 pm #48230How’s the gaming port on the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600? Does it actually make a noticeable difference in online multiplayer games?
February 14, 2025 at 12:58 pm #48310How does the BE3600’s gaming port perform compared to standard LAN ports in terms of latency and packet prioritization during intense gaming sessions?
February 18, 2025 at 11:36 am #48328Has anyone tried using the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 for a LAN party? How did it handle multiple devices gaming at the same time?
February 20, 2025 at 12:26 pm #48352@Mark B While the ASUS TUF Gaming BE3600 does have a few limitations, like the lack of 6GHz band and inconsistent MLO, it still holds up fairly well in gaming scenarios. With its strong 5GHz performance and dedicated gaming features, it can offer good value for gamers. It’s also beneficial that it can handle streaming and browsing tasks pretty well on lighter workloads. For those who have multiple simultaneous users or are into heavy 4K streaming or browsing, wired connections might be a good workaround. Future firmware updates could hopefully improve upon the issues with MLO and multi-client performance. Just remember, the real-world performance of any router can vary based on your own usage and environment.
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