华硕(ASUS)有一个适合游戏玩家的东西。这并不新鲜，因为他们的游戏玩家共和国(Republic of Gamers)品牌享誉全球。该公司的一个新趋势是开发用于游戏的无线路由器，该路由器为在线游戏玩家提供了许多友好的功能。其游戏路由器系列的最新成员是新的华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)，它还具有一些壮观的RGB 照明(RGB lighting)。如果您想知道这款路由器的实际性能(real-world performance)，请阅读以下评论：
华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)：它适合谁？
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900是以下类型用户的绝佳选择：
- 想要最好的在线游戏(online gaming)工具和令人印象深刻的RGB 照明(RGB lighting)系统的游戏玩家
- 希望为其智能家居设备提供最佳安全性并在其网络中拥有许多不同设备的用户
- 希望通过IFTT（如果这样，那么那样）从无线路由器获得(wireless router)任务自动化(task automation)服务的人
- 想要使用Alexa 语音(Alexa voice)助手控制家庭网络的用户(home network)
- 想要提供完全控制的高级固件的用户
- 渴望高级移动应用程序的人，他们可以从中个性化路由器
优点和缺点
以下是我们喜欢ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 的地方(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)：
- 两个频段上的快速 WiFi(Fast WiFi)：2.4 GHz和 5 GHz
- 为在线玩多人游戏的游戏玩家提供的许多功能
- 出色的安全功能可保护您的智能家居
- 强大的硬件(Powerful hardware)，可以处理许多客户端和同时连接
- 快速 USB 3.0 端口
- 看起来很棒的 RGB 照明
- (Advanced smartphone)用于管理无线路由器的(wireless router)高级智能手机应用程序
- 强大的(Great)多语言支持和易于访问的帮助文档(Help documentation)
作为缺点：
- 用于固件和华硕路由器应用程序(ASUS Router app)的皮肤可能并不符合每个人的口味
- 移动应用程序不能用于配置路由器的游戏导向功能
判决
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900是我们非常喜欢的无线路由器(wireless router)的游戏玩家友好型演变： ASUS RT-AC86U。硬件与其前身相同。外观有所改进，固件现在包含大量工具和功能，其中包括许多游戏玩家感兴趣的工具和功能。此外，新型号中添加的RGB 灯光(RGB lighting)也很漂亮。如果你是游戏玩家，华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)是你能买到的最好的无线路由器之一。(wireless router)
华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 无线(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 wireless)路由器开箱
华硕ROG Rapture GT-AC2900(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)是一款专为游戏玩家设计的无线路由器，光看它的包装就知道了。游戏玩家共和国的(Republic of Gamers)标志不容错过，以及游戏玩家熟悉的功能和技术的不同标志：GeForce NOW 游戏(GeForce NOW game)流媒体服务、Aura Sync和PlayStation 4。一个很好的接触是用于传达路由器名称的反射字母。它们的颜色不同，具体取决于光线在它们身上的反射方式以及您查看包装的角度。
在包装的侧面，您可以获得有关该路由器的硬件配置(hardware configuration)及其为游戏玩家设计的许多功能的许多详细信息。在包装盒内，您可以找到以下元素：路由器本身、路由器支架、三个外部天线、电源适配器(power adapter)、以太网电缆(Ethernet cable)、快速设置指南(setup guide)、包含有关此路由器捆绑的游戏功能信息的传单，以及保修。
华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 的包装看起来很惊艳，不愧为高端设备。在包装盒内，您可以找到入门所需的一切，以及使用该路由器众多功能所需的所有信息。(The packaging of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 looks stunning, worthy of a premium device. Inside the box, you find everything you need to get started, and all the information required to use the many features of this router.)
硬件规格和设计
华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900与它的兄弟(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)华硕 RT-AC86U(ASUS RT-AC86U)一样，具有运行频率为 1.8 GHz的双核Broadcom(Broadcom BCM4906) BCM4906 。它还具有 256 MB的固件存储空间(storage space)和 512 MB 的RAM。华硕 GT-AC2900(ASUS GT-AC2900)的设计是旧型号的演变，我们更喜欢它。RoG 的烙印(RoG branding)看起来很漂亮，可拆卸的支架比之前的型号更灵活，无法拆卸。
华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)是一款双频无线路由器(wireless router)，总理论最大带宽划分如下：2.4 GHz 无线频率为 750 (GHz wireless)Mbps，5 GHz 频率(GHz frequency)为2167 Mbps。它支持 Wi-Fi 5（802.11ac Wave 2）无线标准、5 (wireless standard)GHz 频段(GHz band)上的 4x4 MU-MIMO 传输和 2.4 GHz 频段(GHz band)上的 3x3 MU-MIMO 传输。该路由器具有三个可拆卸的外部天线和一个内部天线。在路由器的背面，我们有四个1 Gbps的(Gbps)以太网(Ethernet)端口，其中两个提供链接聚合(Link Aggregation)。还有1个网口(Internet port)、1个USB 3.0接口、1个USB 2.0接口、电源插口(power jack)、电源(Power)键。
在其中一侧，有以下按钮：带有RoG 徽标(RoG logo)的按钮（名为Boost Key），可自定义以在按下时执行特定操作，用于控制正面LED的按钮， (LED)WPS 按钮(WPS button)，WiFi按钮(WiFi button)，然后重置(Reset)一个。
路由器的尺寸为 8.7 x 6.65 x 4.37 英寸或 221 x 169 x 111 毫米的宽度、高度和深度。它的重量也为 1.72 磅或 780 克，不含支架。
如果您想详细了解这款无线路由器(wireless router)的官方规格，请访问此页面：华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 规格(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 Specifications)。
设置和使用ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 无线(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 wireless)路由器
设置ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900包括打开它、将其连接到 Internet 以及使用网络浏览器(web browser)加载快速设置向导(setup wizard)。首先，提供您的互联网连接的详细信息。然后，设置两个无线频段的名称和密码。然后，您可以个性化Boost Key - 路由器侧面的一个按钮，带有RoG 标志(RoG logo)，按下时可以执行多种操作之一。选择您希望此按钮执行的操作。大多数用户都希望用它来控制RGB 照明(RGB lighting)。
最后一步，设置管理路由器的登录名和密码(login name and password)。提供所有详细信息后，路由器会连接到互联网并检查(internet and checks)固件更新。这是一种主动方法，您应该让路由器更新其固件，以便您从性能和安全改进(performance and security improvements)中受益。在快速设置向导(setup wizard)结束时，您会看到设置摘要。
然后，您可以访问管理用户界面。它的组织方式与其他华硕(ASUS)路由器相同，这意味着它被分成多个逻辑部分，很容易找到你的方式。但是，它有一个不同的皮肤，针对的是Republic of Gamers品牌的游戏玩家，这可能不是每个人都喜欢的。
您可以详细配置所有重要的内容，高级用户将欣赏这一事实。该固件提供 21 种语言版本，用户文档易于访问且构建良好。一个巧妙的技巧(neat trick)是将鼠标光标移动(mouse cursor)到您不理解的设置上，并显示一个问号(question mark)。单击(Click)问号(question mark)，您会看到解释该设置的信息。
如果您想通过智能手机或平板电脑控制您的无线网络(smartphone or tablet)，(wireless network)包括您不在家时，您可以使用华硕路由器应用程序(ASUS router app)。该应用程序还使用了特定于游戏玩家共和国(Republic of Gamers)品牌的皮肤。(skin specific)它提供了一些高级自定义选项，包括检查孩子设备的能力，以及为家长控制设置规则的能力。当您的家人遇到WiFi问题而您不在家时，远程网络诊断也很有用。但是，大多数与游戏相关的功能只能从路由器本身进行个性化，而不是从应用程序。
一个引人注目的功能是RGB 照明(RGB lighting)。我们用RGB测试了其他路由器，但没有一个看起来这么好。它在华硕 ROG Rapture GT-AC2900(ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900)上的实现方式非常漂亮。路由器看起来很棒，您甚至可以对照明进行编程，以根据路由器或互联网连接发生的事件自行调整。如果您想查看照明的外观，我们在下面的视频中切换了标准照明效果。
我们将大约二十台设备连接到由Rapture GT-AC2900管理的网络，包括两台台式电脑、笔记本电脑、平板电脑、几部智能手机、一台无线打印机(wireless printer)、两个智能插头、一个智能灯泡(smart bulb)、一个智能机器人(robot vacuum)吸尘器和一个Xbox One控制台. 我们注意到的一个问题是，有时，一些网络客户端会在短时间内随机断开WiFi连接。(WiFi)我们将此固件错误(firmware bug)传达给华硕(ASUS)，他们将对其进行调查，以便通过未来的固件更新修复它(firmware update)s。最初，我们还注意到在进行数据上传时有些不稳定。然而，在我们开始测试路由器两天后，华硕(ASUS)发布了一个新的固件更新(firmware update)来解决这个问题。在那之后，我们享受了快速的网络传输。你不必相信我们的话。只需看下图，显示数据是如何通过WiFi从一台计算机下载到另一台计算机的，在与路由器一墙之隔的房间里，没有直接的视线。
如果您想查看有关此路由器无线性能的详细信息，以及它必须提供的所有功能，包括针对游戏玩家的功能，请转到本评论的下一页。
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 review: The wireless router for gamers!
AЅUS has a thing for gamers. That's nоt new, as their Republic of Gamers brand is famous worldwide. A new trend is for the company to develop wireless routers for gaming, that are packed with many friendly features for online gamers. The latest addition to their lineup of gaming routers is the new ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900, which also features some spectacular RGB lighting. If you want to know what this router has to offer, in terms of real-world performance, read this review:
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900: Who is it good for?
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is an excellent choice for the following types of users:
- Gamers who want the best possible tools for online gaming and an impressive RGB lighting system
- Users who want the best security for their smart home devices and have many diverse devices in their network
- People who want task automation services from their wireless router, through IFTT (If This, Then That)
- Users who want to control their home network using the Alexa voice assistant
- Users who want advanced firmware that offers complete control
- People who desire an advanced mobile app from which they can personalize the router
Pros and cons
Here are the things we like about ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900:
- Fast WiFi on both bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
- Many features for gamers who play multiplayer games online
- Excellent security features that secure your smart home
- Powerful hardware that can handle many clients and simultaneous connections
- Fast USB 3.0 port
- RGB lighting that looks great
- Advanced smartphone app for administering your wireless router
- Great multilingual support and easily accessible Help documentation
As downsides:
- The skin used for the firmware and the ASUS Router app may not be to everyone's tastes
- The mobile app cannot be used to configure the gaming oriented features of the router
Verdict
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is the gamer-friendly evolution of a wireless router that we liked a lot: ASUS RT-AC86U. The hardware is the same as that of its predecessor. The looks have improved, the firmware is now packed with an extensive number of tools and features, including many that are interesting to gamers. Also, the RGB lighting that has been added to the new model is beautiful. If you are a gamer, ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is one of the best wireless routers that you can buy.
Unboxing the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 wireless router
It is clear that ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is a wireless router designed for gamers just by looking at its packaging. The Republic of Gamers logo is hard to miss, as well as the different logos for features and technologies that gamers are familiar with: the GeForce NOW game streaming service, Aura Sync, and PlayStation 4. A nice touch are the reflective letters used to communicate the name of the router. They color differently, depending on how the light reflects on them, and the angle in which you look at the packaging.
On the sides of the packaging, you get many details about the hardware configuration of this router and its many features that are designed for gamers. Inside the box, you find the following elements: the router itself, a stand for the router, three external antennas, the power adapter, an Ethernet cable, the quick setup guide, leaflets with information about the gaming features bundled on this router, and the warranty.
The packaging of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 looks stunning, worthy of a premium device. Inside the box, you find everything you need to get started, and all the information required to use the many features of this router.
Hardware specifications and design
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 has a dual-core Broadcom BCM4906 running at 1.8 GHz, just like its brother, ASUS RT-AC86U. It also has 256 MB of storage space for the firmware, and 512 MB of RAM. The design of ASUS GT-AC2900 is an evolution of the older model, and we like it more. The RoG branding looks beautiful, and the detachable stand is more flexible than that of the previous model, which could not be removed.
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is a dual-band wireless router, with a total theoretical maximum bandwidth split as follows: 750 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz wireless frequency, and 2167 Mbps for the 5 GHz frequency. It has support for the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2) wireless standard, 4x4 MU-MIMO transfers on the 5 GHz band, and 3x3 MU-MIMO transfers on the 2.4 GHz band. The router has three detachable external antennas and one internal antenna. On the back of the router, we have the four Ethernet ports at 1 Gbps, two of which offer Link Aggregation. There is also one Internet port, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, the power jack, and the Power button.
On one of the sides, there are the following buttons: a button with the RoG logo (named Boost Key) which can be customized to perform specific actions when pressed, the button for controlling the LED on the front, the WPS button, the WiFi button, and the Reset one.
The size of the router is 8.7 x 6.65 x 4.37 inches or 221 x 169 x 111 mm in width, height, and depth. It also weighs 1.72 lb or 780 grams, without the stand.
If you would like to learn more about the official specifications of this wireless router, go to this page: ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 Specifications.
Setting up and using the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 wireless router
Setting up the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 involves turning it on, connecting it to the internet, and using a web browser to load the quick setup wizard. At first, provide the details of your internet connection. Then, set up the names and passwords for the two wireless bands. Then, you get to personalize the Boost Key - a button on the side of the router, with the RoG logo, that can perform one of several actions when pressed. Choose what you want this button to do. Most users will want to use it to control the RGB lighting.
For the last step, you set the login name and password for administering the router. After you provide all the details, the router connects to the internet and checks for firmware updates. This is a proactive approach, and you should let the router update its firmware so that you can benefit from performance and security improvements. At the end of the quick setup wizard, you are shown a summary of your settings.
Then, you can access the administration user interface. It is organized the same as on other ASUS routers, meaning that it is split into logical sections and finding your way is easy. However, it has a different skin, aimed at gamers who are fans of the Republic of Gamers brand, which may not be to everyone's liking.
You can configure everything that matters in detail, and advanced users are going to appreciate this fact. The firmware is available in 21 languages, and the user documentation is accessible and well built. One neat trick is to move the mouse cursor over a setting that you do not understand, and a question mark is shown. Click on the question mark, and you see information explaining that setting.
If you want to control your wireless network from your smartphone or tablet, including when you are not at home, you can use the ASUS router app. The app also uses a skin specific to the Republic of Gamers brand. It offers some advanced customization options, including the ability to check on your children' devices, and set up rules for parental controls. The remote network diagnostics can be useful too when your family has problems with their WiFi, and you are not home to help. However, most gaming-related features can be personalized only from the router itself, not from the app.
One eye-catching feature is the RGB lighting. We have tested other routers with RGB, but none of them look this good. The way it is implemented on the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is beautiful. The router looks great, and you can even program the lighting to adjust itself based on the events that take place with your router or internet connection. If you want to see how the lighting looks, we switched between the standard lighting effects, in the video below.
We connected about twenty devices to the network managed by Rapture GT-AC2900, including two desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, several smartphones, one wireless printer, two smart plugs, one smart bulb, an intelligent robot vacuum cleaner, and an Xbox One console. One issue we noticed is that, from time to time, some network clients would get randomly disconnected from the WiFi, for brief periods of time. We communicated this firmware bug to ASUS, and they are going to investigate it in order to fix it through future firmware updates. Initially, we also noticed a bit of instability when making data uploads. However, two days after we started testing the router, ASUS released a new firmware update that fixed the problem. After that, we enjoyed fast network transfers. You don't have to take our word for it. Just look at the diagram below, showing how data was downloaded from one computer to another, through WiFi, in a room separated from the router by one wall, with no direct line of sight to it.
If you want to see the details about the wireless performance of this router, and all the features that it has to offer, including those aimed at gamers, go to the next page of this review.
