Head-to-head · Best Gaming Routers

ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro vs NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about Hardcore gamers building a maxed-out Wi-Fi 7 network who want the fastest throughput and the deepest gaming software, and can absorb the premium price. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Gaming Routers

ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro

4.4

2 sources$679.99as of Aug 1

The GT-BE98 Pro is ASUS's no-compromise flagship: quad-band Wi-Fi 7, two 10GbE ports, a quad-core processor and eight external antennas, wrapped in the deepest gaming software anyone ships. Tom's Hardware scored it 4.25 out of 5 for fast, consistent 6GHz performance and a wall of LAN ports, and Dong Ngo of DongKnows went to 4.3 out of 5. It is the most expensive router here, 6GHz range is short, and none of it is reachable without Wi-Fi 7 clients.

Strengths

— Quad-band Wi-Fi 7 with eight external antennas and a quad-core processor
— Two 10GbE ports plus multiple 2.5GbE LAN ports
— Dedicated game port that prioritises wired console or PC traffic automatically

Watch-outs

— At $679.99 it is the most expensive router in this ranking
— 6GHz range is short, so the fastest band is effectively same-room
— Large chassis with eight protruding antennas needs real shelf space

$679.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Gaming Routers

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S

4.2

3 sources$599.99as of Aug 1

NETGEAR's first Wi-Fi 7 router earns its keep on real-world coverage. Tom's Guide praised the RS700S's throughput 'at medium distances where it's most needed in the home,' and TechRadar called it 'blistering performance.' A 10 Gig port and 3,500 sq ft of BE19000 coverage make it a strong whole-home gaming pick, and setup is unusually painless. It is pricey and not the fastest up close, but it is dependable.

Strengths

— Blistering Wi-Fi 7 performance, strong at the medium distances most homes need
— 10 Gig internet port for multi-gig broadband
— Covers up to 3,500 sq ft with tri-band BE19000 Wi-Fi 7

Watch-outs

— Premium price among traditional home routers
— Not the fastest at very close range versus rivals
— Lacks the front info screen of the TP-Link Archer BE800

$599.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro

The top-tier pick, beating the TP-Link Archer BE800, Netgear Nighthawk RS700S and TP-Link Archer BE900 on raw 6GHz throughput and gaming-specific software, with dual 10GbE versus the single 10GbE on most rivals. It is far pricier and more powerful than the older Wi-Fi 6 ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, which remains the value alternative below it.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S

Trades the close-range speed crown of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro and TP-Link Archer BE800 for the strongest medium-distance, whole-home coverage in the group, and pairs it with the easiest setup. It costs more than the TP-Link Archer BE800 in some configurations and lacks that router's info screen, while sitting a generation ahead of the Wi-Fi 6 ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro	NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7 (BE), quad-band	Wi-Fi 7 (BE19000), tri-band
Wired	2x 10GbE + multiple 2.5GbE LAN	—
Gaming Port	Dedicated game port with auto prioritization	—
CPU	Quad-core processor	—
Antennas	8 external	Internal (upright design)
Gaming Software	Open NAT, game acceleration, mobile game mode	—
Mesh	AiMesh support	—
Security	AiProtection Pro (lifetime)	NETGEAR Armor (1-year included)
Speed	—	Up to 19 Gbps
Internet Port	—	10 Gig (10GbE)
Coverage	—	Up to 3,500 sq ft
Setup	—	NETGEAR Nighthawk app
LAN	—	Multi-gig Ethernet

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