ASUS ROG NeoCore and the leap to the new WiFi 8 era

Last update: 09/02/2026
Author Isaac
  • WiFi 8 prioritizes stability, low latency, and better coverage compared to WiFi 7, with up to twice the mid-range performance and six times less latency (P99).
  • The ASUS ROG NeoCore concept router serves as a real-world testbed for WiFi 8, combining AiMesh and AI Network Engine for multi-AP environments and smart homes.
  • WiFi 8's technical improvements include greater spectrum efficiency, better management of overlapping networks, optimized roaming, and improved support for IoT and P2P devices.
  • ASUS reinforces its leadership in wireless connectivity by pioneering testing and certification of new standards such as WiFi 6, 6E, 7 and now WiFi 8.

ROG WiFi 8 Router

The jump to WiFi 8 promises to completely change the way we connect At home and in the office, ASUS has decided to take the lead with a very particular device: the ROG NeoCore. It's not a router you can buy tomorrow, but it is the first concept model that serves as a testbed for this new wireless generation designed for the age of artificial intelligence.

With this ROG NeoCore, ASUS not only boasts about raw power, but also demonstrates The first real-world WiFi 8 performance testsoutside of controlled laboratories. The goal is clear: to demonstrate that WiFi 8 is not just about increasing maximum speeds, but about achieving much more stable networks, with less latency, better coverage, and intelligent spectrum management when many devices are connected and networks overlap.

ASUS ROG NeoCore: the concept router that opens the door to WiFi 8

WiFi 8 gaming router

El ASUS ROG NeoCore is presented as a conceptual router Focused on testing everything WiFi 8 (802.11bn) can offer in a real-world home environment, it's not a typical commercial product, but rather an advanced prototype that ASUS is using to measure, compare, and fine-tune its performance against the current WiFi 7 standard.

This NeoCore processor helps ASUS prepare the ground for its future range of home routers and WiFi 8 mesh systemsThe brand anticipates launching the product in 2026. The idea is that what are currently tests and concepts will eventually be translated into final devices that will reach living rooms, offices, and apartments where the number of connected devices continues to grow.

As part of its networking strategy, ASUS combines its own techniques in this conceptual router, such as AiMesh and the ASUS AI Network EngineThese technologies will be key in this new generation of products. They rely on smarter management of channels, bandwidth, and connected clients—precisely what WiFi 8 aims to take to the next level.

The message the company is sending is clear: the ROG NeoCore marks the beginning of a new wireless era based on the idea of “Smarter Spectrum, Better Experience”where what matters is not only the maximum theoretical speed, but also how the network behaves when things get complicated: interference, saturation, multiple access points, roaming, or very dense environments. Furthermore, ASUS demonstrates that it is possible to learn to map WiFi interference to choose better channels and reduce conflicts between networks.

First real-world WiFi 8 performance test

WiFi 8 performance tests

With the ROG NeoCore, ASUS has carried out the first public WiFi 8 performance tests in real-world scenarios, not simulated, comparing directly against WiFi 7. The interesting thing is that the theoretical speeds of both generations may be similar, but the behavior in daily life changes completely.

According to data shared by the brand, WiFi 8 is capable of offering Up to double the performance in the midrange Compared to WiFi 7, the new standard maintains much higher and more stable transfer rates within the typical range of a home network (neither right next to the router nor at the far end of the house).

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Another key point is the connectivity of permanently connected devices, such as sensors, smart plugs, cameras, or light bulbs. In this area, ASUS talks about double the effective coverage for IoT devicesThis is crucial in large homes, villas, or multi-level buildings where the signal tends to degrade quickly.

Focus has also been placed on latency measured under demanding conditions. In the tests, WiFi 8 achieves Up to six times less latency than WiFi 7 with P99Thanks to smarter operation in multi-AP (multiple access points) and multi-client (many devices connected simultaneously) environments, this translates into fewer lag spikes, fewer dropouts, and a much more consistent response.

All these results suggest that, although the top speed will not change radically, The actual user experience with WiFi 8 is clearly superior When you look beyond the maximum Mbps figure, that's precisely where ASUS wants to demonstrate that this generation does represent a significant leap forward.

Ultra-high reliability and stability: the foundation of WiFi 8

Stable WiFi 8 Router

One of the key aspects of the new standard is to strengthen the reliability of the connection in daily useWiFi 8 is expressly designed to address common wireless network problems: speed loss as you move away from the router, interference from neighbors, band saturation, or the typical drop in quality when all devices start using the network at the same time.

WiFi 8 routers, like the ROG NeoCore in these tests, manage to the degradation of speed is much more gradualMaintaining usable speeds even when the router is in the living room and you go to the roof, the garden, or a distant room. The idea is that you don't have to "chase" the router around the house to get a decent connection; also, if you need Improve mobile WiFi coverageThere are tweaks and tricks that help you take advantage of the new generation.

Two-way communication is also strengthened with low-power devicessuch as smart lights, switches, thermostats, or small sensors. These devices typically have smaller antennas and very low power consumption, and WiFi 8 improves how they coordinate with the router to reduce dropouts, packet loss, and constant reconnections.

In areas with many floors, such as apartment buildings, it often happens that the signals from nearby routers are weak. They step on each other and cause instabilityWiFi 8 introduces smarter spectrum management that seeks to minimize these interferences, making better use of channels and frequencies so that each network has its "space" without hindering others as much.

Finally, the new generation focuses on solving the problem of Network congestion occurs when many devices are active.Thanks to improved spectrum efficiency and more advanced dynamic scheduling, the router manages more efficiently which client transmits, when and through which channel, so that every MHz of bandwidth is used to its fullest potential, reducing latency and improving overall performance.

Driving the era of AI and hyperconnected homes

WiFi 8 for AI

WiFi 8 wasn't just designed for faster browsing, but for to support connected ecosystems powered by artificial intelligenceASUS emphasizes that this generation is designed to handle seamlessly scenarios involving voice assistants, cloud services, multiple gaming devices, 4K/8K streaming, and advanced home automation.

The use of smarter architectures and new traffic scheduling techniques makes possible a near-instantaneous response in latency-sensitive applicationsWe're talking about online gaming, real-time voice communication, cloud collaboration, and high-quality video streaming without buffering or pixelation, even when multiple people are using the network simultaneously. Plus, if image problems arise on smart TVs, you'll know what to do. How to troubleshoot WiFi problems on Smart TVs It is very useful.

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In the case of ASUS, AiMesh and AI Network Engine technologies combine with the native capabilities of WiFi 8 to better manage multi-AP environments, especially in mesh systemsSeveral routers or nodes coordinate with each other to offer the best data route at any given time, reducing interruptions when moving around the house and balancing the load between access points.

This advanced coordination is vital in modern homes filled with devices: game consoles, Smart TVs, tablets, mobile phones, laptops, IP cameras, and a whole host of IoT gadgets. The promise of WiFi 8 is that, even when everything is turned on and in use, the network maintains low latency and remarkable reliabilitywithout those annoying micro-cuts that are so frustrating when you're playing games or on an important video call. If you want to know how many devices are connected and detect potential network congestion problems, there are guides available. Find out how many devices are connected to your WiFi.

ASUS itself emphasizes that WiFi 8 is designed to “every connection will be smarter and more reliable”This allows AI assistants and cloud services to work continuously without relying on a fragile signal. In other words, it's not enough for the speed test to show high results; what's important is that the network performs responsibly when challenging situations arise.

Technical improvements of WiFi 8 versus WiFi 7

Beyond real-world performance data, WiFi 8 introduces a number of technical improvements that fine-tune the network's behavior Compared to WiFi 7, this improvement is even more noticeable under less than ideal signal conditions. Part of the advancement comes from a new way of managing traffic queues, transmission retries, and network overlap.

Under equal signal and interference conditions, a performance improvement of around 25% compared to WiFi 7This not only translates into more Mbps in a test, but also into a network that performs better when there are walls, distance, or radio noise, maintaining speed closer to the maximum possible for longer.

The so-called "queue" latency has also been optimized, being reduced approximately 25% in situations with overlapping mobility and networks (OBSS). This means fewer lag spikes and a smoother experience when moving within coverage, which is crucial for online gaming and real-time applications.

Another aspect that improves is the loss of MPDUs (aggregated data units)which is also reduced by around 25%. Fewer losses mean fewer retransmissions and, therefore, more efficient use of bandwidth and a greater sense of "smoothness" when browsing, streaming or downloading large files.

WiFi 8 also incorporates specific advancements in roaming and Multi-AP coordinationWhen moving through an environment with multiple access points, the standard improves decision-making about which AP to connect to and when to switch, minimizing the typical micro-cuts when moving from room to room in mesh systems or enterprise networks.

Finally, the following have also been taken into account energy efficiency and peer-to-peer (P2P) operationsDevices can better manage their energy consumption without losing connection quality, and direct communications between devices (such as transfers between mobiles, consoles or laptops) benefit from more advanced coordination that reduces interference and waiting times.

WiFi 8 in saturated environments, IoT and mobility

One of the great practical advantages of WiFi 8 appears when we take it to dense environments and realistic use casesWe're not just talking about a typical house, but apartments in big cities, home offices, homes with many IoT devices, and neighboring networks across every imaginable channel.

In these types of situations, WiFi 7 already represented a leap forward compared to previous generations, but WiFi 8 goes a step further with more sophisticated spectrum coordination mechanismsThe network is able to dynamically adapt to the presence of other WLANs, adjusting how it allocates transmission time, which channels it prioritizes, and how it organizes the packet queue.

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For IoT devices, often limited by very simple hardware, the new standard strengthens the stable bidirectional communication even at low powerThis reduces random disconnections, decreases the need for retries, and improves battery life in wireless sensors or gadgets distributed throughout the house.

Regarding mobility, WiFi 8 places special emphasis on reducing problems when moving between areas with different coverageImprovements have been introduced to help customers choose the most suitable access point and prepare for the change in advance, reducing both packet loss and the feeling of interruption while moving.

All of this is combined with a much smarter multi-AP management system, where the different routers or mesh nodes don't function as separate islands, but as a coordinated system that shares state informationIn this way, the network can balance the load between points, decide who serves which device, and react more quickly when signal conditions change. Furthermore, in congested home networks, it's helpful to know Detect intruders on your WiFi network to maintain traffic integrity.

Ultimately, the goal is that, even in complex environments with interference, overlapping networks, and many connected devices, The overall experience with WiFi 8 is solid and predictablewithout you noticing those random performance drops that are so frustrating when working or playing online.

ASUS's role in the evolution of WiFi standards

ASUS has spent years positioning itself as one of the manufacturers most active in the early adoption of new WiFi standardsIt was one of the first brands to achieve FCC certification for products with WiFi 6, WiFi 6E and WiFi 7, and now it repeats the feat by leading real-world WiFi 8 testing.

With the ROG NeoCore and this first performance demonstration, the company wants to emphasize its leadership and innovation role in the field of wireless connectivityIt's not just about launching flashy gaming routers, but about introducing new technologies that are then applied to their entire range of home and professional products.

The unveiling of this concept router and the associated testing align with ASUS Networking's strategy of anticipate the massive deployment of new standardsWhile many users and manufacturers are still just beginning to adopt WiFi 7, the industry is already looking to the leap to WiFi 8 by the end of 2026 and beyond.

This track record of early releases and FCC certifications reinforces ASUS's image as a leader in the development of high-performance WiFi solutionsThis is especially relevant for an audience looking for gaming routers, advanced mesh systems, and devices ready for the near future.

With everything that's been revealed about WiFi 8 and the role of the ROG NeoCore as a testbed, it's clear that The next big evolution of wireless networks is already on the horizonfocused on stability, low latency and intelligent coordination rather than inflating maximum speed figures that are rarely seen in everyday use.

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