Asus Unveils Surprising Wi-Fi 8 Router at CES
▼ Summary
– Asus previewed a proof-of-concept Wi-Fi 8 router, the ROG NeoCore, at CES 2026, featuring a unique icosahedron (20-sided) design.
– The company plans to release its first Wi-Fi 8 home routers later this year, though concrete specifications for the NeoCore remain limited.
– The primary focus of Wi-Fi 8, according to Asus, is improving wireless stability and reliability, not just increasing speed.
– Key claimed improvements over Wi-Fi 7 include up to twice the midrange throughput, twice the IoT coverage, and significantly lower latency.
– The official IEEE standard for Wi-Fi 8 is not expected to be finalized until 2028, making Asus’s planned 2026 release notably early.
The next generation of home networking is already on the horizon, with Asus previewing a surprising Wi-Fi 8 router concept at CES 2026. Dubbed the ROG NeoCore, this proof-of-concept device signals the company’s early push into the next wireless standard, which promises to prioritize connection stability and reliability over raw speed gains alone. While the final product may look different, Asus plans to launch its first commercial Wi-Fi 8 routers before the year is out.
This early reveal comes as something of a surprise, given that the official IEEE 802.11 standard, known as Wi-Fi 8, is not expected to be finalized until 2028. It appears Asus is aiming to get a head start on the competition by introducing supporting hardware well ahead of the formal ratification. The showcased ROG NeoCore boasts a visually striking icosahedron design, a 20-sided geometric shape that is unlike any router currently on the market. Whether this unconventional form factor makes it to retail is uncertain; the practical challenges of placing such a distinctive device in a typical home might lead to a more traditional, boxy design for the production model. However, the concept does include a wall-mount hook, suggesting the unique aesthetic could potentially be retained.
Specific technical details remain scarce. Asus has not disclosed the chipset, band configuration, or a full feature set for the NeoCore. From available images, the unit appears to have three Ethernet ports, multiple heat vents, and a power input. Instead of hardware specifics, the company’s announcement emphasizes the anticipated benefits of the Wi-Fi 8 standard itself. The primary focus shifts from sheer speed to solving core connectivity issues, including reducing speed degradation, improving connection stability, enhancing communication with low-power IoT devices like smart lights, and better managing congested networks.
Asus claims that compared to Wi-Fi 7, the new standard could deliver up to double the midrange throughput, twice the IoT coverage range, and a dramatic reduction in latency, as much as six times lower for the slowest one percent of connections (P99 latency). While the exact methods Asus will use to achieve these gains are not detailed, the broader Wi-Fi 8 specification incorporates new technologies designed for this purpose. One key innovation is Coordinated Spatial Reuse (Co-SR), a system that allows devices to dynamically adjust their transmission power based on the proximity of other devices on the network. This intelligent coordination aims to minimize interference and alleviate congestion in dense wireless environments.
The prospect of a stronger, more consistent wireless foundation is genuinely exciting for anyone reliant on a home network. Current speeds are often more than adequate, but frustrating drops in stability remain a common pain point. Wi-Fi 8 is being crafted specifically to address these reliability challenges. Whether the final Asus router resembles the angular, futuristic NeoCore concept or adopts a more subdued appearance, its underlying mission will be to deliver a noticeably more robust and dependable wireless experience for the connected home.
(Source: ZDNET)
