Is upgrading your basic broadband router worth the money?

1. Introduction2. MSI RadiX AXE6600 and AX66003. BT Smart Hub4. The Administration Interfaces5. Performance Analysis6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

Upgrading to a new router such as the MSI RadiX AXE6600 or MSI RadiX AX6600 isn't just about performance. Although you physically have the same number of wired Gigabit Ethernet ports and USB 3.0 on a BT Smart Hub, the MSI administration software has a wealth of additional features and optimisations for different use case scenarios compared to a broadband service-supplied router. This is likely to be the case with every router supplied alongside a broadband subscription.

But the performance benefits are clear – if you have the latest WiFi 6 or 6E client devices. Assuming you do, you can enjoy up to twice the bandwidth in close proximity and even more at long distance. On the other hand, if you mostly have legacy 802.11ac (WiFi 5) or 802.11n devices, the upgrade will only deliver improved software features.

You might consider that worthwhile, but probably not to the tune of £200 or more. You are highly likely to have WiFi 6 devices now, though, and with such clear bandwidth benefits, spending at least £240 for a router such as the MSI RadiX AX6600 will be worth it. Should you have a clear route towards WiFi 6E, £320 for the AXE6600 could be sensible too.

The MSI RadiX AXE6600 is available from Amazon for £319.98 inc VAT.

The MSI RadiX AX6600 is available from Amazon for £237.15 inc VAT.

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Pros:

• WiFi 6E 6GHz support will be useful if you have compatible devices.
• WiFi 6 5GHz is a significant performance upgrade over 802.11ac WiFi 5.
• 2.5G WAN or LAN port.
• USB 3.0 for storage sharing.
• Improved administration and management features.
• Well featured smartphone app.

Cons:

• Mediocre performance with WiFi 5 / 802.11ac.
• Average legacy 802.11n performance.
• Probably not worth upgrading if you don't have any WiFi 6 devices.

KitGuru says: The MSI RadiX AXE6600 and AX6600 show how much extra bandwidth you can gain from upgrading to WiFi 6 or 6E, with added software features as well. However, legacy devices don't see any benefit, so the router upgrade must coincide with having plenty of WiFi 6 devices to take advantage of it.

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