Asus is poised to make a significant leap in wireless technology with the announcement of its upcoming Wi-Fi 8 router, despite the relatively slow adoption of the preceding Wi-Fi 7 standard. The company unveiled a concept device, the ROG NeoCore, at CES 2026, showcasing its commitment to being an early adopter of next-generation Wi-Fi technology. While the final ratification of the Wi-Fi 8 standard by the IEEE is not expected until 2028, Asus plans to release its first market-ready Wi-Fi 8 routers and mesh systems during 2026.
Focus on Reliability and Efficiency
Unlike previous Wi-Fi iterations that primarily focused on increasing speed, Wi-Fi 8 emphasizes reliability, stability, and efficient spectrum management. The theoretical maximum speed remains identical to Wi-Fi 7 at 46Gbps. Asus promises significant improvements in densely populated areas with many competing wireless networks. Technologies like Distributed Resource Units (DRUs) and Enhanced Long Range (ELR) are included to improve performance. Furthermore, features such as Unequal Modulation (UEQM) aim to ensure optimal connections for multiple devices, preventing any single data stream from slowing down others. The new multi-access point coordination will also allow numerous mesh nodes and repeaters to work together, reducing interference.
ROG NeoCore: A Glimpse into the Future
The Asus ROG NeoCore concept router sports an icosahedron shape, using its vertices for internal antenna placement. In early testing, Asus achieved 99th percentile latencies that were six times lower than Wi-Fi 7, significantly reducing worst-case latencies. The company also noted a two-fold improvement in IoT coverage and median throughput. During real-world tests, the router achieved up to twice the throughput over a medium range compared to Wi-Fi 7 and a more stable connection for smart home devices. For gamers, the router promises a lower P99 latency, which refers to the extreme outliers in ping, by up to six times.
Addressing Connectivity Challenges
Asus is positioning Wi-Fi 8 to solve four core connectivity challenges: signal degradation over distance, weak two-way communication for low-power devices, densely populated network scenarios, and bandwidth inefficiency. Wi-Fi 8 should offer more consistent speeds as devices move further from the router and improve two-way communication for low-power devices like smart lights and controllers, ensuring they are always connected. In crowded environments, Wi-Fi 8 is expected to use smarter spectrum coordination to reduce interference and maintain stable performance. The technology also improves how bandwidth is managed, using more efficient spectrum use and smarter scheduling to reduce congestion, lower latency, and improve overall speeds.
Wi-Fi 7 Adoption and the Leap to Wi-Fi 8
Despite the promises of Wi-Fi 7, adoption has been gradual. The Wi-Fi Alliance expects there to be 2.1 billion Wi-Fi 7 devices worldwide by 2028. Some suggest skipping Wi-Fi 7 altogether in favor of the improved connectivity and efficiency of Wi-Fi 8. While the final Wi-Fi 8 standard isn't expected until 2028, Asus plans to release Wi-Fi 8 routers based on a draft of the standard by the end of 2026.
Tenlong Deng, Corporate VP & General Manager of Wireless and Networking for ASUS, stated that "Wi-Fi 8 is not just about chasing peak speed—it's about making every connection smarter and more reliable,". He added that it enables seamless collaboration between smart homes, AI assistants, and cloud services, delivering stable performance anytime, anywhere.
Asus's early move towards Wi-Fi 8 signifies a shift in focus within the wireless networking industry, prioritizing reliability and efficiency over sheer speed. While Wi-Fi 7 adoption continues, the promise of Wi-Fi 8 and devices like the ROG NeoCore, may encourage users to wait for the next generation.
