Wi-Fi 7 has barely had time to settle, but Asus is already looking ahead.
At CES 2026, the company revealed it’s actively testing Wi-Fi 8 hardware, debuting a concept router called the ROG NeoCore alongside what it claims is the world’s first real-world Wi-Fi 8 performance test.
The announcement doesn’t mean you’ll be buying a Wi-Fi 8 router anytime soon, but it does signal that the next generation of wireless tech is moving beyond theory. Asus says its first consumer Wi-Fi 8 routers and mesh systems are planned for 2026, building on the groundwork shown off with this early prototype.
Rather than chasing headline speeds, Asus is pitching Wi-Fi 8 as a reliability upgrade. According to the company’s real-world testing, Wi-Fi 8 can deliver up to twice the mid-range throughput, double the IoT coverage, and up to six times lower P99 latency compared to Wi-Fi 7. That matters more in everyday use than peak speeds, especially in busy homes filled with smart devices.
Asus says Wi-Fi 8 is designed to keep performance steady as you move further from the router, reducing the sharp drop-offs that still happen in larger homes or outdoor spaces. It also improves two-way communication for low-power devices like smart lights and controllers, which often struggle to stay connected on crowded networks.
Interference is another focus. In apartment blocks or dense neighbourhoods, nearby routers can clash and slow everything down. Wi-Fi 8 tackles this with intelligent spectrum coordination, helping routers negotiate with each other rather than competing for airtime. Add smarter scheduling, and Asus claims networks stay responsive even when multiple devices are streaming, gaming, or working at the same time.
That reliability pushes ties directly into Asus’s vision for the “AI era”. The company sees Wi-Fi 8 as the backbone for homes running AI assistants, cloud-based services, and always-connected devices that need low latency rather than raw bandwidth. Asus says the ROG NeoCore prototype uses its AI Network Engine and AiMesh tech to manage multiple devices and access points more intelligently.
Asus has a track record of being early to adopt new Wi-Fi standards, having shipped some of the first Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and Wi-Fi 7 routers. This Wi-Fi 8 demo follows the same pattern, an early glimpse rather than a finished product.
For now, Wi-Fi 8 remains firmly in the testing phase. But with Asus already running real-world trials, it’s clear the next wireless upgrade cycle has already begun.
The post Forget Wi-Fi 7, Asus is already testing Wi-Fi 8 devices appeared first on Trusted Reviews.
