Asus RT-BE86U vs TP-Link Deco BE23

The TP-Link Deco BE23 takes the overall verdict on a lower price and a stronger owner rating, plus the ease of expanding a mesh system across a home. The Asus RT-BE86U is the better choice if you specifically want its 10G port, deeper AsusWRT configurability and longer warranty.

The Asus RT-BE86U is a standalone router with a 10G port and AsusWRT's deep controls, while the TP-Link Deco BE23 is a mesh system with two 2.5G ports per unit that expands by adding nodes. It is single-box power and configurability against simple, scalable coverage.

Neither. Both are dual-band Wi-Fi 7 systems on the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, with no 6 GHz band. For 6 GHz you would need to step up to a tri-band model on either side.

The TP-Link Deco BE23 includes a built-in speed test in its app. The Asus RT-BE86U does not offer one, a trait shared with other AsusWRT routers.

The Asus RT-BE86U supports WireGuard VPN along with OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPSec. The TP-Link Deco BE23 offers VPN client and server too, but without WireGuard.

Buy the TP-Link Deco BE23 for an affordable, app-managed Wi-Fi 7 mesh system that is easy to expand across a whole home. Buy the Asus RT-BE86U if you want a single powerful router with a 10G port, WireGuard VPN and a longer warranty.