Gamers might be more interested
The RT-AC88U can also be configured as an 802.11ac bridge, so you can put a second one in your home-theater equipment rack and wire up to eight network clients to it. One feature that continues to be unique to Asus is the ability to connect a USB 3G/4G/LTE network adapter into the RT-AC88U’s USB port.
Once plugged in, the adapter can be configured for either load balancing (distributing your bandwidth across wired and wireless Internet connections) or automatic failover protection (if either Internet connection fails, the router will automatically switch over to the other). With mobile data plans being so expensive—especially if you exceed your cap—I suspect the real-world appeal with battery such as Asus G71G-A1 AC Adapter, Asus N90S AC Adapter, Asus G72G AC Adapter, Asus G73 AC Adapter, Asus X90 AC Adapter, Asus G60 AC Adapter, Asus VX5 AC Adapter, Asus M70 AC Adapter, Asus Pro70 AC Adapter, Asus Pro80 AC Adapter, Asus X77 AC Adapter, Asus G2S AC Adapterof this feature will be limited.
Gamers might be more interested in the free subscription to the WTFast Gamer Network that Asus is offering. The service claims to optimize WAN (wide-area network) routes via dedicated servers to reduce ping time and packet loss. Asus has integrated the client software into the RT-AC88U’s firmware, which eliminates the need to run the software on connected PCs. This also means that any device, regardless of its operating system, can utilize WTFast. So if you’re rocking a Linux gaming rig or a Steam Machine, you can still use the service.
WTFast is available in three subscription tiers, however, and Asus hasn’t mentioned which level RT-AC88U buyers will be entitled to or how long the subscriptions will last. I’ve submitted a query and will update this story when I find out. Asus also hasn’t announced when the RT-AC88U or how much it will cost. They’ve said only that pricing will be announced closer to availability.