14 DAY TRIAL // There are very few AC1900 Wi-Fi routers in the world, and there isn't much need for them beyond the corporate front, where a powerful hub for the mobile devices good enough to handle the people on a whole floor is needed. But it's the new groove, the latest chance for a brownie point, so TRENDnet made one.
To be fair, TRENDnet is one of the world's better and larger-scale makers of wired and wireless networking hardware, so it kind of needs to have the best stuff available in order to hold its post.
And since rivals like Amped Wireless and Netgear have had their respective offerings out for months, it was about time TRENDnet followed up.
Although it's also true that the AC1900 Dual Band Wireless Router, model TEW-818DRU, was actually introduced, originally, back in January.
So this is mostly a notice to say that the product is finally up for sale, not just an insubstantial promise like two months ago.
AC1900 comes from the ability of the router to reach 1,900 Mbps transfer speeds, thanks to the 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology.
That means that the 2.4 GHz Wireless N band can move 600 Mbps of data at once, while the 5 GHz Wireless AC spectrum allows for an extra 1,300 Mbps.
And to think that, not too long ago, routers with 750 Mbps (300 + 450 Mbps) were considered powerful.
Indeed, even now they're considered good offerings for consumers, because it's still a lot better than standard Ethernet, and not that shy of the maximum potential of Gigabit Ethernet.
The amount of data that can travel through the air and make it to and from the Internet connection dwindles, however, the more connections you get. So if you are throwing a party where two dozen of your friends bring their phones or tablets and want to access the web for whatever reason, your router might sputter and die. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
TRENDnet's AC1900 Dual Band Wireless Router has a 1 GHz processor and, in addition to the Wi-Fi, five Gigabit Ethernet ports (one that makes the web link, four for PCs/Smart TVs) and a USB 2.0 connector, plus a USB 3.0 port (lets you share flash drives and other portable storage items over the network).
Finally, the newcomer has pre-encrypted wireless networks and management interface, with unique passwords required. It makes hackers' lives harder.
TRENDnet TEW-818DRU AC1900 Dual Band Wireless Router has a price of $259.99 / €188 – €259.99 and a 3-year warranty.