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Huawei WiFi AX3 WiFi 6 Plus router review

The Huawei WiFi AX3 is the brand’s new router, launched in the Philippines last February. It is the world’s first WiFi 6 Plus router with a pocket friendly price of Php 3,999.

The AX3 is a feature-rich device powered by Huawei’s GigaHome 650 chipset, wrapped in a compact build. We published our quick unboxing and setup article a couple of weeks ago (which you can read about here). This time, we’re now at the full review to see how it performs in real life.

Let’s go.

Design and Features

The Huawei WiFi AX3 router has an elegant design with a clean and minimalist layout and a white matte finish. It is quite small and compact, measuring 225 x 159.2 x 39.7 mm and weighing just 403 grams.

Huawei WiFi AX3 WiFi 6 router review

The router has four flat antennas that fold up from the body. Its fixed in an upright position (although you can have it semi-folded). Its something to keep in mind for those who like multi-directional antennas.

There’s an H button at the center of the top panel for one-key pairing and WPS functionality, and the NFC sensor at the lower right for quick pairing. An LED indicator light sits at the front.

Huawei WiFi AX3 WiFi 6 router review

The minimalist design extends to the back. You have the power connector, the WAN port, three LAN ports, the reset button, and the power button. There’s no USB port. Its not a big deal, but its something to consider for those who use it.

Huawei WiFi AX3 initial review

The Huawei AX3 router features Wi-Fi 6, MU-MIMO support and 160 MHz bandwidth. Wi-Fi 6 or 802.11ax is the latest wireless standard. Compared to Wi-Fi 5 or 802.11ac, it has faster transfer speeds, lower latency, and a farther network range.

The device comes with MU-MIMO support allowing it to handle maximum wireless speeds of up to 2,976 Mbps, with the 2.4 GHz band going as high as 574 Mbps and the 5 GHz band up to 2,402 Mbps.

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Meanwhile, the wide 160 MHz bandwidth allows for faster Wi-Fi connections at farther distances with low latency.

The Huawei WiFi AX3 also has several security features, including a built-in firewall and Huawei HomeSec which provides better and reliable security with features such as anti-cracking, anti-brute force, and Wi-Fi encryption.

Huawei AI Life

The best way to manage and configure the Huawei WiFi AX3 is through the mobile all Huawei AI Life. Its easy to use, and allow you to do a number of things, like checking the stats, signal strength and connected devices, running diagnostics, activating the guest Wi-Fi network, and adjusting parental controls.

Going deeper into the settings, you’ll have more options such as setting the Wi-Fi name and password, adjusting signal strength, and activating WPS.

Huawei WiFi AX3 Huawei AI Life app

Setup

The Huawei WiFi AX3 is easy to setup. Its the same with any other router. We’ve covered how to do it on our article here.

We suggest you install and use the Huawei AI Life app, available on the Google Play Store and the App Store.

Performance

Before testing the AX3, my previous router was the D-Link AC3200 Ultra Wi-Fi gaming router. Its a huge, hulking device that can get really hot. I also assume it consumes more power as well, seeing as the range is so wide.

I was pleasantly surprised with the AX3, compared to my old router. It can easily keep up in terms of speed. Coverage, though, is another matter.

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I live in a small two story house. The Huawei AX3 easily covers the second floor, where it is placed. The network signal penetrates walls having full bars, but signal strength on the ground floor is weaker.

Since the floors are thicker, I noticed some signal loss on the first floor. For testing purposes, I ran speed tests on three areas of the house to see how it affects speed.

Huawei WiFi AX3 Speed Test Huawei P40

As expected, Wi-Fi speeds slow down the farther I move away from the router. I got similar results using an iPhone 12 and a Huawei P40. Curious how my Huawei smartphone is faster by a few megabytes.

Huawei WiFi AX3 Speed Test iPhone 12

Conclusion

The Huawei WiFi AX3 is a great and cost efficient way to expand the capabilities of your existing home Wi-Fi setup.

The router has an affordable price tag of just Php 3,999, and offers a lot of features not found on stock routers, including Wi-Fi 6 and MU-MIMO support, up to 3,000 Mbps speeds, and an easy setup process and maintenance using the Huawei AI Life app.

What’s more, its small and inconspicuous with a minimalist and handsome design that will look good on any home.

If you have a reasonably sized home, then the Huawei WiFi AX3 is a definite upgrade to improving your home Wi-Fi experience.

Price and Availability

The Huawei WiFi AX3 WiFi 6 has a price of Php 3,999 in the Philippines. It is available in Huawei online, Huawei stores, and on Lazada and Shopee.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, you can opt for the Huawei WS2500, which has a similar design but a lighter price tag of Php 1,599.

Bryan is a geek at heart and a tech enthusiast by choice. He has a strong background in corporate communications, marketing services, and customer relations having worked in the telecommunications and banking sectors for over two decades. In his spare time, he enjoys watching clips on YouTube and binge watching shows on Netflix.

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