If you have difficulty deciding between the RadiX AXE6600 vs RadiX AX6600, the two new routers from MSI, this quick comparison post is for you.
These are almost identical Wi-Fi machines in and out. That’s not to mention they represent MSI’s return to home networking after over a decade — they are a new Wi-FI brand, so to speak.
But when you through, you’ll know which to get for your situation today. Still, it’s recommended that you read their in-depth review for more.
The two routers, models GRAXE66 and GRAX66, look exactly the same and also have the same Wi-Fi bandwidth, which, on paper, is 6600Mbps.
They have the same number of antennas and ports, including one 2.5Gbps Mulit-Gig WAN/LAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports. You can turn the first LAN port into the WAN port and make the Multi-Gig port work as a LAN.
There’s also a USB 3.0 port to host a storage device.
Other than that, the two share the same firmware, features, and network settings.
Both are marketed as “gaming” routers, but on the inside, neither has any game-specific features other than some specific QoS settings. You can play games with them just fine, but that’s the case with most, if not all, Wi-Fi routers.
With that, let’s look at their differences.
MSI GRAXE66 vs GRAX66: Wi-Fi 6E vs Wi-Fi 6
The GRAXE66 is a Wi-Fi 6E router — it has a 6GHz band together with a 5GHz and a 2.4Ghz. The GRAX66 is a Wi-Fi 6 Router with a 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands.
As a result, the former can host the new 6GHz clients while the latter has much more bandwidth on the 5GHz band — five times more, to be precise.
In fact, regarding wireless bandwidth, you can think the GRAXE6600 is the result when you trade the GRAX6600’s 5GHz-2 band for the 6GHz band.
MSI’s “gaming” routers: GRAXE66 = GRAX66 + bling
The second difference the in the RadiX AXE6600 vs RadiX AX6600 matchup is the Mystic Light of the former.
While looking the same coming out of the box, only the RadiX AXE6600 will glow when plugged in, thanks to its integrated programmable RGB game lights.
These lights do not affect the router’s function, but they sure are cool to look at.
MSI RadiX AXE6600 vs RadiX AX6600: Hardware specifications
The table below details the similarities and differences between these two routers.
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| Name | MSI RadiX AXE6600 Wi-Fi 6E Tri-Band Gaming Router | MSI RadiX AX6600 Wi-Fi 6 Tri-Band Gaming Router |
| Model | RadiX AXE6600, GRAXE66 |
RadiX AX6600, GRAX66 |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Tri-band AXE6600 | Tri-band AX6600 |
| 1st Band (2.4GHz) |
2×2 AX: 574 Mbps (20/40MHz) |
2×2 AX: 574 Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| 2nd Band (5GHz) |
2×2 AX: 1201 Mbps (Full band) (20/40/80MHz) |
2×2 AX: 1201 Mbps 5GHz-1: Lower channels (20/40/80MHz) |
| 3rd Band | 4X4 AX: 4804 Mbps 6GHz (20/40/80/160MHz) |
4X4 AX: 4804 Mbps 5GHz-2: Upper channels (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| 5.9GHz Support (UNII-4) |
No | No |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| AP Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Mesh-ready | No | No |
| Gigabit Port | 3x LAN, 1x LAN/WAN |
3x LAN, 1x LAN/WAN |
| Multi-Gig Port | 1x 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN | 1x 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN |
| Dual-WAN | No | No |
| Link Aggregation | No | No |
| USB | 1x USB 3.0 | 1x USB 3.0 |
| Firmware Version (at review) |
663636 | 663648 |
| Mobile App | MSI Router app | MSI Router app |
| Parental Control | Yes | Yes |
| Gaming Features | QoS (Client- and App-based) Mystic Light |
QoS (Client- and App-based) |
| Processing Power | Quad-core 1.8GHz CPU, 512MB DDR4 RAM, 256MB Flash |
Quad-core 1.8GHz CPU, 512MB DDR4 RAM, 256MB Flash |
| Built-in Online Protection | No | No |
| Dimensions (antennas up) |
13.3 x 8.8 x 7.8 in (338 x 224 x 198 mm) |
13.3 x 8.8 x 7.8 in (338 x 224 x 198 mm) |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) | 2.4 lbs (1.09 kg) |
| Power Specs | Input: 100-240V 50/60Hz Output: 12V 3.5A |
Input: 100-240V 50/60Hz Output: 12V 3.5A |
| Power Consumption (per 24 hours) |
≈ 230 Wh (as tested) |
≈ 245 Wh (as tested) |
| Release Date | February 17, 2023 | February 17, 2023 |
| US Price (at launch) |
$349.99 | $249.99 |
MSI GRAXE66 vs GRAX66: Performances and ranking
Pros
Top Wi-Fi 6E specs; cool Mystic Light; Reliable Wi-Fi performance
Full, lightweight web user interface, helpful mobile app
Supports all standard home network settings, deep Wi-Fi customization
Nice design, low power consumption
Cons
Only one 2.5Gbps port; mediocre 5GHz specs
Thin on gaming and network protection features; no Dynamic DNS, Link Aggregation, or Dual-WAN
Mystic Light requires a PC app; Network storage requires SMBv1 with lackluster performance
Pros
Fast and reliable Wi-Fi performance at an affordable cost
Robust, lightweight web user interface, helpful mobile app
Supports all standard home network settings, deep Wi-Fi customization
Eye-catching, practical design, decent network storage read performance when hosting a portable SSD
Cons
Only one 2.5Gbps port; thin on gaming features; no 160MHz on 5GHz-1 band
No Dynamic DNS, Link Aggregation, or Dual-WAN; client management could be better
Network storage requires SMB1 with mediocre write speed
The takeaway
Both the RadiX AXE6600 and RadiX AX6600 are decent Wi-Fi machines. In fact, for a home that needs only a single broadcaster, either can be a great choice.
That said, pick the Wi-Fi 6E RadiX AXE6600 if you have a lot of 6GHz clients (and only a few 5GHz ones). On the other hand, if you have lots of 5GHz clients, the Wi-Fi 6 RadiX AX6600 is clearly a better choice. And its lower price only helps.
MSI, for now, is new on the market, so it will take a while to know how the new routers pan out in long-term usage. But optimistically, chances are they will only get better over time with firmware updates.
In any case, these two likely won’t be the last you’ll find from MSI. While there are already so many Wi-Fi routers to pick from, more options are always a good thing.