Linksys has announced via the CES 2018 the imminent release of its WRT32XB gaming-optimized router that will auto-detect and prioritize network traffic from an Xbox console.
The gaming crowd will surely take note that the WRT32XB is a doppelganger of the WRT32X router that Linksys has unboxed last September 2017. The company said the two routers are indeed similar in build, specs, and features but for one thing: the WRT32XB was designed specifically to please the Xbox users out there.
"We built the WRT32X for battle-ready gaming to optimize performance and prioritize gaming traffic," Linksys said of the original router.
The WRT32XB functions the same way but as mentioned, its unique flavor is geared for Xbox gamers, and the chief benefit they can get is the device "can reduce ping times for the console by as much as 65 percent."
WRT32XB Specs, Features, Release Date, And Pricing
Right out of the box, the WRT32XB boasts of the Killer Prioritization Engine (KPE) that is mainly programed to detect an Xbox hooked up to the network. This is the same technology from Rivet Networks that was packed with the WRT32X but for the second coming, the purpose is to reduce network lags that Xbox gamers might experience.
The rest of the WRT32XB checklist, as indicated above, tallies with its predecessor. It is a dual-band AC3200 router that is MU-MIMO-compatible. It operates on both the 2.4- and 5 GHz frequency bands, promising of fast and stable wireless connectivity for gamers and regular users alike.
Firing up the WRT32XB is a 1.8 GHz processor in dual-core configuration, supported by 512 MB of RAM and 256 MB of flash memory. And like the original, the newer router comes with USB 3.0 and eSATA/USB 2.0 ports that permit the sharing of storage over the network.
For wider and solid coverage, the WRT32XB still has the four dual-band adjustable and removable antennas that were seen in the first edition. Revealed at the CES 2018, the WRT32XB though will not hit the market until February and the cash setback is set at $299.
Firmware Update Rollout
According to Linksys, a firmware update for the WRT32X will be delivered anytime in the first half of 2018 that will make the older router more optimal for gaming on all platforms — PC, Xbox, and mobile devices. Essentially, the router OS bump will deliver all the WRT32XB features not yet found on the WRT32X.
If true, it would seem that the WRT32XB will be a necessary upgrade from the earlier hardware version.
