Even though Wi-Fi has become an indispensable part of our lives, the tech can be quite frustrating to deal with sometimes. Moreover, routers haven’t become easier to use or included any exciting new features in the past decade. In fact, I’ve been disappointed by the lack of innovation by companies like Google that have only gone as far as making smartphone apps for easier setup or improving mesh connectivity.
So when I came across the Beryl AX — a Wi-Fi router claiming to disrupt the status quo on both, price and features — it piqued my interest. The device in question comes from a relatively young manufacturer, GL.iNet, that has mostly built its reputation on compact routers over the past few years. And on paper, it’s quite the disruptor: it can fit in a pocket, has 2.5Gbit Ethernet, uses USB-C for power, and packs more useful software features than routers that cost hundreds of dollars.