TP-Link Archer AX18 vs MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems at a similar price

The MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router scores 6.2/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link Archer AX18 at 5.7/10.

The MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router leads on software and security and value.

They score the same on wi-Fi standard and bands, wired ports and coverage.

TP-Link Archer AX18

5.7/10verdict: wait for deal

The Archer AX18 suits people who want a plain Wi-Fi 6 router for a small to average home on a gigabit connection or slower. It covers the basics: WPA3, guest network, parental controls and automatic firmware updates. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs multi-gig ports, a VPN server, VLANs or a mesh system.

Typically about £50.21 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router

6.2/10verdict: wait for deal

The MERCUSYS MR80X suits people who want a low-cost Wi-Fi 6 router for a small home with a gigabit connection. It covers the basics well, with guest networks, a VPN server and WPA3 listed. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs multi-gig ports, a wide-coverage mesh out of the box or lots of wired devices.

Typically about £34.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	TP-Link Archer AX18	MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router
Wi-Fi standard and bands	25%	6/10	6/10
Software and security	25%	6/10	7/10
Wired ports	20%	5/10	5/10
Coverage	15%	5/10	5/10
Value	15%	6/10	8/10
Overall		5.7/10	6.2/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link Archer AX18	MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router
Wi-Fi standard	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), backward compatible with 11a/b/g/n/ac/ax	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), compatible with 11ac/a/b/g/n
Bands and speed class	Dual-band: 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (11ax) and 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (11n)	Dual-band: 2402 Mbps (5 GHz) + 574 Mbps (2.4 GHz), 160 MHz channels, 1024-QAM; marketed as AX3000
WAN port	1x Gigabit WAN (1 Gbps)	1x Gigabit WAN (1 Gbps)
LAN ports	3x Gigabit LAN	3x Gigabit LAN (datasheet; V6 page lists 5x, so revision-dependent)
Mesh nodes in the box	1 router; no extra nodes (not sold as a kit)	0 extra nodes (single router, no nodes in box)
Rated coverage	not listed	No manufacturer-rated area; four 5 dBi fixed omni antennas and beamforming
Security and VPN features	not listed	WPA3-SAE (needs client support), WPA/WPA2 Enterprise, SPI firewall, IP/MAC binding, 2.4 and 5 GHz guest networks, OpenVPN/PPTP/L2TP/IPsec server and clients, parental controls, QoS, IPTV tag VLAN, IPv6, Smart Connect

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link Archer AX18

+ Wi-Fi 6 with WPA3-Personal support
+ Guest network, parental controls and access control included
+ Firmware listings run into September 2026
− Gigabit-only wired ports, no 2.5GbE
− Dual-band only, with no 6 GHz
− No VPN server, and VLAN support not published

Skip it if:

Buyers who want 2.5GbE or 10GbE wired ports
Anyone needing a router-hosted VPN server or published VLAN support
Households needing mesh nodes or a published coverage rating for a large home

Read the full TP-Link Archer AX18 review ›

MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router

+ Wi-Fi 6 with 160 MHz channels and 1024-QAM
+ VPN server and clients plus guest networks on both bands
+ Owners describe it as very affordable and stable
− Gigabit-only ports, with three LAN ports on the datasheet
− No manufacturer-rated coverage area and no nodes in the box
− Owners report no repeater mode and no wall-mount holes

Skip it if:

Buyers who want 2.5GbE or 10GbE wired ports
People who need many wired connections without adding a switch
Owners of larger homes who want a mesh kit with nodes in the box

Read the full MERCUSYS MR80X AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router review ›

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