D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95: high-speed Wi-Fi 7 at a competitive price

Date:
Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:02:52 +0000

Description:
Forget about the eye-catching design the D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 router
gets all the basics right, with excellent performance, versatile
connectivity, and admirable ease of use.

FULL STORY ======================================================================D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95: One-minute review Most routers are fairly boring black boxes that just sit in a corner and occasionally flash a few lights at you.

However, D-Link has decided to go its own way with its new R95, which is part of the companys Aquila Pro AI range (yes, AI has even got into routers now). The routers sweeping curves look more like the wings of an aquatic manta ray than a conventional router.

Its not clear if that design has any practical function, but it certainly looks interesting, and the use of tri-band Wi-Fi 7 ensures that the R95 will really make your wireless network fly at top speed. It also provides good support for older computers and mobile devices that may not have Wi-Fi 7. (Image credit: Future) D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Price & release date How much does it cost? $254.99/180 (around AU$355) When is it available? Now Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK Wi-Fi 7 routers are still
fairly expensive, but the R95 is competitively priced for a high-end Wi-Fi 7 router, costing $254.99/180, which compares well with high-end rivals such as the Acer Predator T7.

Unfortunately, Wi-Fi 7 products still tend to take a while to reach
Australia, and the R95 isnt currently available in that region, although the US price translates to approximately AU$355. D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Wi-Fi:

Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 (2.4GHz, 5.0GHz, 6.0GHz)

Wi-Fi Speed:

9.5Gbps

Ports:

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 3x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

Dimensions:

220 x 238 x 207mm

Weight:

0.94kg D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Features Eye-catching design Well-designed app Dual-network support The external design of the R95 is certainly its most obvious feature, with gracefully curved wings that look nothing like any conventional router that weve seen recently. The real headline feature, though, is the routers performance, boasting tri-band Wi-Fi 7 that uses the 2.4GHz, 5.0GHz and 6.0GHz bands to provide a total speed of 9.5Gbps (strictly speaking, its actually 9,334Mbps, but manufacturers always like to round these numbers up).

It devotes two of its four antennae exclusively to the high-speed 6.0GHz band in order to provide maximum performance for computers and mobile devices that support Wi-Fi 7, while the other two antennae handle the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands for older devices. Its wired connectivity is right up to date as well, with a 2.5Gb Ethernet port available for high-speed broadband services, and three more 2.5Gb ports for connecting devices, such as a PC, games console or smart-TV, that will benefit from a lag-free wired connection. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The Aquila app works well too, allowing you to quickly scan a QR code in
order to connect to the R95s new network. It then gives you the option of simply keeping the default name and password for the R95 network, or changing the name and password for extra security. (Image credit: Future) And, in
order to provide the best performance for different types of devices, the Aquila app creates two separate networks, with the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands combined into a single network for older computers, while the 6.0GHz band creates a separate network for newer devices that do support Wi-Fi 7.

You also have the option of creating a guest network that provides only limited access for visitors and guests, and a separate IoT network (Internet of Things) for smart lights, security cameras, and other smart devices. The R95 also supports the Matter standard for controlling smart home devices, and can be used to create a mesh network when used with other Asus routers or range extenders.

Our only complaint is that the parental controls within the app are fairly basic. The app does allow you to create a schedule to limit Internet access for the devices used by your children, but its web filtering options require you to manually enter the web address for any unsuitable sites that you want to block. It doesnt provide the preset filters that are available with some
of its rivals, which automatically block different categories of unsuitable material, such as violent, adult or gambling. Features: 4.5/5 D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Performance Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 2.5Gb Ethernet ports
Dedicated 6.0GHz network Benchmarks Ookla Speed Test 2.4GHz/5.0GHz (download/upload) Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps 20GB Steam Download 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps Ookla Speed Test 6.0GHz (download/upload) Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps 20GB Steam Download - 6.0GHz Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps My old office router is crying out for an upgrade, as it only supports the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands that are available with Wi-Fi 5 and 6. It can provide decent performance for devices that are nearby, but struggles to reach an office at the back of the building, where I have to use PowerLine adaptors to provide a more reliable wired connection.

The office broadband runs at 150Mbps, but the 2.4GHz band of the old router can only manage a speed of around 70Mbps for nearby devices for both Steam downloads and the Ookla Speedtest. The 5.0GHz band works better, giving a
full 150Mbps for devices that are nearby but, as mentioned, the routers Wi-Fi signal isnt strong enough to reach all the way to that back office.

The R95 eliminated my Wi-Fi problems with no trouble at all. Even its slower network, using the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands, immediately hit the full 150Mbps for nearby devices for both Steam and Ookla. More importantly, it reaches right into the back office as well, and achieves full speed in both tests. It did take a few seconds for Steam downloads in that office to ramp up from 130Mbps to 150Mbps, but the R95 was then able to maintain that speed consistently. (Image credit: Future) Given the strong performance of that 2.4GHz/5.0GHz network, I wasnt surprised to find that the faster 6.0GHz network hit the ground running, immediately hitting 150Mbps for both Steam
and Ookla, and maintaining full speed throughout my tests.

There are less expensive routers that only provide dual-band Wi-Fi 7
omitting the high-speed 6.0GHz band and these can be a good option for
people who own older computers and mobile devices that dont need the full speed of Wi-Fi 7. But if you have a gaming PC or other devices that do
support Wi-Fi 7, then the D-Link R95 provides excellent performance at a competitive price. Performance: 5 Should I buy the D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95? Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

The parental controls could be better, but the R95 provides versatile connectivity and a well-designed app to help you get started.

4.5/5

Performance

A speed of 9.5Gbps will be more than fast enough for most users, and we like the dual-network options that cater to a wide range of computers and mobile devices.

5/5

Value

There are less expensive Wi-Fi 7 routers, but the R95 provides high-end performance at a mid-range price.

5/5 Buy it if You need speed With a top speed of 9.5Gbps, and a dedicated 6.0GHz network, the R95 is more than fast enough for gaming and streaming 4K video. You still have older devices Along with that high-performance 6.0GHz network, the R95 also creates a second network using the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands for older computers and mobile devices. Dont buy it if You dont need Wi-Fi 7 Many people are still using older devices that only support Wi-Fi 5
or 6, so you dont need to buy an expensive router with Wi-Fi 7 just yet.
Youre on a budget The R95 is competitively priced, but few of us really need that sort of high-end performance. There are many more affordable options if youre on a limited budget. Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally



D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95

Netgear Nighthawk RS100

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98

Price (as reviewed)

$254.99/180.00

$129.99/129.99/AU$259.00

$749.99 / 699.99 / AU$1,499

Wi-Fi

Tri-band Wi-Fi 7

dual-band Wi-Fi 7

quad-band Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi Speed

9.5Gbps

3.6Gbps

24.4Gbps

Connectivity

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 3x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 4x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

1x 10Gb Ethernet (WAN/LAN), 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN/LAN), 1x 10Gb Ethernet (LAN), 3x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0), 1x USB-A (2.0)

Processor

Not Specified

quad-core 2.0GHz

quad-core 2.6GHz

Memory

Not Specified

1GB RAM

2GB RAM

Storage

Not Specified

512MB Flash

256MB Flash

Dimensions

220 x 238 x 207mm

184 x 66 122mm

350 x 350 x 221mm Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 If money is no object then the GT-BE98 from Asus is the no-compromise option. It provides quad-band Wi-Fi 7 with a blistering speed of 24.4Gbps and even 10Gbps Ethernet for you Internet connection.

Read our full Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 review View Deal Netgear RS100 There are several affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers that keep their price down by omitting the 6.0GHz band, but Netgears RS100 still provides very respectable dual-band performance running at 3.6Gbps for little more than $100.

Read our full Netgear RS100 review View Deal Read TechRadars reviews guarantee First reviewed: April 2026



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/wi-fi-broadband/d-link-aquila-pro-ai-r95


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