Why You Can Trust CNET Get an Asus T-Mobile CellSpot AC1900 router for $59.99
Been thinking about a router upgrade? This top-rated model prioritizes Wi-Fi calls, and you don't need to be a T-Mobile customer to reap the benefits. Plus: Bluetooth sport 'phones for eight bucks!
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This is a rerun of a deal from last year, one that sold out very quickly at the same price. Here's hoping this lasts a little longer!
If your router is getting long in the tooth (meaning it's more than 3-4 years old), it might be time to consider upgrading to a model with better range, more features, newer protocols and so on. Of course, if you've priced any of the fancy new models lately, you've probably experienced a bit of sticker-shock.
That's what makes today's deal so cool. For a limited time, and while supplies last, you can get an open-box Asus TM-AC1900 router for $59.99 shipped. (Ebates users can shave an additional 3 percent off that price.)
Also known as the T-Mobile CellSpot, this rebranded Asus RT-AC68U was, at one time, free for T-Mo customers, though you certainly don't need to be a customer to leverage the router's features.
Indeed, this top-rated whole-house router can prioritize Wi-Fi calls from devices that support Wi-Fi calling. Other routers can do this as well, but usually require some manual tweaking of the settings; the CellSpot handles this "quality of service" (QoS) configuration for you.
Translation: If you typically get poor cell coverage inside your home, and your phone supports Wi-Fi calling, this could be a godsend. (Just to be clear: This will do nothing to improve cell signals within your home. It's a router, plain and simple.)
On the other hand, if none of that matters to you, this is still a very good router, as evidenced by CNET's review, this additional review, thousands of Amazon customers and reviews of the aforementioned Asus RT-AC68U.
All that being said, I'm no networking expert, and it's certainly possible that newer, more expensive routers can outperform this one. But I do know a deal when I see one, and $59.99 out the door strikes me as a sweet deal indeed.
Your thoughts?
Eight bucks? For real?
Bonus deal: Assuming you don't already have a bag full of Bluetooth earphones, I humbly offer you yet another deal: the Vtin Bluetooth sport earphones for just $7.99 (shipped free with Prime) when you apply promo code CNET09EB at checkout. I have no idea what kind of inventory the seller -- OptimMore -- has on hand, but I do know the code works as of 8 a.m. PT.
These 'buds have earhooks, which I like for securing the fit, and they support two paired devices (your phone and your tablet, for example). Battery life is rated at six hours, and the reviews average out to four stars. Fakespot does not like the majority of those, but ReviewMeta gives them a pass, so... who knows? For eight bucks, especially with a one-year warranty, seems like they're worth a shot.