A close encounter with the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router

The AmpliFi Alien is a new, high-end router from Ubiquiti that supports Wi-Fi 6 -- the newest, fastest version of Wi-Fi. It boasts a distinctive design, fast speeds, and some neat tricks that help set it apart from its competitors, but it doesn't come cheap. Scroll through to see everything it has to offer.

The first thing you'll probably notice about the Alien is that it's a router with an LCD touchscreen on it. That screen displays the time, your current speeds, and the number of devices connected to your network at a glance, and it can let you know when it's time to upgrade the firmware, too.

There's also a smart-speaker-esque ring of light around the base of the thing. 

And don't worry, you can dim the touchscreen and the LEDs as low as you like, or turn them off altogether. You can also schedule the lights to dim down during evening hours.

The router sells on its own as a standalone device for $379, but you can also get it bundled with a matching mesh point for $700.

That mesh point will extend the Alien's range. It looks just like the router, but doesn't include a touchscreen.

Along with the WAN port on the bottom of the device, you'll find four spare Ethernet ports on the back of the router.

As for wireless speeds, the Alien is a tri-band router with 2.4 and 5GHz bands that support Wi-Fi 6, as well as a second 5GHz band that supports Wi-Fi 5. The theoretical top speed for each of those bands, per Ubiquiti: 1,148Mbps, 4,800Mbps and 1,733Mbps, respectively.

The app offers plenty of control over your network, along with a feature called Teleport that lets you route traffic back to your home network like a VPN whenever you're traveling.

The AmpliFi Alien is awfully expensive, but there's a lot to like about it. Does that make it worth $379, or $700 to get it bundled with the mesh point? Read our full review for the verdict.