Side by side from the datasheets
Every figure here is GL.iNet's own, from the Flint 2 datasheet (November 2025) and the Flint 3 datasheet (July 2025). We have not tested either router. [1][2]
| Spec | Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) | Flint 3 (GL-BE9300) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6, two bands | Wi-Fi 7, three bands with MLO |
| Rated Wi-Fi rates | 1148 Mbps (2.4 GHz, 4x4) + 4804 Mbps (5 GHz, 4x4) | 688 Mbps (2.4 GHz, 2x2) + 2882 Mbps (5 GHz, 2x2) + 5765 Mbps (6 GHz, 2x2) |
| Ethernet | 2 x 2.5G (WAN, WAN or LAN) + 4 x 1G LAN | 5 x 2.5G (1 WAN, 4 LAN; one switches WAN or LAN) |
| WireGuard maximum | 900 Mbps | 680 Mbps |
| OpenVPN maximum | 880 Mbps with DCO | 680 Mbps with DCO |
| Processor / memory | MediaTek MT7986 quad-core 2.0 GHz; 1 GB / 8 GB eMMC | Qualcomm quad-core 1.5 GHz; 1 GB / 8 GB eMMC |
| OpenWrt base | 21.02 | 23.05 (kernel 5.4.213) |
| Power / size | Under 20 W; 233 x 137 x 53 mm, 761 g | Under 25 W (under 37.2 W with USB load); 240 x 157 x 74 mm, 848 g |
| Price | $169.99 on GL.iNet US store, 30 Oct 2026 [3] | Not in the datasheet or sources used here; check GL.iNet's store |
Where Flint 3 is genuinely ahead
Wired ports are the clearest gain. Flint 3 has five 2.5G ports, while Flint 2 has two 2.5G ports and four 1G ports. If you have a 2.5G NAS, a 2.5G desktop and a multi-gig plan, Flint 3 can connect them all without a separate switch. [1][2]
The second gain is the 6 GHz band and Wi-Fi 7. The Wi-Fi Alliance describes 320 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band and multi-link operation, which spreads traffic across links. GL.iNet's datasheet says Flint 3 supports MLO across 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz. You only get these benefits with client devices that support them. [4][2]
Flint 3 also lists a newer OpenWrt base (23.05) than Flint 2 (21.02). It also lists more bundled services on the datasheet, including AdGuard Home, Tailscale, ZeroTier and Tor. [2][1]
Where Flint 2 is ahead
Rated VPN throughput is higher on Flint 2: 900 Mbps WireGuard against 680 Mbps. If you plan to send all household traffic through a VPN on a gigabit plan, Flint 2's ceiling is closer to your line speed. [1][2]
Flint 2's 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios are listed as 4x4, while Flint 3 lists 2x2 on each band. That is not a coverage measurement. It does mean the newer model is not ahead on every Wi-Fi line of the spec sheet. For Wi-Fi 6 devices, which use only 2.4 and 5 GHz, Flint 3's rated figures on those bands are lower than Flint 2's. [1][2]
Flint 2 is also smaller, lighter and rated to draw less power. [1][2]
Worked example: when Wi-Fi 7 is irrelevant
This is a fictional household for illustration. The plan is 500 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up. Two work laptops are Wi-Fi 6, plus phones, a TV and one wired desktop. Everything goes through a WireGuard VPN on the router.
The internet plan is the limit here. Downloads cannot exceed 500 Mbps whatever the router, and both datasheets rate the VPN above that (900 Mbps and 680 Mbps). Wi-Fi 6 laptops without 6 GHz support cannot use the new band or Wi-Fi 7 features, so Flint 3's new band does nothing for them. The desktop is on 1G, so the 2.5G ports do not help either. In this home, Flint 3 gives no speed gain over Flint 2. [1][2][4]
Now change two inputs. The plan becomes 2 Gbps, and the household adds a Wi-Fi 7 laptop and a 2.5G NAS that it copies large files to. Flint 3 now has a real case: 6 GHz for the new laptop, and 2.5G ports for the NAS and desktop. If those large transfers also have to go through the VPN, though, Flint 3's rated 680 Mbps tunnel becomes the limit before the line does.
Decision rules
- VPN on everything and a plan near 1 Gbps: Flint 2, for the higher rated tunnel speed.
- Two or more 2.5G wired devices: Flint 3, or Flint 2 plus a 2.5G switch.
- Wi-Fi 7 or 6 GHz clients you already own and use for large local transfers: Flint 3.
- Plan of 500 Mbps or less, Wi-Fi 6 devices only: Flint 2, unless the price gap is small enough not to matter to you.
- Planning a GL.iNet mesh: both are listed as supported on firmware 4.10 or later. [5]
Check before you buy
- Check the current price of both on GL.iNet's store on the day you buy. This guide does not list a Flint 3 price because none of its sources showed one.
- List which of your devices support Wi-Fi 7 or 6 GHz. Without any, Flint 3's main feature sits idle.
- Write down your plan's download and upload speeds, and whether all traffic will use the VPN.
- Count the devices that have 2.5G Ethernet.
- Read our Flint 2 review for the coverage, mesh and setup trade-offs that apply to both models.
Questions before you decide
Is Flint 3 faster for VPN?
Not on paper. GL.iNet's datasheets list up to 900 Mbps WireGuard and 880 Mbps OpenVPN with DCO for Flint 2. They list up to 680 Mbps for both on Flint 3. These are manufacturer maximums, not our measurements.
Do I need Wi-Fi 7 devices to benefit from Flint 3?
For the Wi-Fi 7 features, effectively yes. The Wi-Fi Alliance describes 320 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band and multi-link operation as Wi-Fi 7 features. A Wi-Fi 6 laptop without 6 GHz support stays on 2.4 or 5 GHz at Wi-Fi 6 rates, so it cannot use Flint 3's 6 GHz radio.
Do both support mesh?
Yes. GL.iNet's mesh documentation lists both GL-BE9300 (Flint 3) and GL-MT6000 (Flint 2) as supported models on firmware 4.10 or later.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- GL.iNet: GL-MT6000 datasheet (ver. 20251103) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet: GL-BE9300 (Flint 3) datasheet (ver. 20250730) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet: Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) product page Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Wi-Fi Alliance: Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Mesh Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.