If you've been waiting for a Wi-Fi router that supports multi-user beamforming, there's now one for sale. The Asus RT-AC87 advertises support for 1.73Gbps throughput, and it implements one of the most highly anticipated features of 802.11ac Wi-Fi: MU-MIMO (multi-user, multiple-input, and multiple-output).

As we explained in the feature, "Wi-Fi networks are wasting a gigabit—but multi-user beamforming will save the day," MU-MIMO relies on multi-user beamforming to send data streams of up to 433Mbps to three or more users simultaneously. This is an improvement over single-user beamforming, which could send multiple streams of data, but only to one device at a time.

The Asus RT-AC87 uses a Quantenna MU-MIMO chipset and sends data over four streams to get up to 1.73Gbps on the 5 GHz band. It can send another 600Mbps over 2.4 GHz.

The device was announced in January and went on sale this week. Best Buy has it for $279.99, but the press release says it has a suggested retail price of $269.99.

"With MU-MIMO, the RT-AC87 can form groups of multiple devices that can be served at the same time, simultaneously," the announcement said. "Previous 802.11n and 802.11ac routers can stream to only one device at a time. MU-MIMO greatly increases the efficiency of the Wi-Fi network, mitigating potential bottlenecks as more devices are connected to the access point."

End-user devices such as phones, tablets, and computers would also need MU-MIMO updates in order to receive the new type of transmission. Besides that, the biggest benefits of MU-MIMO may come in dense Wi-Fi environments like airports, convention centers, and sports stadiums. Business-class equipment designed to power those huge networks takes more time to develop and isn't expected to go on sale until next year.

The Asus router's price tag makes it a tough sell for most consumers, but it's just the beginning for MU-MIMO equipment. Qualcomm and Broadcom have also built MU-MIMO chips that will power the next wave of networking gear.

Want to learn more about beamforming? Check out this video: