I got an 802.11ac access point before I got any clients. Either the chicken or the egg has to be first, and I don't replace my router together with my laptop/phone. I've had the same router for at least five years and only got a new one from the ISP because our current one didn't support IPTV. The old one is still in use elsewhere in the house as additional access point and is probably almost ten years old now.
Somewhere in a router's lifespan, someone in my household will buy a new Wi-Fi client. If I need to get a new router, I might as well buy one that I don't regret and want to replace within its components' lifespan.
Somewhere in a router's lifespan, someone in my household will buy a new Wi-Fi client. If I need to get a new router, I might as well buy one that I don't regret and want to replace within its components' lifespan.