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Minecraft, Fortnite, CS: GO,…These are only a few of the video games that gained popularity thanks to the fun and immersive online experience they provide. Online gaming is a popular hobby, and some gamers are even earning a living thanks to their passion for streaming platforms and eSports.
Playing online requires a fast and reliable connection. Lag can make this experience frustrating and give your opponents an unfair advantage. Upgrading your home network with a gaming router is the key to getting the best performance possible for PC and console gaming.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Gaming Routers
- OUR TOP PICK: Netgear Nighthawk R6700-100NAS
- RUNNER-UP: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
- BEST BUDGET GAMING ROUTER: Tenda AC1200
Comparison of the Best Gaming Routers
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What is a Gaming Router?
A gaming router is a device you can add to your home network to manage your connections. Gaming routers are different from regular routers because they use different features to deliver the shortest ping time possible.
Ping refers to the amount of time it takes for a computer or gaming system to send a request to a remote gaming server. The shorter the ping time, the less latency you will experience while playing.
A gaming router can significantly reduce your ping time thanks to its powerful processors and Quality of Service features.
Netgear Nighthawk R6700-100NAS
What Makes a Router Great for Gaming?
Here are a few things to consider when choosing a gaming router.
Speed
Speed is an important spec to consider when choosing a gaming router but remember that your router’s speed cannot exceed the speed your ISP delivers.
You will find speed listed as a value in Mbps or megabits per second. This value reflects how quickly a router can send and receive data.
Antennas and Coverage
On average, an American household has ten connected devices. Between gaming systems, computers, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, smart speakers, and other devices, you need a router that provides a strong Wi-Fi signal everywhere in your home.
Gaming routers often feature several antennas to cover a large area and eliminate the need for Wi-Fi extenders that can slow down your connection.
QoS
QoS or Quality of Service is a feature that allows your router to prioritize data packets from a specific device. Some routers can prioritize a type of data packet.
You can use a QoS feature to configure your network so that your router handles requests from your gaming PC or console before other devices.
MU-MIMO
MU-MIMO or Multi-User, Multi Input Multi Output is a technology that allows your router to establish a different data stream with each device you own.
Without this feature, devices send requests to your router, and your router places these requests in a queue. An MU-MIMO router can communicate with multiple devices at once and provide a fast connection for everyone in your household, allowing you to game and stream movies and shows in HD simultaneously.
How Do Gaming Routers Work?
A router will not replace the modem your ISP provided. You will have to connect your new router to your modem via a WAN port.
The router will become the main device that communicates with remote servers.
It works as an access point for your different devices and enhances your network by routing traffic in the most effective manner possible.
A router can, for instance, filter or encrypt traffic for security purposes, route traffic to the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz band, or prioritize traffic from one device over another.
Tenda AC1200
Review of the Best Routers For Gaming
We recommend the following routers for a fast and latency-free gaming experience.
Best Overall:
Netgear Nighthawk R6700-100NAS
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This router is one of Netgear’s most popular products with over 60,000 reviews on Amazon and an average score of 4.3 out of five stars. People love the speed and signal strength of this router, and they say the device is easy to set up.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This router is one of Netgear’s top-selling products for a reason. It delivers impressive performance while remaining affordable.
The 1,500 square feet of coverage and speed of up to 1,750Mbps are ideal for gaming, especially for families with multiple devices connected at once. You can use this router with up to 25 devices, which is perfect if you own Smart home automation products.
With a speed of up to 1,750Mbps, you won’t have to worry about lag when you play, download games and updates, or watch movies and shows in HD. It’s also perfect for streaming your game, and other users won’t experience a slow connection when you game.
Netgear offers an app with a user-friendly interface, a parental control feature, and the Netgear Armor service to keep you safe.
Bottom Line
This Netgear router is a great mix of price and quality. It delivers a fast connection speed and is ideal for gaming and other applications. It’s a quality product from Netgear that we recommend for families with multiple devices.
Runner-up:
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This ASUS router has received a majority of positive reviews. People often mention the stable performance it delivers, the speed, coverage, and easy installation process. Buyers say that it’s easy to customize and configure the router with the app.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This high-end router is perfect if you’re looking for advanced configuration features. Even though this router allows for a higher degree of customization, it remains accessible and easy to set up thanks to the app and simple user interface.
Traffic prioritization is one of the standout features of this router. You can configure the router to use a dedicated band for gaming traffic or prioritize traffic by type or device.
The router supports a shorter path to the game server to reduce lag, and the 1.8Ghz quad-core processor can handle traffic requests from multiple devices. You will also find features like USB storage, LAN, and WAN ports.
You can use this router with other ASUS devices to create a network mesh and get even more coverage in your home.
Bottom Line
This highly performing gaming router delivers outstanding speed and coverage. There are some advanced features you can use to customize your network and prioritize gaming traffic to reduce lag.
Best Budget Gaming Router:
Tenda AC1200
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers often mention the great value of this router. A majority of reviewers are happy with the device’s performance when gaming and watching shows and movies. Overall, it’s a reliable router that is suitable for gaming at an affordable price.
Why it Stands Out to Us
A gaming router doesn’t have to be expensive. If your ISP isn’t delivering an outstanding connection speed, there is no need to spend more to get a faster router.
At 1,200Mbps, this router delivers enough speed for playing all your favorite games online or stream HD videos. We like the ten LEDs that help you monitor the status of the LAN ports, wireless frequencies, and other features.
The main downside of this budget router is the setup process. The menu and instructions use odd phrasing and lack details, but you can find online resources that will walk you through the setup process.
Bottom Line
This device is a great option if you’re looking for a gaming router on a budget. It delivers an impressive speed at this price point, the app is fairly easy to use, and it’s a reliable device. Keep in mind that other routers have more features in terms of security and customization.
Best Gaming Router for PS4:
Netgear Nighthawk XR500
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers like that this router helps them manage their network. People report that this device noticeable reduces ping time, and it’s easy to prioritize traffic from a PS4 or another device.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Netgear offers a router optimized to deliver the best performance possible with gaming. It’s easy to set up and manage, and you can achieve noticeable faster speed while gaming.
This router has a geo-filtering feature that connects you to nearby servers to reduce lag when you play games. You can choose to prioritize traffic from a device to reduce latency problems, and the dual-core 1.7Ghz processor can support multiple devices while delivering a speed of up to 2.6Gbps. You can also use one of the Ethernet ports to establish a wired connection for your PS4.
The dashboard is a noteworthy feature. You can use it to see which devices are using the most bandwidth, track your ping time, and see other data points.
Netgear has also optimized this router to reduce ping time on titles like CS:GO, Fortnite, and other popular online games.
Bottom Line
This router stands out thanks to the different features that will reduce ping time. We like the dashboard that allows you to monitor your different devices and the fact that you can prioritize traffic from your PS4 or another gaming device.
Best Gaming Router for Xbox One:
D-Link WiFi Router DIR-882-US
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
There are plenty of positive reviews for this router because people like the speed and range. Buyers say the router is easy to set up and customize and report that it’s just as performing as the more expensive models.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This gaming router is an affordable option for Xbox One players and other users. It’s a dual-band router that delivers up to 800Mbps on the 2.4Ghz frequency and up to 1,733Mbps on the 5Ghz band.
There are LAN ports you can use to establish a wired connection for your Xbox One, but you can also choose to route this traffic to the 5Ghz band to get a fast wireless speed.
There is a Quality of Service feature that uses traffic prioritization to deliver the best speed possible. The router will automatically send traffic to the band that is least busy at the moment to prevent bottlenecks.
The Smart beam feature prevents lags and interruptions by tracking the position of your different devices, which is convenient for mobile devices and handheld consoles.
Bottom Line
This router is an affordable option. It’s very easy to install, even for novice users. Xbox One players will like the dual-band feature and the automated traffic prioritization capability.
Best Router for Streaming and Gaming:
TP-Link AC1750
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers say that this router is very easy to use out of the box. They think it’s a great value and a reliable router. People who had to contact tech support had a positive experience.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This award-winning router is ideal for households with several devices. There are four one-gigabit LAN ports you can use for wired connections. If you prefer wireless connections, the 2,500 square feet coverage is ideal for large homes.
This router supports dual-band Wi-Fi. It delivers a speed of up to 450Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band, and you can get up to 1,300Mbps on the 5Ghz band, which is perfect for gaming or streaming videos.
The bandwidth prioritization allows you to connect several devices at once. You can game and stream in 4K at the time without any issues.
You can use other products from TP-Link that support OneMesh to create a mesh network. The TP-Link app is a convenient tool for managing your router or your mesh network if you decide to add more devices.
This router is also compatible with Alexa. You can use voice commands for things like enabling the guest Wi-Fi and more.
Bottom Line
This TP-Link dual-band router is a great buy. Extras like the app, OneMesh compatibility, or Alexa skills add value to this device. The bandwidth prioritization feature and fast speed on the 5Ghz band make this router a great choice if you want to game and stream simultaneously.
Best Gaming Router Under $100:
Speedefy AC2100
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Many reviews mention the affordable price and great performance of this gaming router. Buyers say the router delivers a strong Wi-Fi connection everywhere in their houses. It’s ideal for households with multiple devices, and people say they’re getting a good speed for gaming and other applications.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This dual-band router delivers a speed of up to 1,733Mbps on the 5Ghz band, which is more than enough for online gaming. You will also get a speed of up to 300Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band.
The MU-MIMO feature allows the router to communicate with more than one device simultaneously. You can game online, and other users won’t experience a slower connection as a result.
There are seven antennas to provide optimal coverage everywhere in your home and prevent weak spots in your Wi-Fi network.
You can use the app or web-based interface to set up the router, adjust parental controls, or create a Wi-Fi schedule if you want to cut down on screen time. You can also create a guest network.
Bottom Line
This gaming router delivers an impressive performance in the under $100 price range. It’s worth considering because of its excellent coverage, easy setup process, and MU-MIMO feature.
Best Gaming Router Under $200:
ASUS AC2900
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A majority of buyers have had a positive experience with this router, but a few people report running into problems with the 2.4Ghz band that doesn’t work. A majority of people are happy with their purchase because of the ease of use and speed of this router.
Why it Stands Out to Us
If you’re shopping in the $100 to $200 price range, you should look for a router with a few advanced features. This ASUS router stands out thanks to its different safety features. The built-in TrendMicro protection can block threats and protect connected devices, including smart TVs and IoT devices.
There is a quad MU-MIMO feature that gives you simultaneous streams on the 5GHz band and a feature called Gamers Private Network by WTFast. This feature is a game accelerator that optimizes your gaming data to reduce latency.
The router also comes with a flexible QoS feature. You can configure it to prioritize gaming traffic and even allocate all your bandwidth to a gaming device.
The ASUS router app is a convenient way to manage your network and implement parental controls. You can also use this router with other ASUS AiMesh devices to create a network mesh.
Bottom Line
We like this router because of the advanced security features, and the QoS and MU-MIMO features make it a great option for gaming or streaming in 4K.
How to Choose a Gaming Router
What makes a gaming router better than another? The following features will help you choose the right device for your needs.
Wi-Fi Standard
Wi-Fi standards define how far a wireless signal can travel and how much data it can stand. A majority of routers use the 802.11ac standard. This standard indicates that a router uses a protocol that allows for high throughput on the 5Ghz band.
If you want an even faster connection, look for the new generation of routers with the 802.11ax or Wi-Fi 6 standard.
D-Link WiFi Router DIR-882-US
QoS and Other Features
Quality of Service is a must-have feature for online gaming. Routers equipped with this feature can prioritize traffic from your PC, Xbox, or PlayStation.
Some manufacturers offer additional features that result in a better speed and reduced latency. You can find routers that automatically connect you to the nearest gaming servers to get the best speed possible or devices that route traffic to the band that is least busy when you connect.
MU-MIMO
If you have several connected devices, a router with different antennas and an MU-MIMO feature will provide multiple streams.
This feature splits bandwidth into different streams so that the router can communicate with multiple devices at once. One of the main advantages of this feature is that other users won’t experience connection issues when you play games online.
Types of Gaming Routers
Here are the main types of gaming routers you should know about.
Single Band, Dual-Band, and Tri-Band
Routers can route traffic to different frequencies or bands. A single band router will operate on the 2.4Ghz frequency, which is fine for browsing the web. A gaming router will operate on the 5Ghz band as well, and you will have two separate 5Ghz networks in the case of a tri-band router.
While the 2.4Ghz has better coverage, the 5Ghz band allows for faster speeds. Having access to more than one band can reduce interferences and bottlenecks if you have several connected devices.
Wired and Wireless
Even though all modern routers are wireless, you can find gaming routers that support both types of connection.
Look for a router with Ethernet or LAN ports. You can use these ports to establish a wired connection for a PC or gaming system and get a fast and stable connection.
Media Server
Some gaming routers double as a media server. You can connect a USB storage device to these routers and store your music library, movie collection, favorite TV shows, or family pictures. Anyone who has access to your Wi-Fi network will be able to play this media content on their devices.
How Do Gaming Routers Compare?
It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of different types of routers or features when choosing a new device.
Gaming Router vs Regular Router
The main difference between gaming routers and regular routers is that gaming routers come with a QoS feature. Gaming routers are often dual-band or tri-band routers, while regular routers typically operate on a single band unless you’re purchasing a model with more advanced features.
Another difference is the presence of an MU-MIMO feature on some gaming routers.
Modem Router Combo vs Separate for Gaming
A modem-router combo is a 2-in-1 device that works as a modem and router. Most ISPs will provide you with one of these devices to set up your home network.
A combo device is easy to set up and is ideal if you mostly use the Internet to check your emails and browse websites. Adding a separate router for gaming becomes necessary if you have several devices, stream videos in 4K, or play games online. A separate router gives you more flexibility for customizing your network settings.
ASUS vs Netgear Gaming Router
ASUS and Netgear are two popular manufacturers of gaming routers. Among their products, we recommend the Netgear Nighthawk R6700-100NAS as well as the Netgear Nighthawk XR500. If you would like to get an ASUS router, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 and ASUS AC2900 are two options to consider.
There are a few differences between the two manufacturers. ASUS offers a router that meets Wi-Fi 6 standards with the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, while the ASUS AC2900 is a more affordable device.
Netgear stands out thanks to the quality of its products. The Nighthawk line is extremely popular among gamers because of the value, speed, and reliability of these routers.
Splitter vs Router For Gaming
A splitter allows you to share an Ethernet connection between two devices. It’s an affordable solution, but the two devices will have to share bandwidth.
It’s best to opt for a router with multiple Lan ports to create a unique wired connection for each device.
2.4Ghz vs 5Ghz For Gaming
The 2.4Ghz band has better coverage since it carries out further than the 5Ghz frequency. While it’s fine for browsing the web, you will find that most online games lag on this band. It’s best to use the 5Ghz band for gaming or streaming content.
Wi-Fi vs Ethernet Gaming
Wireless connections are convenient and reduce cables in your home. The downside is that Wi-Fi gives you a slower speed compared to a wired connection, and your device will occasionally lose its wireless connection. There is also the possibility that other devices will create interferences.
An Ethernet connection is faster and more reliable, especially for gaming or downloading large files.
Dual Band vs Tri Band Router
A dual-band router operates two separate Wi-Fi networks. One of these networks uses the 2.4Ghz frequency, while the other uses the 5Ghz band.
If you opt for a tri-band router, you will get an additional network on the 5Ghz band. A tri-band router is ideal if you have several devices that need fast connections for gaming or streaming.
How to Set up Router For Gaming
Setting up a router can be intimidating, but many manufacturers offer a dedicated app to make this process easier. Familiarizing yourself with the different settings to configure is a great place to start.
Here’s how you can get started with setting up your gaming router:
- Connect your router to your modem via the WAN port.
- Open the app or web-based interface provided by the router’s manufacturer.
- Set your IP address to dynamic. Your ISP will provide a new IP address every time a device connects to the Internet.
- Enter the IP address of the DNS server you want to use. Look for a nearby server that will deliver a faster connection instead of using one of the defaults Google DNS servers.
- Open the wireless settings to activate your Wi-Fi network. Make sure to enable to 5Ghz band.
- You shouldn’t have to adjust firewall settings, but you might need to change the firewall’s sensibility if you run into problems.
- Visit the LAN setup section to select a DHCP server or to create a static IP address for some of the devices on your network.
How to Setup QoS For Gaming
Setting up QoS manually ensures your router will prioritize traffic from the gaming device you use the most:
- Open your router’s QoS settings.
- Set the bandwidth allocation. If you’re not sure how much bandwidth you will need, 70% is a good place to start.
- Select the devices you want to prioritize.
- You will get better results if you choose the highest priority setting for your Xbox or PlayStation and the lowest priority setting for all your other devices.
You can see a more detailed walkthrough of the setup process in this video:
Conclusion
Upgrading your home network with a gaming router will enhance speed, reduce latency, and deliver the best gaming experience possible. It’s important to look for advanced features like dual-band Wi-Fi, QoS, and MU-MIMO when selecting a gaming router.
We think the Netgear Nighthawk R6700-100NAS is an ideal gaming router for most households. This router delivers a speed of up to 1,750Mbps and offers 1,500 square feet of coverage. You can connect up to 25 different devices and will benefit from a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection everywhere in your home.
If you’re willing to spend more on a gaming router, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is another option to consider. This next-gen router meets Wi-Fi 6 standards and delivers an impressive speed of up to 11,000Mbps that no Wi-Fi 5 router can match.
Speedefy AC2100
People Also Ask
Here are some common questions about routers and gaming.
Does a Router Make a Difference in Gaming?
The answer is yes. A router can reduce latency when gaming by delivering a higher speed, better coverage, or using a feature like QoS.
Does a Gaming Router Need a Modem?
Yes, you will need to connect your gaming router to the modem provided by your ISP. While the modem will communicate with external networks, the gaming router will manage your home network and route your traffic.
Will a Gaming Router Make My Internet Faster?
No. It’s important to understand that a gaming router can’t exceed the speed of the connection delivered by your ISP. However, a router can make a difference regarding the speed of your home wireless network.
How Do I Know if My Router Needs to Be Updated?
You should update your router if you’re experiencing slow connection speeds or run into lag frequently. Another sign that you need a new router is that devices tend to drop the wireless connection or that there are areas in your home with poor coverage.
What is a Good Mbps For Gaming?
It depends on the game you’re playing. Some games can run smoothly at six to ten Mbps. However, you will want a speed of at least 25Mbps for games that require a fast reaction time.
Is 300 Mbps Good For Gaming?
A speed of 300Mbps is ideal for gaming. It’s sufficient to prevent lag and ensures that your other devices will benefit from a fast connection while you game.
Is 400 Mbps Good For Gaming?
While you can achieve higher speeds, a speed of 400Mbps is perfect for playing a wide range of games. It’s also ideal for streaming shows and movies in 4K resolution without any delays.
What is Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 6 refers to a new set of standards for next-gen routers. Besides providing faster speeds, you can expect better performance in areas with several networks.
How Much Does a Router Cost For Gaming?
You can find entry-level gaming routers in the $50 to $100 price range. If you want a better speed and advanced features, you will have to spend anywhere from $200 to $400.
Gaming Reviews
To help you quickly find what you need, we have organized all of our gaming reviews into one place. Feel free to browse around. Thanks for reading!
