ErinEvery PC gamer has encountered connectivity problems and modem issues that have ruined an exciting game. What if someone told you that a quality gaming router would eliminate that from ever happening again? Or, at least, would make online gaming fast, easy, and seamless 99.9% of the time?
The best wireless router for gaming will keep your WiFi fast and interruptions to a minimum. To enjoy a more seamless, immersive playing experience, read on to see the best gaming wifi this year! When you find the one, your gaming experience will change forever.
The Top 10 Gaming Wifi Routers
- NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 WiFi Router
- TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router
- ASUS RT-AX88U Dual-Band WiFi Router
- Linksys AC3200 Dual-Band WiFi Gaming Router
- NETGEAR Nighthawk S-8000 8-Port Gigabit Smart Managed Plus Gaming Switch
- Zyxel Armor Z2 AC2600 Wireless Router
- TP-Link AC5400 Tri-Band Gaming Router
- D-Link Exo Wifi Router AC2600
- ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Tri-Band WiFi Router
- Linksys WRT Gaming WiFi Router
NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 WiFi Router
If you share your internet connection with multiple people, you’ve probably encountered the issue of slow connectivity when everyone’s using it. This can disrupt your game, make streaming slow, or cause WiFi to disconnect altogether.
With a powerful wireless gaming router like the NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro XR500, those issues are a thing of the past. It’s fast, efficient, and built to handle gaming and streaming at the same time.
Features:
As one of the company’s top gaming routers, the Nighthawk XR500 has a powerful AC2600 dual-band. Its speed averages around 2.6 Gbps. It also features location-based connection filtering, QoS, and more to make your time playing a whole new experience. The XR500, aesthetically, simply screams gaming: with angular edges and sleek lines.
Pros:
- Very high speed
- Cool appearance
- AC2600 Dual-band router
- Gaming features like location services, QoS
Cons:
- Somewhat high price tag, comparatively
- Mildly touchy long-range connectivity
- No broadband modem
Verdict
If you’re looking for a high-speed router capable of supporting multiple connections, the Nighthawk XR500 is a solid option. Interested in this dual-band router? Check it out on Amazon.
TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router
The AC1750 is one of the best wifi routers for gaming. It offers amazing connectivity and for an affordable price tag. There are a number of successors now, but there’s no doubt that this model packs a punch especially for the price.
This router packs multiple LAN ports and USB ports. Though the web console is older, the router can easily sit among the others on this list and do its job well, with great signal strength and fast wireless speeds.
Features:
It has a bit less range than some of the competition. Maximum estimates are around 130 feet for connectivity. It also reaches speeds up to 450Mbps, which is great for its size. The design is a glossy black, and it measures about 9 inches wide. The AC1750 also has 4 LAN ports and 2 USB ports, with LED lights to indicate connections.
Pros:
- Small and affordable
- Good distance and speed
- Lots of customizable settings
Cons:
- There are newer models
- Changing settings can cause a brief lag
- A bit less capable than newer models
Verdict
If you’re looking for a real workhorse, you may want something a bit bigger. However, even if it is not the best internet router, it packs a lot of heat for casual gaming. For a simple, affordable WiFi router for gaming, grab the AC1750 on Amazon!
ASUS RT-AX88U Dual-Band WiFi Router
If you’re not afraid to drop some money on a high-end router, this one might be the perfect choice. With incredible signal speed capabilities and an adaptive interface, the Asus RT-AX88U might be the best router for gaming.
Its average 2.4 GHz speeds are impressive, but at 5 GHz, this one outpaces most of the pack. It’s a great gaming router, albeit with a big price tag to match.
Features:
It performs well at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The Asus interface is very user-friendly and allows for control over almost any setting you can imagine. The split frequencies allow for gaming/streaming to happen simultaneously with almost no noticeable interruptions. It’s quite compact and sleek, too.
Pros:
- Small and unobtrusive
- Fast
- User-friendly
- Powerful and adaptive
Cons:
- Expensive
- Suffers some lag over distances
- “Average” performance at 2.4GHz
Verdict
Though the AX88U is expensive, most would argue its worth the price – it’s truly one of the best wireless routers for gaming and streaming. It packs a lot of heat for its small size, and it’s very easy to set up and use. For a fast, high-end router, get the AX88U on Amazon!
Linksys AC3200 Dual-Band WiFi Gaming Router
Linksys is a popular WiFi brand, and they have ventured into the gaming PC world a bit. This modem, as the name suggests, is dual banded.
The AC3200 can land a powerful punch, but it needs extra software to do so. Still, if you’re willing to buy that software, the AC3200 doesn’t have a huge price tag and works well with open-source firmware. It supplies good WiFi for gaming.
Features:
This device has dual bands. The 5 GHz is quite quick and reliable, where lesser modems might not be able to withstand the frequency as well. It works really well for gaming on both desktop and mobile. It’s black and sleek, looking almost like a robot. It also automatically prioritizes gaming content over other users on the network.
Pros:
- Very affordable
- Great speeds at 5 GHz
- Good for open source firmware
Cons:
- Average performance at 2.4 GHz
- Extra features require extra software
- Small
Verdict
Like the TP-Link AC1750, this device is small but mighty. For a very affordable price, you get a great gaming modem that supports playing and streaming, but without the bells and whistles of other, more expensive models.
NETGEAR Nighthawk S-8000 8-Port Gigabit Smart Managed Plus Gaming Switch
This machine is vastly different from the others on this list, at least in appearance. Where the others typically have antennas and other bits, the Netgear Nighthawk S-8000 is sleek and compact, in a blue and black casing. It’s fanless to keep it quiet, low latency for optimal gaming performance, and energy-efficient.
Netgear is a popular brand among WiFi gaming routers, and this model is another reason why.
Features:
The Nighthawk S-8000 is small, compact, and quiet. It features 8 Gigabit ethernet ports for multiple connections, and Netgear worked to reduce the cost of production to make it energy-efficient and affordable. Due to its size, its interface is less advanced than some. However, it’s still user friendly, and easy to set up. Netgear also offers a 3-year warranty.
Pros:
- Very affordable
- Quiet and energy efficient
- Multiple ethernet ports
- Low latency for good performance
Cons:
- Less speed than other routers
- No USB ports
- Less advanced than other Netgear products
Verdict
The Nighthawk S-8000 is fun to look at, cool to the touch, and works like a dream. It may not withstand games with incredibly large bandwidth, but it’s great for most gamers WiFi needs.
Zyxel Armor Z2 AC2600 Wireless Router
This is the only Zyxel modem on the list, but it truly deserves to be here. Its appearance is out of this world, almost literally – it looks like something from an alien invasion film. In a good way.
With an easy-to-set-up interface, multiple connection ports, and prioritization capabilities, this modem is a solid choice.
Features:
It has 4 Gigabit Ethernet connections, 1 USB 2.0 port, 1 USB 3.0 port, and 1 WAN port. It has some of the most up to date MU-MIMO software, meaning it runs continual traffic analysis to prioritize certain streams or games when necessary to give the best results. It also has StreamBoost capabilities as part of its MU-MIMO software.
Pros:
- Great MU-MIMO abilities
- Multiple connection options
- Good with prioritizing connections
Cons:
- A little expensive
- Better for single users
- USB port speeds are not great
Verdict
This router is interesting in more ways than one. With up to date MU-MIMO software, multiple users can be connected and the modem compensates by speeding up. However, it can get bogged down somewhat easily, so this router is better suited for individuals. Still, its performance speeds and easy interface are no joke. Make the Zyxel Armor AC2600 yours – buy on Amazon!
TP-Link AC5400 Tri-Band Gaming Router
TP-Link really stepped up their game with this model. It has all the features of a high-end router with a more “classic” gamer look. In a black and red casing, it looks super cool and deceptively complex. It’s actually one of the easiest to set up on this list.
It has a great QoS, and offers an even wider range of features than many others you see here. This wireless gaming router comes at a price, but for some, its more than worth it for the good performance.
Features:
The AC5400 has a superior QoS. Its very simple to set up and use, and offers a wide range of controls, including the ability to blacklist devices. It works with Alexa and IFTTT. The AC5400 has a whopping 8 LAN ports, and always prioritizes gaming over other uses. There is also built-in anti-malware and anti-virus software to protect the modem without you having to do extra work.
Pros:
- Fantastic 5GHz performance
- Prioritization
- Easy to set up and use
- Cool aesthetic
Cons:
- Somewhat pricey
- Sub-par performance at 2.4 GHz
- No latency decreasing tech
Verdict
This funky router is designed for gaming enthusiasts. With a cool design and loads of features for extra control, this is easily one of TP-Link’s best routers and earns its place among the best.
D-Link Exo Wifi Router AC2600
If you’re only just stepping into the gaming world, or simply looking for a budget gaming router, the D-Link EXO AC2600 could be your best bet. Designed to accommodate multiple users, it has features designed to emphasize video and game quality at a price that won’t drain your bank account.
Smaller and more compact than many of its competitors, it doesn’t have the “oomph” of some of the others listed, but it still works great.
Features:
It has two USB ports, and antenna to promote beam fields for better WiFi through your home. As a dual band, it has both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz frequency, though most users say the 5 GHz is where it shines. It also has 4K video capabilities.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Good for beginners
- Good MU-MIMO capabilities
Cons:
- Not great in 2.4 GHz
- Only 2 USB ports
- Not designed for heavy-duty gaming
Verdict
The D-Link EXO is a great router for those just starting out. With solid abilities and an easy interface, you can get great performance without breaking the bank.
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Tri-Band WiFi Router
This is often considered the ultimate router for the serious gamer, and for good reason. Its specs are no joke, and the hardware attached isn’t either.
It’s a bit bulky, but its size reflects its power. Asus designed this modem in the hopes that it would be a class leader, and it delivers.
Features:
It’s a tri-band, with one 2.4 GHz band, and two 5 GHz bands. It has 4 LAN ports and 8 antennas. All its software makes it wildly fast, especially on 5 GHz. It has a class-leading QoS and easy interface with lots of options. Its up-to-date software is also adaptable.
Pros:
- Super fast
- Powerful
- Extra features for more control and speed
- Good for serious gamers
Cons:
- Expensive
- Only 4 LAN ports
Verdict
One of the absolute best routers for gamers, this is one powerful device. It has a high price tag, so only truly serious gamers should invest. If you do, though, you won’t be sorry.
Linksys WRT Gaming WiFi Router
To round it off, we have the Linksys WRT. This one has the word right in the name, but it should be noted that it works best with Xbox.
Everything about the interface and the design has been geared towards gamers, and it shows. It may not be the most powerful, but if you’re an Xbox user, this router works wonders.
Features:
It boasts Killer prioritization to make gaming the top priority. It’s dual banded, but unlike other models, this one actually has somewhat impressive speeds at 2.4 GHz. The interface is very user friendly and aimed towards gamers. It also has 4 Gigabit ports.
Pros:
- Designed for gaming
- Quick
- Supports MU-MIMO
Cons:
- Somewhat geared towards Xbox
- Not impressive 5 GHz performance
Verdict
If you use or prefer Xbox, this one was designed with you in mind. Its 5 GHz performance leaves something to be desired, but at 2.4 GHz it really shines.
How to Choose the Right Routers for Your Gaming?
After looking at all these good routers for gaming, you must want to know: what exactly makes a router “great”? Among this list may very well be the best WiFi router for gaming, but how do you know?
As with many things, the answer is subjective. Depending on the type of games you play, how often you play them, and other factors, the “best” for you may not be ideal for someone else. There are some characteristics that apply across the board making our picks for the top rated gaming routers. Learn how to find the best one for you.
High Bandwidth
Higher speed capabilities don’t always mean faster gaming. Though high-speed routers are good, bandwidth is much more important, especially when it comes to gaming and streaming.
Many routers actually offer higher bandwidth than the typical internet service can provide. This is handy, though, for those who do a lot of uploading/downloading and use LAN connections.
Ethernet Connection
As appealing as a wireless router is, sometimes gamers need that wired connection. Larger games work better using an ethernet connection as opposed to using WiFi.
A wired connection is stronger and faster than even the most capable WiFi connection. You can get the best WiFi for gaming, but an ethernet connection will still give you more power and speed.
Dual/Tri Band
Many routers list frequencies like 2.5 GHz or 2.6 GHz. Those frequencies correspond to the bands on the router.
A dual-band router, which is popular among gaming routers or otherwise, supports the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
A tri-band can either be a 2.4 GHz and two 5 GHz, or a “true” tri-band, where the third band is a 60 GHz.
QoS
QoS stands for Quality of Service. It’s like bandwidth management. You can prioritize devices and applications over others, and some do it automatically based on network use.
With the right QoS, you can easily game or stream while your family sits downstairs watching Netflix, and no one will suffer any lagging.
Simple/Easy Interface
This is pretty straightforward – you want a router that’s user-friendly and easy to learn. Some interfaces are a bit complicated, but a lot of the more recent gaming routers have very intuitive and user-friendly options.
The Bottom Line:
The best gaming routers ultimately depend on your tastes, your internet provider, and the games you play.
With the qualities above in mind, take another look through our list of the best routers of this year. You’re sure to find one that will provide seamless gaming and streaming, whatever the price tag may be.
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