Aside from its suitability as a mesh protocol, 802.11ax takes advantage of previously unused radio frequencies to provide faster 2.4GHz performance, and it uses refined uplink and downlink bandwidth management to provide enhanced QoS. Read our full TP-Link Archer C5400X review (opens in new tab). 1996-2022 Ziff Davis. The XR700 is a strong all-around performer in our tests, starting with the 2.4 GHz frequency with some of the fastest scores to date of 284 Mbps at close range and 225 Mbps on our far test. The worst offender was the Linksys EA8300, which returned average latencies of 37.5ms on the 2.4GHz band and 35.4ms on the 5GHz -- dead last on both fronts. Read our full TP-Link Archer C5400X review. In fact, they were the two bottom finishers in terms of average overall download speeds on the 5GHz band. Quite possibly the optimal convergence of features, functionality and value, this mesh WiFi 6 . They can also automatically re-adjust for time of day, number of devices and more. It also has aGeo-Filter feature that can help reduce lag by limiting the distance to the host servers you play on. The Best Gaming Routers 2022 By Matt Safford published 27 days ago Reduce lag, amp up your network speed and make sure your gaming packets get prioritized. When it comes time to upgrade your router, the Asus RT-AX88U is more than worthy of consideration. Asus router app. This simply means more wired LAN ports that provide faster speeds than Wi-Fi, more support for Gigabit speeds and higher and extra antennas to push Wi-Fi farther to handle more devices. Instead of using a modem to pull data from the cloud, we pull data from a local server using a wired connection. We also test how well each router can transmit and receive signals through drywall, brick, concrete and even metal walls as well as how each handles coverage in a two- or three-story home. If your motherboard lacks wireless networking capabilities, you can rely on a USB Wi-Fi adapter (opens in new tab) as a decent stopgap. Unlike other routers, TP-Links security software is always free, including the parental controls and antivirus protection. A powerful WiFi router is a critical tool in your gaming arsenal: a fast and reliable network can easily tip the scales of victory. Read our full TP-Link Archer AX6000 review. Please read our full Asus RT-AX88U review. Best mesh routers for gaming | PC Gamer However, its throughput fell off quickly in our tests which is why you'll want to use this gaming router in the same or an adjacent room. Best Premium Wi-Fi 6E Router: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 Best Wi-Fi Router For Long Range: Asus AX88U Best Combo Modem Router: Arris Surfboard G36 Best Mesh Wi-Fi Router For Smart Homes:. Read our full Asus RT-AX86U review . Out of all of the routers out there, the best of the best is the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300. To gain the benefit, both devices need to support beamforming tech, so that each can communicate its relative position to the other, and thus focus the signal in the proper direction. 3. When it comes to all the key features that make up the best gaming routers, the Asus ROG Rapture AX11000 hits all the marks. The 9 Best Long-Range Routers of 2022 - Lifewire Credit: ASUS. Built-in customization and gaming-oriented optimizations provide plenty of control, and you can even pair it with other Asus routers for mesh networking to cover a larger home. DIR-879 EXO. That means it'll be able to operate on the newly opened 6GHz band. These are the best we've tested. Tenda AC10U Best one Best Gaming Router of 2022 - CNET The latest Nighthawk is a superb gaming router, The easiest gaming router to set up and manage, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Final Fantasy 16 is the latest game to use the historical 'realism' excuse to exclude Black characters, The Sims 4 glitch is turning everyone's Sims into total a-holes, AD7200 (Tri-band 4600(AD) + 1733(5 GHz)+ 800(2.4 GHz) Mbps wireless speed), AX11000 (Tri-band 2.4 GHz - 1148 Mbps x 1, 5 GHz - 4,804Mbps x 2), 11.34 x 11.34 x 7.24 in (241 x 241 x 55 mm), AX3000 (Dual-band 2400(5 GHz)+ 600(2.4 GHz) Mbps wireless speed), 14.17 x 8.46 x 2.36 in (360 x 215 x 60 mm), The best gaming laptops in Australia for 2022, The best gaming headsets in Australia for 2022, The best gaming monitors in Australia for 2022, Best graphics card deals in Australia (October 2022), Subscribe to the world's #1 PC gaming mag, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. This continued on our 5 GHz testing with strong 325 Mbps and 332 Mbps scores at close and far ranges, respectively. Which gaming router topped our list? Is it worth splurging on a wireless gaming router that supportsthe speedy new Wi-Fi 6 standard? Plus, it comes with both 3.0 and 2.0 USB ports for streamlined file-sharing inside the network. Start with what's connected. They allow you to block access to certain sites (think: adult content), limit online gaming or overall network access to specific hours and days of the week, and monitor network usage for each client. Ring vs. Nest: Ring Video Doorbell and Nest Doorbell (battery) compared. Gaming routers offer better-than-average processing power and also feature larger built-in memory to allow for faster performance, letting a router manage more connections while also keeping latency to a minimum. Best Overall. Best gaming router? Just mention what you think is best and I'll try to Best Wi-Fi routers for gaming - Dot Esports Heres why you can trust us. The fastest among them was the TP-Link Archer AX6000, which we measured an average speed of 1,523Mbps on the 5GHz band at a distance of 5 feet. Best gaming routers 1. Check Price. Given the potential for Wi-Fi connections to have hiccups, we would always suggest, where possible, to have your gaming PC wired into your router directly. If you shop around, you can find this device for under $100, which is an excellent deal for a Wi-Fi 6 router that offers four LAN ports, a USB port, and support for high-speed networking via link aggregation. You'll also appreciate the app's easy-to-use features, including a dedicated low-latency mode that can help you tweak your connection and avoid lag on multiple devices. Shop around, and you may see unusual flair, such as a stylish enclosure or even LED illumination effects. Also, some reviewers say theyd prefer to have a few more ports for the price. That last bit is key to rock-solid wireless performance in an age of smart devices and appliances. Wi-Fi 6 is spreading across product lineups, and the Nighthawk AX4 is an excellent example of what this spec can accomplish, even on a more budget router. If you're paying for speeds of up to, say, 50 megabits per second, then your router won't transmit data from the cloud any faster than that. Sign up to get the best content of the week, and great gaming deals, as picked by the editors. One band out of the three in the router dedicate 5 GHz solely for gaming. Still, a good gaming router should help minimize those occasional latency spikes that can be a real killer when they hit your network at a critical moment during an online match. Its plentiful features include eight 1GbE LAN ports (two of which can be aggregated for high-speed networking); a 1GbE WAN port; and two USB 3.0 ports. Speeds & Coverage TP-Link Archer C5400X (Image credit: TP-Link Archer C5400X (Credit: TP-Link)) 2. The dual-band gaming router comes with lifetime internet security from Trend Micro, a wide selection of customization options, and some of the best performance you can get for under $200. But if you take gaming seriously and need a wired router that features the latest in WiFi, the. A router withtwosuch USB ports offers a lot more flexibility. You'll find a rundown of our favorite gaming routers' specs below. The, The real beauty of this router is the management app. Heres our list of the best wireless routers for gaming, along with what to look for in your next purchase. Plus, get free shipping and easy returns. It also brings more to the gaming experience with ports. Best Value: Linksys Velop AX4200 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (MX12600) Linksys. And if your home is spread over many long hallways, a Wi-Fi range extender (opens in new tab) can be a lifesaver. The best gaming routers 2022: the top routers for gaming - TechRadar The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is designed to be the class-leading, 'best of the best' gaming router, and looking at the hardware specs, it deliversbig time. If you're a PC-gaming enthusiast, you know about speed. The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 might be one of the more expensive gaming routers, but you undoubtedly get what you pay for. It also scored well in our file transfer tests, which means it'll handle large downloads with aplomb. So it's important to make sure you're not wasting your money. Check out our guide on how we test Wi-Fi routers. The Archer C5400X is available for $199.99 and features a two-year warranty. It wasn't a standout in our lab-based top-speed tests, but with plug-in range extenders that are about as easy to use as it gets, it excels at spreading a stable, speedy Wi-Fi signal from room to room. Best for 4K Streaming: ASUS RT-AX3000 4. The average ISP download speed in the US is somewhere around 100Mbps, while those living in areas with access to fiber connections might enjoy speeds of 200, 500 or -- if they're really lucky -- even 1,000Mbps. To simplify wireless standards,802.11acwas renamed 'Wi-Fi 5,' while the latest standard, 802.11ax, is dubbed 'Wi-Fi 6' by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Priced at a high premium on Amazon and back-ordered elsewhere, it's an expensive option for sure, but it's not outrageous among other high-end mesh networks that include two range-extenders (for comparison, the Nest Wifi mesh system normally costs $349 for a three-piece setup, though you can pick it up for much less on sale). That said, this Asus does provide a dedicated gaming LAN port that automatically prioritizes bandwidth for gaming PCs and consoles and supports link aggregation for high-speed networking. That Netgear model was also the fastest Wi-Fi 5 router on the 5GHz band, which tells us that it's a pretty capable piece of hardware. At $200 or less, you won't pay too painful a premium for it -- and it even includes RGB lighting effects, if that's your thing. One cool feature is the mobile game button. It has a sleek-looking dashboard that lets you see what is going on with your network at a glance, with graphs showing real-time CPU and bandwidth usage, currently installed apps, guest networking status, Wi-Fi status, and internet status. ioGiant WiFi 6 Router AX1800 Extender/Gaming Router, Gigabit Home Access Point or Wireless Internet, 802.11ax Dual Band 1201Mbps 5GHz + 574Mbps 2.4GHz, Connect Up to 64+ Device, Modem is Not Included More Devices Less Congestions: With OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology, the routers for wireless Internet . ASUS ROG Rapture WiFi Gaming Router (GT-AC5300) 2. Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR300. 1 ASUS ROG Rapture WiFi Gaming Router (GT-AC2900) - Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, AURA RGB, Gaming & Streaming, AiMesh Compatible, Lifetime Internet Security Popularity Score 9.3 Quality Score 9.8 Sentiment Score 9.4 Editorial Score 9.5 Here are the best gaming routers of 2021. Although the Archer A20 uses older 802.11ac wireless technology, it delivered strong throughput numbers in our performance testing. This is a very handy feature; the main caveat is that each client device has to support MU-MIMO to take advantage of the improved throughput. The 9 Best Asus Routers of 2022 - Lifewire They clearly benefited from the time-honored approach of not being the first out of the gate, but then being better than the competition. If your current router isn't keeping up with your gaming abilities, the XR1000 is one of the best gaming routers we've ever seen. Plus, the design is gamer-friendly without being too over-the-top. The spider-like 8-antenna design and red-on-black color scheme are sure to turn heads, but the real selling point is the collection of optimization and security features that will satisfy any power user. Plus the ping monitoring will tell you at a glance if its you, your game server, or something else thats causing jitter or lag. 5 Best Gaming Routers for 2020. Meanwhile, our top overall pick, the Asus RT-AC86U, was right behind it with the second-fastest Wi-Fi 5 speed on the 5GHz band, though its speed dipped a bit at medium range. As with MU-MIMO, you'll need 160MHz-compatible clients to access the wider channels. I should note that those Wi-Fi 6 routers didn't blow the competition away on the 2.4GHz band (again, blue). Once again, the design is something you could have seen before, and it's almost a tradition for Asus routers in the budget price range. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Read on for all of our picks for the best gaming routers. Brand: ASUS; Connectivity Technology: Wi-Fi, Ethernet; . 19. If you want to improve your gaming experience even on a slower broadband connection, you might be able to save a bit by choosing an older model with 802.11ac, but most will want to get the best connectivity they can, and should pay more for Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E. With tri-band coverage that can handle 5,000 square feet with only a two-pack consisting of a base unit and satellite extension, the RBK852 serves up category-leading performance with a strong signal that punched through ceilings, floors and walls with ease. Building on the prior routers of this series, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 (opens in new tab), and adding in Wi-Fi 6 technology (opens in new tab), it promises a lot. Asus RT-AC86U. It also comes with parental control, QoS, and anti-malware tools. The Asus GT-AXE11000 is a. Support for Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is also common and very convenient, as it allows you to add WPS-compatible clients to your network with the push of a button. There are also improvements to MU-MIMO to enable more data to be transmitted at once and refinements to beamforming. The Archer AX11000 earned high marks and an Editors' Choice award for its awesome performance, gamer-friendly dashboard, and generous selection of I/O ports including eight 1GbE LAN ports, a 2.5GbE WAN port, and a couple of USB ports. Netgear recently began outfitting its gaming routers withDumaOS, an interactive, gamer-friendly operating system developed by Netduma. You can set it up like a mesh system, too, to enjoy adaptive QoS and innovative security features to ward off DDoS attacks. Netgear Nighthawk . Cheapest Option: D-Link DIR-1750-US Frequently Asked Questions US 1GB Global data plus 10GB local data 30day - RoamWiFi R10 Mobile Hotspot router comes with 10GB local data that can be used in USA plus 1GB global data that can be used in all our supported countries (over 160 countries and regions). We've seen others since, but are still impressed by the Nighthawk's 6GHz radio transmissions and high-speed networking by way of a 2.5GbE port and five 1GbE ports with link aggregation. Or the QoS can be as granular as drag-and-drop prioritization that lets you assign a higher priority to specific devices connected to the network, essentially making sure they experience better performance than other devices. Features: Beyond these basics, its all about the features. Best Gaming Modem & Router 2022 | Gaming Equipment | Allconnect You get some nice features such as a 2.5GbE LAN/WAN port, a 1GbE LAN/WAN port, three 1GbE LAN ports, and a pair of USB ports, not to mention OneMesh compatibility that lets you use the router to create a seamless mesh network. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. That's an outstanding result. The Best Wi-Fi Routers for 2022 | PCMag A gaming router might be overkill for most of us, but if you're looking for low-latency performance and advanced features, here's what we recommend. The ROG Strix GS-AX5400 is a well-appointed midrange Wi-Fi 6 router designed to enhance your online gaming experience. I spent more than 14 years on staff, most recently as the director of operations for PC Labs, before hitting the freelance circuit as a contributing editor. As new gear gets added to your network in coming years, however, it's more and more likely to support MU-MIMO, so you'll be glad you opted for it in your router. Jorge is a hardware writer from the enchanted lands of New Jersey. Opens in a New Tab. At $450, it is expensive, but this is one of the best wireless routers for gamers wanting an edge online. If you think it's high time to upgrade your network to Wi-Fi 6 but don't have a high budget, the Archer AX50 is a first-class choice. While it may not offer all of the distinctive features that dedicated gaming routers have, the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 (RBK852) is a great mesh router that delivers the best throughput in the mesh category. Make sure you have a good idea of how routers and firmware work together before you decide to go this route. The Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700 is a strong follow-up to the XR500, which impressed us as it was the fastest router we had tested to date (opens in new tab). Equipped with eight large antennas, a quad-core processor, a wide array of USB and wired . The ROG Gaming Center dashboard offers several game-enhancing features including Game IPS, Game Boost, and a Game Radar feature that lets you see the worldwide servers for specific games. But that doesn't mean it isn't as capable as the more expensive products in . But while that combination will definitely give you a fast machine, online gaming performance can still be hampered if it's connected to a crowded network with an internet connection controlled by an overburdened or old-fashioned wireless router.