No, thanks! If that's the case for you, then you might be thinking about upgrading your wireless router. A gaming router wont help you earn more kills or beat the raid boss any faster than a regular router with the same specs. To gather my data, I ran an abundance of speed tests from five different locations in my home, ranging from the living room where the router lives to a back bathroom on the opposite end of the house. TP-Link Archer AX90 ($199.99*): It's not built for gaming, but the AX90 packs three Wi-Fi bands and lots of speed to handle a busy home better. See details below. Across 90 speed tests at my home, it didn't see a single spike above 20ms, which is truly outstanding. The main two you'll want to look out for are Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)with Wi-Fi 6E expanding Wi-Fi 6 to include a 6GHz bandand Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), as they deliver the fastest wireless speeds currently available. What exactly makes a gaming router different from a standard Wi-Fi router? The TP-Link Archer AX11000 and Archer GX90, the two routers that beat it, are tri-band routers; they each have two 5GHz radios. NETGEAR Nighthawk XR1000 ($289.00*): Compared to the XR500, this version trades a few features for better Wi-Fi 6 speeds. Most of these gaming routers and others like them will do things like route your gaming traffic to the nearest possible server, or keep you from joining public rooms with especially laggy competitors. Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-band 802.11ac | Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz | Processor: 1.8GHz Dual-core | Memory: 512MB | Features: USB 3.0, 3x3 MU-MIMO, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support. The best gaming routers in 2022 By Jorge Jimenez Contributions from Jonas DeMuro published 5 August 2022 We found the best gaming routers to ensure you can play without delay. 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. Asus RT-AX86U. When we increased the distance to 75 feet, the average speed fell to 868Mbps, which is still a faster speed than any of the Wi-Fi 5 routers we tested were able to reach at all, even up close. Gaming isnt a cheap hobby, so the need to save a few bucks where you can is understandable. Be aware, just having a gaming router doesn't mean you're going to automatically get the best home network instantly. Now, this router isnt offering all the latest features like Wi-Fi 6E or 2.5Gbps WAN, but it also comes at a more affordable price than those that do. There are also multiple Ethernet ports on both the router and node, letting you go for a wired connection on devices that can benefit from the more consistent speed, like gaming PCs and consoles. When we tested the finalists by placing them in a central location in a 2,100-square-foot test house, as you should at home, the RT-AX86U picked up the pace. Even if your PCs and gaming consoles aren't ready for Wi-Fi 6 yet, the RAX80 still provides up to 2,500 square feet of coverage for your 5GHz 802.11ac and older 2.4GHz devices with a throughput of up to 4.8Gbps and 1.2Gbps on each of its bands, respectively, thanks to the four antennas encased in its hawk-like wings.. With support for MU-MIMO and eight simultaneous 160MHz channels, plus a 64 . Finally, we appreciate that the RT-AX86U isnt enormous. Best-picks The Best Gaming Routers 2023 By Matt Safford last updated 6 March 2023 Reduce lag, amp up your network speed and make sure your gaming packets get prioritized. You won't get the detailed quality of service controls that a gaming router would give you, but it will still support solid gaming-grade performance, easily exceeding the performance of older 802.11ac models. Gaming routers go beyond just providing consistent speeds by minimizing network lag to keep you in game instead of being bogged down by delays and long load times. Thats a configuration headache that most people at home wont have the patience for and shouldnt have to deal with. Multiple walls and rooms separated the iPhone from the router, and there were two walls and one smaller room between the Samsung Galaxy phone and the router. The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is a solid tri-band Wi-Fi router. The 4 Best Gaming Routers of 2023 For serious gamers a good router is a must-have and will deliver the low-latency performance they need. By Matt Safford last updated 6 March 23. What to Look For in a Budget Wi-Fi Router in 2023. The other 5GHz connection can be used for the rest of your activities. With easy setup and Wi-Fi 6 speeds, the Orbi is the mesh router we recommend for gamers. For under $200, you can snag a new router thats ready to zoom along in games as much as you are. Routers marketed for gaming usually have garish designs and come packed with gaming-specific features like the ability to prioritize traffic from specific devices or programs to improve response time in multiplayer games. Updated The best gaming router that you can buy in 2023 is the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, but there are many other routers that come close. ), Youll also want a router that can take full advantage of your broadband connection and gigabit-speed internet has become increasingly common though theres also multi-gig internet which is significantly more expensive. Plus, the design is gamer-friendly without being too over-the-top. A fantastic budget VPN router. First up is the first gaming router I'd recommend to most people, and a router I'd recommend to just about anybody, truth be told. Its even possible to add it to your mesh network. At minimum, if youre buying a new router for gaming, get one with Wi-Fi 6. The sheer number of ways to manage your networks traffic is pretty astounding, and it even comes with some security features for a little more peace of mind. When it comes to mesh Wi-Fi 6 devices, the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 (RBK852) is the one to beat. Well send you the fastest internet options, so you dont have to find them. We moved the three routers with the best long-range performance to the center of the house and repeated the same tests, this time with the houses existing Wi-Fi turned off. The dedicated gaming dashboard even lets you see the quality of your connection to a games server and geofence certain areas to eliminate servers that are out of range or underperforming. This router offers ready to support a busy network with maximum data transfer speeds of 11Gbps over a tri-band frequency. The Little Mermaid is directed by Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago, Mary Poppins Returns)with a screenplay by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland). 2. Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 | Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz (x2) | Signal Rate: 2,400Mbps (5GHz between nodes), 1,200Mbps (5GHz), 600Mbps (2.4GHz) | Processor: 1.4GHz quad-core processor | Memory: 1GB | Storage: 512MB NAND Flash | Features: Implicit & Explicit Beamforming, MU-MIMO. One of the best gaming routers could be just the thing your battlestation or game room is missing especially if youre after top-notch performance while playing online. Were talking 5400Mbps speeds on an efficient 4x network. If youre worried about a limited connection in certain areas of your home, you can even build out a mesh network with this router for seamless extended coverage thanks to ASUS AiMesh support. We appreciate that the RT-AX86U supports DFS channels, letting it bypass crowded parts of the 5GHz spectrum by using frequency ranges reserved for radar, though how effective that is for you depends on the presence of nearby airports or weather stations. That means it'll be able to operate on the newly opened 6GHz band. What did make a difference? Yet, you cannot get the. In our tests, which simulated typical activities in a normal house, the RT-AX86Us performance was great whether these features were on or off, unlike the competing tri-band routers whose performance was dictated by which Wi-Fi network they were on rather than gaming prioritization settings. Bear in mind that we're running these speed tests on a laptop that supports Wi-Fi 6! It is also somewhat of a pseudo-gaming machine since it doesn't have any specific game-related novelty it has a nice look plus a comprehensive QoS feature. 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. Deal alert! Some gaming extras include Game Radar to ping your games server to find the one with the quickest connection, while Game Acceleration boosts gaming traffic. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Final thoughts on the best Wi-Fi routers. Plus, with the use of OFDMA and MU-MIMO, even if more devices join the network, there shouldnt be any noticeable difference in speeds. These are the best gaming routers weve reviewed along with a handful of less specialized devices which still provide the same throughput and low lag times for a great online gaming experience. It's compatible with important new . Add it all up and most other gaming routers are now second best. Before joining the team, he wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Most importantly, the RT-AX86U was consistent. As for wireless speeds, the graph above shows the top speeds for each router on both the 2.4GHz band (blue) and the faster 5GHz band (red) at distances of 5, 37.5 and 75 feet. Latency spikes like those can be a killer when you're gaming online -- but fortunately, the RT-AX86U earned the lowest average ping time of any router I've ever tested, never spiking any higher than 25ms. The XR1000 also supports many of the standard features we look for, including guest networks, WPA encryption, DFS channels on 5GHz, schedulable parental controls (via a pretty thorough Traffic Controller feature), automatic firmware updates, OpenVPN, and VLANs.But as good as this router looks via a web browser, its performance left much to be desired. Check out the new, action-packed trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4, the upcoming movie starring Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgrd, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane.John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating the High Table. In fact, they were the two bottom finishers in terms of average overall download speeds on the 5GHz band. Then, I'd average that data with the first batch of tests. Well, if it's running Wi-Fi 6 and powerful hardware inside, quite a lot. A router this expensive should be smarter than that. This tri-band router offers a pair of 5GHz networks and one 2.4GHz network offering speeds up to 10526 Mbps. QoS features include more direct control of bandwidth management and let you prioritize specific devices (like your gaming PC) based on what activity or service is being used. The Asus router only has one 5GHz network, but it was good every time. Wi-Fi 5 is still fine, but Wi-Fi 6 has been around since 2019 and is faster and more secure. That raises an obvious question: How do you test the top speed of a router like that TP-Link AX6000, which promises Wi-Fi 6 data transfer rates well above 1,000Mbps? The Asus RT-AX86U has excellent speed and range, and can handle several people streaming 4K video, playing online games, working from home and taking video calls at the same time. However, cutting too close to the bone will leave you stuck with subpar performance or missing features you may want. On top of that, the unique, attractive design doesn't take up an obnoxious amount of space -- and with a touchscreen on the front and LED lights around the base, you'll actually want it to sit out in the open, where the mesh router performs better. The first gaming router recommendation is Asus RT-AX86U. Best Overall Gaming Router Jump To Details $208.00 at Amazon See It TP-Link Archer AX50 (AX3000) Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Router Best Budget Gaming Router Jump To Details $129.00 at. Connectivity: A good gaming router is also built to handle faster connections and more of them. John Wick: Chapter 4 will be available in theaters and IMAX on March 24, 2023 (or March 23rd in Australia/NZ). Despite the complete lack of Wi-Fi 6 client devices in my home, the Wi-Fi 6-equipped TP-Link Archer AX6000 was another standout in my tests, with strong average speeds on both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands and excellent range from room to room. With only one network in range, we expected all the routers to avoid it easily. I ran my speed tests on a Dell XPS 13 laptop that's a few years old and doesn't support Wi-Fi 6. Comments (6). March 7, 2023 3:18 p.m. PT 14 min read Asus. 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. Additionally, gaming routers also provide more customization than most consumer routers. 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. Its beautifully designed, incredibly responsive, and is chock-full of useful information on its very first screena gigantic dashboard that shows your internet status, guest Wi-Fi network status, CPU usage, and current download and upload traffic. But the 5GHz channel is where youll want to turn for the ultimate throughput and low latency, as it's capable of 4x4 MU-MIMO and can clock in at 4,804Mbps. All told, that left us with more than a dozen routers to test. The Asus RT-AX86U has excellent speed and range, and can handle several people streaming 4K video, playing online games, working from home and taking video calls at the same time. We'll continue testing what's out there, along with budget-priced routers, mesh routers and other high-end, next-gen modern routers of note. 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. The router is known for its fast, steady speed and an impressive line-up of gamer-centric features. The Best Wireless Router Deals This Week* Asus RT-AX88U AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router $246.01 (List Price $349.99) Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 Wi-Fi 6 Router $240.74 (List. For tri-band routers, we tested each 5GHz band separately, with and without gaming features, and then once with the World of Warcraft computer connected to one 5GHz radio and everything else on the other one. Best Picks Routers Best gaming routers of 2023 By Anthony Spadafora last updated 8 March 2023 Get a competitive edge with one of the best gaming routers Comments (0) Included in this. Wi-Fi 4 is an outdated standard that provides fairly slow speeds compared to its two more modern renditions. Our approach bypasses the ISP entirely. 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. First, it's easy to spot the three Wi-Fi 6 routers we tested up at the top -- they clocked top speeds on the 5GHz band that were much, much faster than any other router we tested. Even in that scenario, though, latency was only a little lower than with the RT-AX86U, and the throughput tests were still slower. This may be because the router defaulted to 160MHz channel width even in an incredibly crowded Wi-Fi neighborhood, opening itself up to interference from all over. Comments Included. But if your current router is struggling, upgrading to a newer, more powerful one can give all your devices a faster, more reliable connection, which will improve your game latency. Electronics. Take a look at these top products that were selected as the best gaming routers from over 30 potential picks. It's the Asus RT-AX86U, and it replaces our previous best router pick the Asus RT-AC86U. This router is also ready for a wired connection with a 5Gb WAN port on the back to plug in your gaming consoles or PC, though you dont get link aggregation. Unlike the Archer AX11000 and Asus GT-AX11000, the GX90s two 5GHz radios arent identical. Learn more. Best Gaming Router 2023 7 Gaming Routers Reviews You may have an incredible RAM capacity, the most powerful graphics card out there, and an insuperable processor. Most routers do pretty well, save for the occasional spike. The Archer AX11000 looks nearly identical to the newer GX90, though with two 4x4 5GHz radios instead of a 2x2 and a 4x4, and eight Gigabit LAN ports instead of four. Receive product recommendations, reviews & deals several times a week. Best Router For Verizon FiOS (2023) Best Overall: Asus RT-AX3000 Regularly dropping to prices below $120, the D-Link DIR-867 was the most inexpensive gaming router that I tested for this roundup -- and it performed surprisingly well, boasting the fastest average speeds on the 2.4GHz band in both our lab-based top speed tests and our home-based real-world speed tests. A Multi-user system. The Asus GT-AX11000 router cost a whopping $430 at the time of our testing, but it was soundly beaten in long-range performance by routers that cost half as much or lessincluding Asus own GS-AX5400 and our primary pick, the RT-AX86U. How we test. Its nice that the AX11000 has eight LAN ports, and a USB-C port for connected storage, but those arent essential. Just like with any computer, youll get faster performance with better components. For serious gamers a good router is a must-have and will deliver the low-latency performance they need. The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 is a high-end gaming router that supports Wi-Fi 6E. It doesn't offer the same top speeds that you'll get with Asus' Wi-Fi 6-equipped GT-AX11000, but that didn't stop the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AC2900dual-band router from outperforming it in my home throughout several rounds of tests. Can be used for the occasional spike p.m. PT 14 min read.! 20Ms, which is truly outstanding Wi-Fi 6 has been around since 2019 and is faster more! Routers also provide more customization than most consumer routers 6 has been around since 2019 and is and..., save for the rest of your activities on March 24, 2023 ( or March in. Be smarter than that to operate on the 5GHz band in terms of average overall download on... 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