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Hey there, gamers! If you’re serious about upping your online gaming performance, investing in a top-notch router is a must.
Here is the cream of the crop – the 5 best gaming routers for 2024, each geared to a different user and setting. Find the best routers for gaming to give you that competitive edge!
Best Budget Router: D-Link AC1750 MU-MIMO DIR-867
Looking for blazing speeds on a budget? The D-Link DIR-867 is your best bet, with retail price currently around $90. This affordable little powerhouse dominated the 2.4GHz band speed tests, outpacing way pricier competitors. It’s no slouch on the 5GHz band either.
This DIR-867 will deliver speeds up to 1750 Mbps on multiple devices with its simultaneous dual-band technology: 450 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz. MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) streaming supports the flexibility you need for several users at once.
The router also uses beamforming to focus on your devices, so you can move without losing signal strength. The cherry on top – a QoS engine to prioritize your gaming traffic. 4 WAN ports and a LAN port will give you lots of wired options for plug-in [1].
The only cons are that the router does not have USB ports or built-in anti-malware. But on the whole, this is a very solid performer at a good price. Small homes and apartments, this router is calling your name.
Best Mesh Wi-Fi for Gaming: Asus ROG Rapture GT6 AX10000
Mesh Wi-Fi and gaming? Oh yeah. The Asus ROG Rapture GT6 is a gamer’s dream with its sleek design and beastly performance. That Republic of Gamers (ROG) technology will give you the special gaming features to put you over the top, including intelligent cooling.
Wi-Fi 6? Check. Insane speeds? You got it—see that 10,000 in the name? Anti-malware and parental controls? Yep. Gaming prioritization and optimization? Uh-huh.
This is a tri-band router that gives you maximum bandwidth, and you’ll get superfast speeds with a 2.5 Gbps WAN port and LAN aggregation [2].
The mesh Wi-Fi system will provide coverage up to 5800 square feet! It’s pricey, but for seamless whole-home coverage and gaming nirvana, it’s worth every penny.
Best Router with Dedicated Gaming Band: Reyee E6 AX6000
The Reyee E6 AX6000 keeps things simple but effective. Its standout feature? A dedicated 5GHz band just for gaming. No more fighting with other devices for bandwidth! Add in 4 multi-gig ports, gamer-focused QoS settings, a gaming LAN port, and you’ve got a router ripe for heavy-duty gaming performance.
As its AX6000 rating shows, this is a super-fast router with impressive throughput in tests. Capacity is 1148 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, and 4804 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. You’ll get MU-MIMO streaming for multiple devices, and beamforming for a seamless signal no matter where you move in your home. Wi-Fi 6 equips you for any high-performance need.
Like the budget router from D-Link, the Reyee E6 lacks USB ports and anti-malware software. So why are you paying more? Speed, glorious speed.
Best Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Router: Asus RT-AX86U AX5700
Ready to future-proof your network? The Asus RT-AX86U is a Wi-Fi 6 crusher that’s worth the investment. The 5GHz speeds are insane (up to 4804 Mbps) and2.4 GHz tops out at 861 Mbps. The secret sauce is the ultra-low latency. Ping times never exceeded 25ms in testing. Lag spikes just aren’t a thing with this router.
Plus, the device prioritization and controls are next-level. The RT-AX86U has a 2.5 Gbps WAN port, a gigabit WAN port, and five gigabit LAN ports, which will offer all the connectivity you need. Plus, you’ll get a couple of USB ports!
This router also includes beamforming and MU-MIMO technology to support immaculate performance even for multiple devices. And anti-malware is included, along with lifetime security updates [4].
Another bonus of this system is that you can add additional Asus devices to create mesh Wi-Fi, if you need more range. Currently around $250, it’s not cheap, but still a better deal than many other high-performance gaming routers. It does lack some extra features such as geofencing and a ping heat map.
But on all the must-have features, it delivers big-time. You will not be sorry you chose this one.
Best Overall Gaming Router: TP-Link Archer AX11000
All hail the gaming router king! The TP-Link Archer AX11000 is a tri-band, Wi-Fi 6 monster that does it all. Yes, that 11000 in the name means over 10 Gigs of pure power.
Max speeds are 4804 Mbps on both 5 GHz bands and 1148 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. One of those 5 GHz bands is a dedicated gaming band, so you will always have your own lightning-fast highway to the danger zone.
The ports include a mind-blowing 10 Gig WAN/LAN, USB ports, and enough LAN ports to host a small LAN party (eight, to be exact). The gaming features are over the top with accelerators, analyzers, and all sorts of optimization tech. VR gaming, 4K Ultra HD streaming, this router doesn’t flinch [5].
Of course, you’ll get the latest technology including MU-MIMO and beamforming. The Archer AX11000 is pricey at about $400, but it’s the best of the best, period.
What You Need to Know About Gaming Routers
Your gaming skill is what it is—only blood, sweat and tears will bring you to the top of the leaderboard. But you also need to make sure your gaming rig supports you and doesn’t sabotage you at the worst possible moment. Here are some basics to know so you can come through in the clutch without technical glitches.
Your ISP’s Internet Speed
No router can magically make your internet faster than what you’re paying for. Premium speed tiers from your ISP are the foundation that a gaming router builds on. For online gaming, shoot for at least 50Mbps, but the faster, the better.
If you have lots of devices in your house, you can count on smooth performance with 200 Mbps download speed, 20 Mbps upload speed, and low latency from a wired connection like fiber or cable internet.
What is Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is hotness in router tech [6]. Think faster speeds, better range, and improved performance in congested areas. It’s a huge leap over Wi-Fi 5, especially for gaming. If you’re buying a new router, Wi-Fi 6 is a must for fast, reliable gaming.
Wi-Fi 6E adds a 6 GHz band and is also now available in routers. Wi-Fi 7 is even starting to appear, and it doubles the channel size of the 6 GHz band.
The higher your Wi-Fi standard, the more speed and bandwidth you’ll get. But both your router and your device need to be at that advanced level to bring you the full power. Not to mention that your internet speed from your ISP has to be fast enough!
For now, Wi-Fi 6 can support a 2.5 Gig device, which is faster than most internet plans. But Wi-Fi 7 will be able to blaze up to 5.8 Gbps on a single laptop connection. Whoa. That is some speed.
Dual-Band or Tri-Band?
For gaming, tri-band is the way to go. Tri-band routers have an extra 5GHz band that you can dedicate solely to gaming. That means your gaming traffic isn’t competing with Netflix or your smart home devices. It’s like a high-speed gaming superhighway.
What is Lag?
Lag is that sickening delay between your actions and the game’s response. Lag is related to latency, which is the time it takes for data to make a round trip from your device to the game server.
High latency = frustrating lag that can cost you the match. Your response time is also called ping—high ping is bad. You don’t want to be the dreaded Hpb.
Routers that Help with Lag
Gaming routers have special features to combat lag. Look for tech like Quality of Service (QoS) that prioritizes gaming traffic, gaming VPNs that route your traffic more efficiently, and geo-filtering that locks you to fast, nearby servers. Every millisecond counts!
What is Beamforming?
Beamforming is like a spotlight for your Wi-Fi. Instead of broadcasting in all directions, routers with beamforming locate your device and focus the Wi-Fi signal directly to it.
The result is faster, more stable connections, especially at long range. It’s a gaming must-have.
How Many Ports Do You Need?
While Wi-Fi is convenient, wired Ethernet is still the best for gaming. Look for a router with at least 4 Gigabit LAN ports for connecting your consoles and gaming rigs. For crazy fast future-proofing, 2.5G or even 10G multi-gig ports are the ultimate (and pricey) option.
Security Controls and Protocols
Routers are the gateway to your network, so security is crucial. WPA3 is the latest and greatest Wi-Fi encryption – make sure your new router supports it [7]. Other handy security features include firewalls, VPN servers, and guest networks to keep strangers out of your business.
There you have it, gamers – the best routers for gaming of 2024 and the crucial specs and features to look for.
Remember, a premium router is a key part of any serious gaming setup. Don’t skimp on this critical piece of the puzzle. GLHF!
Sources
[1] DLink.com. “Dir 867 AC1750."
[2] Asus.com. “Asus Gaming Routers."
[5] TP-Link.com. “Archer AX11000."
[6] IEEE.org. “An Overview of High-Efficiency Wi-Fi."