Best Gaming Routers

Review & Comparison, Last Update April 8, 2024
Are you an online gamer who finds having the best network performance possible of the utmost importance? If so, then you will want to invest in a gaming router. Take a look at our reviews of five of the best gaming routers available on the market. ...Read more ...Read less
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BEST 2024
PROS
CONS
OUR VERDICT
Designated Areas
Antennas
Ports
Network Standards
Speed
Access and Data Protection
Extras
Warranty
 
PROS

Thanks to the built-in Geo-Filter you can set the limit distance between you and the game servers / players. As a result, your online battles will be played with minimal latency and low ping times.

CONS

There is no mobile application for MoodOS (control via the mobile browser is difficult).

OUR VERDICT

NightHawk Pro Gaming is a unique joint development of companies NetGear and NetDuma, so acquiring this router, you get a technically perfect device with revolutionary software. Ideal for avid gamers.

detailed parameters
Designated Areas

Very large houses, large offices

Antennas

4 external antennas

Ports

1 x Wan (RJ45) port

4 x Lan (RJ45) ports

2 x USB 3.0 ports

Network Standards

802.11b/g/n/ac

Speed

2600 Mbps (2.4 GHz - 800 Mbps + 5 GHz - 1733 Mbps)

Access and Data Protection

WiFi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK), Double firewall protection (SPI and NAT), Denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevention

Extras

Duma OS, Gaming dashboard, Geo Filter, 15 Additional DFS Channels, Network Monitoring, Gaming VPN

Warranty

1 year

PROS

Tri-Stream 160 technology provides extremely high speed Wi-Fi up to 3200 Mbps: this result is achieved due to doubling the bandwidth of the 5 GHz-frequency.

CONS

Parental control functionality is very limited.

OUR VERDICT

This router from Linksys will allow you to take advantage of your opponents in any action game: Killer ™ Prioritization Engine auto-determines the traffic of the game and assigns it higher priority. Thus, the maximum ping is reduced by 77%.

detailed parameters
Designated Areas

Very large houses, large offices

Antennas

4 external antennas

Ports

1 x Wan (RJ45) port

4 x Lan (RJ45) ports

1 x USB 3.0 port

1 x eSata/USB 2.0 port

Network Standards

802.11b/g/n/ac

Speed

3200 Mbps (2.4 GHz - 600 Mbps + 5 GHz - 2600 Mbps)

Access and Data Protection

WiFi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK), SPI-firewall protection

Extras

Killer Prioritization Engine™, Custom-built gaming user interface and firmware, Tri-stream™ 160 Technology

Warranty

1 year

PROS

This router includes the advanced protection system AiProtection (Powered by Trend Micro ™): the web reputation (WRS) of all incoming traffic is carefully monitored to protect you from possible hacking of your home network.

CONS

Initial network setup requires a lot of time.

OUR VERDICT

This router from Asus is equipped with a powerful 1.8GHz 64bit Dual-Core processor, so it is perfect for people who have a lot of Smart-devices (mobile gadgets, laptops, TVs, etc.) in the house. It also copes perfectly with 4K video streaming.

detailed parameters
Designated Areas

Large houses, medium offices

Antennas

3 external antennas

1 internal antenna

Ports

1 x Wan (RJ45) port

4 x Lan (RJ45) ports

1 x USB 3.0 port

1 x USB 2.0 port

Network Standards

802.11b/g/n/ac

Speed

2900 Mbps (2.4 GHz - 750 Mbps + 5 GHz - 2167 Mbps)

Access and Data Protection

WiFi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK), SPI-firewall protection, AiProtection (Powered by Trend Micro™)

Extras

WTFast® Game Accelerator and Adaptive QoS, ASUS Router app, AiMesh supported

Warranty

2 years

PROS

The unique Beamforming technology combined with the Smart Connect feature locates the connected devices and focuses the Wi-Fi signal in such a way as to provide the highest data transfer speed for each of them.

CONS

New firmware versions appear extremely rarely.

OUR VERDICT

This model includes 6 antennas (3 dual band and 3 single band) that all work simultaneously, so it guarantees incredibly wide coverage: even if you are far from the router, the Internet connection will always remain stable.

detailed parameters
Designated Areas

Very large houses, large offices

Antennas

6 external antennas

Ports

1 x Wan (RJ45) port

4 x Lan (RJ45) ports

1 x USB 3.0 port

1 x USB 2.0 port

Network Standards

802.11b/g/n/ac

Speed

3200 Mbps (2.4 GHz - 600 Mbps + 5 GHz - 2600 Mbps)

Access and Data Protection

WiFi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK), 128 bit AES encryption

Extras

Smart Connect feature, Beamforming technology, Tether app

Warranty

2 years

PROS

ReadyCLOUD® USB Access allows you to use part of the connected external drive as personal cloud storage. You can use the amount of memory to host your confidential files that are not available to other users of the router.

CONS

Some users complain that the device is hot during operation.

OUR VERDICT

If your home has children and they often use the Internet on their smartphones or laptops, then we recommend that you purchase this model. With the built-in Disney Circle® function, you will not only be aware of their browsing history, but also be able to limit the time of their Internet sessions.

detailed parameters
Designated Areas

Medium to large houses, small offices

Antennas

3 external antennas

Ports

1 x Wan (RJ45) port

4 x Lan (RJ45) ports

1 x USB 3.0 port

1 x USB 2.0 port

Network Standards

802.11b/g/n/ac

Speed

1900 Mbps (2.4 GHz - 600 Mbps + 5 GHz - 1300 Mbps)

Access and Data Protection

WiFi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK), Double firewall protection (SPI and NAT), Denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevention

Extras

Circle™ Smart Parental Controls, Compatible with NightHawk App (works on iOS and Android), ReadyCloud™ USB Access, Beamforming+ Technology, Works with Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant

Warranty

1 year

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NETGEAR Nighthawk XR500

Designed for the Pros

The Nighthawk NETGEAR router for gaming is one of the few top-of-the-line devices that are simply unrivaled on the market today. Thanks to a Dual Core 1GHz CPU, the device is able to process gigabytes of data without the need of restarting, ensuring smooth operation for weeks on end.

Designed for the often demanding purposes of modern gaming applications, the router provides stable wired and wireless connections even in extreme situations when more than 20 devices are connected to the device simultaneously. Furthermore, the dual-band router is capable of reaching the speeds of up to 2600 Mbps when using the cable, which is nothing short of impressive.

As for the convenient features, the router is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google assistant software, which allows for controlling your home network system by using simple voice commands. Also included are other great features such as QoS scheduling, a Geo-Filter for optimizing your gaming connection based on distance, and a network monitor that allows you to easily check your network performance. All gamers who are serious about improving their network performance for gaming will find this excellent NETGEAR gaming router to be one of the best at that job.

Review of NETGEAR Nighthawk XR500 AC2600 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $189.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B078GWJ44Z

What customers say about this product

Key Specs

Great 4 LAN ports. I like this router.

Network

WiFi router is really awesome. Great connectivity.

Security

Dynamic DNS is insanely easy to turn on. It even configured an account for me.
 

Linksys WRT32X

Prioritize Your Data

One of the benefits of a gaming router is that most of them are made to prioritize gaming data above all else. This means that games will run more responsively, with less latency and smoother gameplay. The Linksys WRT32X AC3200 Dual-Band WiFi Gaming Router with Killer Prioritization Engine is one such router that really brings out the best in your gaming. Featuring the Killer Prioritization Engine, this router is able to automatically detect data meant for gaming and keeps it at the highest priority, ensuring that your gameplay is as responsive as ever.

This router is loaded with extra features that are meant to improve your overall gaming experience, including the ability to automatically synchronize with known gaming PCs such as from Alienware™, Gigabyte™, MSI™ and Razer™, among others. It also has the ability to detect multiple client devices and ensures that each client is using its own dedicated data stream and that multiple players from the same network all receive the same benefits. Also included are all of the latest wireless standards, as well as four Ethernet ports operated by a Gigabit Ethernet switch. Anyone wanting to enhance their gaming experience to professional levels should find much to like with this router.

Review of Linksys WRT32X Dual-Band Wi-Fi Gaming Router

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $309.95
Stock In stock
ASIN B072LQZFHM

What customers say about this product

Network

Was easily to setup and automatically updated to latest firmware on first startup. Easily to use UI and fast response.

Key Specs

Performance is amazing, speeds are great on LAN and 2.4/5Ghz wireless.

Security

Easy to set up, easy to configure and has perfect secure.
 

ASUS (RT-AC86U)

High Performance and Security

High gaming performance isn't the only thing that most gamers demand from their router. Many other aspects of a router tend to be equally important, not the least of which is security. Having a highly secure router ensures that your home network and all devices connected to it remain secure and away from the access of hackers. The ASUS RT-AC86U AC2900 WiFi Dual-band Gigabit Wireless Router takes these security concerns seriously, and ensures that your home network is securely protected without compromising your gaming performance.

This great wireless router for gaming includes Dual-band (2.4 + 5 GHz) AC2900 support, ensuring that all devices are able to connect using the latest WiFi security protocols. Powering the router is a 1.8GHz 32bit dual-core processor that helps prioritize data and optimize the data path for both gaming and video streaming applications, ensuring peak network performance. Along with the powerful processor and network optimization features is the built-in Aiprotection powered by Trend Micro that keeps your home network and all connected devices safe and secure from external security threats. There is even an ASUS app for mobile devices that allows you to setup and manage your home network from a mobile device. With the high performance features and tight security provided by this router. any gamer would find this to be a welcome addition to their home network.

Review of ASUS (RT-AC86U) AC2900 WiFi Dual-band Gigabit Wireless Router (AiProtection Network Security)

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price $150.74
Stock In stock
ASIN B0752FD3XJ

What customers say about this product

Security

I love the fact that it comes with a lifetime subscription to TrendMicro security which checks for all types of malware etc.

Key Specs

Speeds are very good, my daughter gets the same download speed on Wi-Fi in her bedroom that we get via an Ethernet cable (75MB/Sec), which is an impressive result that I had hoped for, but not expected.

Network

I do love this router it might not have as many antennas as others at this price point but decent range.
 

TP-LINK Archer C3200

Great for Multiple Users

One of the problems often associated with routers is that many of them tend to not handle multiple data streams very well. This basically means that one single user can often bog down the entire network performance for everyone else on the home network. The TP-LINK Archer C3200 AC3200 Wireless Wi-Fi Tri-Band Gigabit Router helps ensure that all users have equal access to network resources by automatically placing each connected device on the best WiFi band using its Smart Connect technology, ensuring high performance for everyone.

Included on this good router for gaming are a whopping six high performance dual band antennas, ensuring a strong wireless signal throughout your home or office. This gives all connected devices a strong connection, ensuring high network performance for each. The router also makes use of the QoS technology for assigning bandwidth to each device, which keeps network performance smooth for all devices that are connected. Along with these features are others including for home media sharing, a built-in VPN client for allowing remote access to your router from work or another location, and even a mobile app which gives you easy access to the router's configuration from your mobile device. All of these features add up to a great experience for gamers.

Review of TP-LINK Archer C3200 AC3200 Wireless Wi-Fi Tri-Band Gigabit Router

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $164.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B00YY3XSSA

What customers say about this product

Key Specs

Super speed and no more drop outs!! Highly recommended!

Network

Inside the simple but effective packaging the router feels to be decent quality and I like the six-antenna design where they fold out from the main body of the router.

Security

High-quality router with a good design, coverage, speed and a set of security.
 

NETGEAR Nighthawk (R7000)

Control Your Network

There is much to be said about any electronic device that is both powerful and easy to use. Even a gaming router can benefit greatly from these characteristics. The NETGEAR Nighthawk (R7000-100PAS) AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router is one such router that can definitely boast of ease of use along with plenty of power. Featuring a 1GHz Dual Core Processor under the hood, this powerful gaming router can instantly prioritize your gaming data, ensuring smooth performance for all connected devices. This AC1900 router supports speeds of both 600+1300 Mbps, giving high network performance to all wireless devices using 802.11ac Dual Band Gigabit networking.

Another great feature of this router is the Beamforming+ technology, which improves both range and overall network performance by detecting the signal strength for each connected device and amplifying the signal to give best results for each. Also included is support for voice control technology such as Alexa and Google Assistant, letting you control your home network with just your voice. Along with the included parental controls and the Nighthawk configuration app for mobile devices, this excellent gaming router should give your home network the boost it needs to enhance your gaming performance to top levels.

Review of NETGEAR Nighthawk (R7000) AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price $139.97
Stock In stock
ASIN B00F0DD0I6

VIDEO
NETGEAR Nighthawk Wireless Router Installation (R7000)

What customers say about this product

Key Specs

I managed to stream a Youtube video seamlessly at the end of the garden and on my wireless AC-enabled tablet I get aspeedtest download speed of over 60Mbps!

Network

Easy to set up, fast, great range and looks like something the US millitary have been hiding at Area 51.

Security

Easy set up; excellent parental controls, recommended!
 

What Is a Gaming Router?

Most people who have had broadband Internet access for a while probably know what a router is. It is a device meant for allowing two or more devices within an area to use the same Internet connection. Gaming routers at their core are the same thing, with the exception that the technology used inside of them is optimized to allow the best online gaming performance possible.

Gaming routers are really not much different than a regular Internet router. They use both wired and wireless networking technology (depending on the model) to allow multiple computers or devices to use the same Internet connection. They often use the same wireless protocols and standards, and are often configured in the same way as regular routers. The differences, though, lie in the internal technology used to handle the flow of network traffic. Gaming routers tend to use internal programming to determine which traffic requires the highest priority, and then prioritizing this network traffic. This often results in increased performance for high bandwidth applications, namely games and video streaming. Some of the other technologies used to improve online gaming performance can vary by model.

If you just require a good router for general purpose use instead of one optimized for gaming, then take a look at our reviews of five of the best wireless routers for home and office use.

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Publish Date: 2018-07-31 07:13:16