The Best Wireless Router Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
If you’re a PC-gaming enthusiast, you know about speed. Gaming rigs are good only if they’re tricked out with the latest and fastest CPUs, lots of memory, the quickest solid state drive (SSD), and, of course, the best graphics cards. 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. Plus, home networks are more taxed than ever, now that so many folks are working from home. So if game performance is important to you, it’s well worth your time to take a close look at optimizing your network.Start with what’s connected. A whole family’s worth of gear can mean oodles of phones, tablets, TVs, streaming video/music devices, and smart home gear all connecting to—and hammering—the beleaguered household router. (It’s not an exaggeration that some households will have dozens of devices.) Any online gamers in the house must compete for that router’s bandwidth with not only everyone else but also all those smart devices. And that can lead to unpredictable, often subpar, performance. Now, on a basic level, many routers, even those we classify as budget routers, offer Quality of Service (QoS) settings that let you give priority to devices or applications that require lots of bandwidth. But not many of them offer the gamer-centric settings and optimizations that you get with a dedicated gaming router. If network lag is messing with your game, read on to find out which gaming routers we recommend. After the list of top picks, we’ll go into more detail about how to choose the one that best suits your household, your play style, and your budget.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
TP-Link Archer AX11000 Next-Gen Tri-Band Gaming Router
Best Overall Gaming Router
Why We Picked ItThe 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. It’s a big tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router with a big price tag, but it’s packed with features and uses top-shelf hardware to keep you in the game, making it one of the best all-around gaming routers available.Who It’s ForIf your current router can’t keep pace with your fast and furious online gaming activities, consider upgrading to the AX11000. Although fairly expensive, it delivers fast throughput and a variety of game-enhancing settings including one-click bandwidth priority, a Game Accelerator that reduces latency, game diagnostics that let you investigate network issues, and a Game Protector dashboard that lets you assign parental controls and protect your network from viruses, phishing attacks, and other malicious content.
PROS
Easy to install
Lots of gamer-friendly settings
Numerous ports
Multi-gig WAN. Link aggregation
Lifetime malware protection
Solid parental controls
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Total Rated Throughput
AX11000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
8
Number of USB ports
2
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPS, WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
TP-Link Archer AX11000 Next-Gen Tri-Band Gaming Router Review
TP-Link Archer GX-90 AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Router
Best Gaming Router Under $300
Why We Picked ItArmed with Wi-Fi 6 circuitry, a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, eight antennas, and three radio bands, the Archer GX-90 racked up high scores in our throughput tests and did a good job of providing strong Wi-Fi signals throughout our test home. 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. Who It’s ForThe Archer GX-90 is a great fit for gamers looking to reduce latency while competing online. It offers fast performance and a user-friendly gaming dashboard with optimization tools such as Game Accelerator to assign bandwidth priority, Game Diagnostics to perform connectivity tests, and Game Protector, which uses TP-Link’s HomeCare software to keep your network safe from malware and ensure safe browsing for family members.
PROS
Easy to install
Strong throughput and signal performance
Lifetime network security and parental control software
Multi-gig connectivity
Gamer-friendly settings
CONS
Pricey
Non-adjustable antennas
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Total Rated Throughput
AX6600
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
4
Number of USB ports
2
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
TP-Link Archer GX-90 AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Router Review
Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Mesh System
Best Wi-Fi Mesh System for Gaming
Why We Picked ItThe Asus ROG Rapture GT6 is one of the few mesh systems we’ve tested made with gamers in mind. The Rapture isn’t cheap, but its superior performance, robust gaming features, and anti-malware tools make it worth every penny. Game-centric settings include a mobile game mode and QoS settings that provide extra bandwidth for online gaming. Meanwhile, a Game Radar diagnostic utility helps you identify the connection quality of servers for specific games. The GT6 earns our Editors’ Choice award for gamer-centric Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems.Who It’s ForWith a cool-looking design and Aura RGB lighting effects, the GT6 is obviously meant for gamers. If you’ve been searching for a whole-home Wi-Fi 6 mesh system that offers many of the features of a dedicated gaming router, look no further.
PROS
Multi-gig WAN with strong broadcast signal
Sleek design
Speedy throughput performance
Lots of game-friendly features
Included anti-malware and parental control software
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Total Rated Throughput
AX10000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
3
Number of USB ports
1
Number of Antennas
9
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Mesh System Review
Netgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router (RAXE500)
Best Wi-Fi 6E Gaming Router
Why We Picked ItThe Netgear RAXE500 was the first Wi-Fi 6E router to reach our labs. 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. This futuristically designed tri-band router delivered very fast throughput and excellent signal range in our performance tests, though its $600 sticker price may put some off.Who It’s ForThe Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is a solid choice for gamers with deep pockets who demand fast throughput and want to future-proof their network with Wi-Fi 6E technology. In addition to a quad-core CPU that’s optimized for 8K video streaming and designed to handle heavy network loads, the RAXE500 offers speedy file transfer performance and is easy to manage using a web console or mobile app, though you’ll have to pay extra for network security software.
PROS
Speedy throughput and file transfer performance
Utilizes 6GHz radio band
Multi-gig LAN/WAN
Link aggregation
Supports 160MHz channel bandwidth
CONS
Expensive
Netgear Armor protection requires subscription
Limited parental controls
No QoS settings
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax with 6E
Total Rated Throughput
AXE1000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
5
Number of USB ports
2
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
Netgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router (RAXE500) Review
Acer Predator Connect W6 Wi-Fi 6E Router
A Solid Alternative to the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
Why We Picked ItWith its backlit LEDs, sleek grillework, and impressive hardware specs, the Predator Connect is obviously designed with gamers in mind. The Predator uses Intel’s Killer Prioritization Engine and Acer’s Hybrid Quality of Service features to allow gamers to give bandwidth priority to devices and applications at the same time. You’ll also find an Nvidia GeForce Now setting that provides optimized bandwidth settings for GeForce Now gaming clients, and a Max Throughput setting that enables maximum throughput with NAT acceleration and no bandwidth limitations.Who It’s ForIf you’re looking for a tri-band router that supports the relatively uncrowded 6GHz frequency, and your gaming PC also supports it, the Predator Connect is a good choice. It could also be the best fit for wired connections under 1Gbps, since while it lacks multi-gigabit ports, one of its LAN ports automatically gives bandwidth priority to gaming consoles, PCs, or whatever device is using it to connect to your network.
PROS
Easy to configure
Solid throughput and file transfer performance
Supports 6GHz transmissions
Lifetime network security and parental controls
CONS
Pricey
Middling signal strength performance
Mobile app offers limited functionality
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax with 6E
Total Rated Throughput
AXE7800
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
4
Number of USB ports
1
Number of Antennas
6
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
Acer Predator Connect W6 Wi-Fi 6E Router Review
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro
Best Gaming Router for Multi-Gig LAN Connections
Why We Picked ItThe Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro may be expensive, but it’s also one of the most capable routers we’ve ever seen if you’re primarily going to be connecting your gaming PC via Ethernet cable. Crammed with lightning-fast wired ports, this router offers a 10Gbps LAN/WAN port, a 2.5Gbps WAN port, and four 1Gbps LAN ports. If those already-screaming top wired speeds aren’t enough for your needs, the router also supports link aggregation, offering the potential for truly massive bandwidth and future-proofing. There’s also one USB 3.2 (Gen 1) port and one USB 2.0 port. The router is powered by a 2GHz quad-core CPU, 256MB of flash memory, and 1GB of DDR4 RAM, helping it deliver deliver sizzling wireless throughput scores in our performance tests. Who It’s ForIf you crave a high-end router with the latest and greatest technology, look no further. It’ll set you back something of a bundle (the MSRP is $450, though you may see it discounted a bit from that), but that cash buys you superior performance and a slew of high-speed networking ports. It also comes with lifetime parental controls, advanced QoS settings, and network security software, all bundled into a slick, gamer-friendly interface.
PROS
Blazing throughput speeds
Wide signal coverage
10Gbps LAN/WAN
Lifetime parental control and network security software
Lots of gamer-centric settings
CONS
Expensive
Large footprint
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Total Rated Throughput
AX11000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
5
Number of USB ports
2
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro Review
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000
A Solid Alternative to the GT-AX11000 Pro
Why We Picked ItThe GT-AXE16000 is a good upgrade pick over the GT-AX11000 Pro if you need multi-gig networking ports for gaming PCs and consoles, but also want to add Wi-Fi 6E to future-proof the wireless portion of your home network. Otherwise, the two routers are very similar, both offering multiple multi-gigabit ports for wired connections, built-in network-security tools, support for mesh networking, and lots of gamer-centric settings.Who It’s ForThe GT-AXE16000 is even more expensive than the already-pricey GT-AX11000 Pro, so this router only makes sense if you’re considering the latter but know you want to add Wi-Fi 6E capability to your network.
PROS
Fast throughput speeds in our tests
Support for Wi-Fi 6E
Three multi-gigabit ports
Comes with network-security and parental-control software
Can be expanded into a mesh system with additional units
Gamer-friendly settings
CONS
Very expensive
Huge footprint
Middling file transfer and 5GHz signal range performance
SPECS
Name
Value
Wireless Specification
802.11ax with 6E
Total Rated Throughput
AXE16000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
6
Number of USB ports
2
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
4
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
MU-MIMO
IPv6 Compatible
Quality of Service
VPN Client Pre-Installed
Supports DD-WRT
Anti-Malware Tools
Wireless Parental Controls
Link Aggregation
Beamforming
Guest Networking
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 Review
Buying Guide: The Best Gaming Routers for 2024
Gaming Router vs. Regular Router: What’s the Difference?Perhaps the biggest difference between a gaming router and a typical consumer router is how it handles QoS, or bandwidth prioritization duties. Almost all routers offer some sort of QoS. This can be as basic as the generic Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) extensions that automatically prioritize network packets carrying data necessary for voice over IP (VoIP) and video conferencing apps. 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.Gaming routers go a step further, by offering prioritization for specific gaming systems and applications, and allowing you to decide how much bandwidth each client is entitled to. That can be especially important if you have multiple online gamers in the same household, who are all competing for the feed from the same pipe. For example, some gaming routers have firmware that automatically gives network priority to devices that are equipped with the Intel Killer Prioritization Engine. When the router detects a device equipped with Killer networking hardware, it gives that device the lion’s share of bandwidth to ensure smooth, lag-free online gameplay. Many gaming routers also use a modified management console with a gamer-friendly user interface that makes it easy to assign bandwidth priorities on the fly. Many Netgear gaming routers run DumaOS, an interactive, gamer-friendly operating system developed by Netduma. 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.
(Credit: Netgear)
It also has a Geo-Filter feature that can help reduce lag by limiting the distance to the host servers you play on. By setting your home location on the map and specifying a distance range, you can prevent players and servers that are outside of your range from hosting your game.You can also use customized software to enhance online gaming performance. Using firmware from sources such as OpenWRT, DD-WRT, and Tomato, you can unleash the full potential of your router to enhance overall signal strength, monitor real-time usage, and prioritize bandwidth usage. To do this, though, the router must support open-source firmware upgrades. Make sure you have a good idea of how routers and firmware work together before you decide to go this route. Dual-Band or Tri-Band: What’s Best for Gaming?Any gaming router worth its salt will offer at least two radio bands. The 2.4GHz band is the most widely used band and tends to get more crowded than the 5GHz and 6GHz bands. You’ll get much better range on the 2.4GHz band, but it can’t match the speeds that you get with 5GHz or 6GHz. Every router that comes through PC Labs is thoroughly tested across all bands, but you should be aware that different bands can have an impact on performance.
(Credit: Netgear)
If your gaming system is in close proximity to your router, the 5GHz and 6GHz bands will provide the best throughput performance. If you have numerous devices connecting to your network, a router with three or more bands is your best bet, especially if you’re also employing range extenders to reach the far corners of your home. Tri-band routers add a second 5GHz band that you can dedicate to certain devices or applications. For example, you can reserve an entire 5GHz band just for gaming (so long as your PC-gaming rig or your console supports 5GHz Wi-Fi) and use the other 5GHz band for high-bandwidth applications such as video streaming, massive file transfers, or torrent downloads. This leaves the more crowded 2.4GHz band free for everyday tasks such as web surfing and connecting to smart-home devices such as lights, cameras, locks, and security systems.Buying for Tomorrow: MU-MIMO, Beamforming, and Wider ChannelsOf course, if you are a dedicated online gamer (or you have one in your household), you know that network demands for the latest games seldom move in the direction of “less demanding.” So you’ll want to make sure you choose a future-proof router.Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology is a big feature to look for today. It allows for simultaneous data streaming to multiple clients, as opposed to sequential streaming. 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. 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. (For more on MU-MIMO, check out our primer, Understanding MU-MIMO Wireless.)Another key emerging tech to look for, beamforming, also helps to improve throughput. As the name suggests, it involves shaping the signal itself, in the interest of efficiency and increasing range. It transmits a Wi-Fi signal in a more focused manner straight at a client, rather than broadcasting in all directions. 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.Be aware that, while all Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) devices (more about which in a moment) support beamforming, not all 802.11ac routers do. (Also, know that some router makers refer to the beamforming feature in their products with their own proprietary names.)
(Credit: Linksys)
Many of the latest gaming routers also offer a wider channel bandwidth of up to 160MHz, compared with the typical 40MHz and 80MHz channel widths that you get with older routers. As with MU-MIMO, you’ll need 160MHz-compatible clients to access the wider channels. But it makes wholehearted sense to opt for 160MHz in a new gaming router now, seeing as, like with MU-MIMO, support for it will become increasingly common in new devices you add to your network down the road.What Is Wi-Fi 6?802.11ax is also known Wi-Fi 6 or High Efficiency (HE) Wireless, and there is no shortage of Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market. This standard is an evolution of 802.11ac technology. It promises increased throughput speeds (up to 4.8Gbps), less network congestion, greater client capacity, and better range performance courtesy of several new and improved wireless technologies including Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Target Wake Time (TWT). OFDMA improves overall throughput by breaking Wi-Fi channels into sub-channels, allowing up to 30 users to share a channel at the same time. Target Wake Time (TWT) is designed to reduce power consumption by allowing devices to determine when and how often they will wake up to begin sending and receiving data. TWT tech is expected to extend the battery life of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as battery-powered smart home devices such as security cameras and video doorbells.All these capabilities make Wi-Fi 6 perfect for Wi-Fi mesh networks, which are fast becoming the most popular choice for broad home networking, even more so now that they’re starting to drop in price. 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. It also offers uplink and downlink MU-MIMO streaming. (In contrast, 802.11ac supports only downlink MU-MIMO.) As with the 802.11ac protocol, 802.11ax is backward-compatible and works with devices that use 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi radios. Although 802.11ax routers are widely available, there are still many client devices that don’t yet support this latest standard. If you’re thinking about upgrading now, read our explainer first.Some routers now also support the even newer Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 specs. The former is the same as Wi-Fi 6, as far as software and features go, but routers that support them can access the 6GHz band. That provides a huge bandwidth boost, so it helps with bandwidth-hungry apps, especially games, as well as chronic connection problems due to congestion in more crowded environments, like an apartment building. However, your Wi-Fi 6E-enabled gaming device must be located in the same room (or very nearby) to connect to a Wi-Fi 6E router using the 6GHz band, as 6GHz signal range is much shorter than 2.4GHz range.In addition to opening up access to the 6GHz band, Wi-Fi 7 adds support for a few additional features, including 320MHz channel bandwidth and multi-link operation (MLO), which allows devices to simultaneously send and receive data over multiple radio bands. While several gaming routers are available with Wi-Fi 6E technology, Wi-Fi 7, whose specifications were only recently finalized, is still in its infancy from a router perspective. More to Know: Ports, Security, Access ControlsMost gaming routers use the same hardware inside that traditional Wi-Fi routers do, but you’ll often be able to tell the gaming models apart from the rest on sight. They usually sport a somewhat different exterior-chassis design than their general-purpose counterparts. Shop around, and you may see unusual flair, such as a stylish enclosure or even LED illumination effects.On a more utilitarian level, at a minimum you should look for a router that has at least four gigabit LAN ports, so you can offer up wired connectivity to nearby gaming consoles, printers, and PCs. Many gaming routers also now offer a multi-gigabit WAN port and at least one multi-gigabit LAN port, useful if you subscribe to internet speeds of a gigabit or higher. At least one USB port, preferably supporting USB 3.0, comes in handy for attaching peripherals you want to share across the network, such as portable hard drives, flash drives, and printers. A router with two such USB ports offers a lot more flexibility.
(Credit: Netgear)
Parental controls are important, too, especially if you happen to have younger children. 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. A guest-networking feature is also worth looking for if you often have digitally savvy houseguests, as it lets you provide limited wireless access to your network using a separate SSID and password. This way, your guests can access the internet, but they can’t see other network assets, such as folders, files, printers, and the identities of other connected clients. (Plus, you can assign guests to a radio band that won’t interfere with your gaming!)
(Credit: Asus)
All routers, of course, offer some type of security. Wi-Fi Protected Access (in WPA and/or WPA2 flavors) is the most common, and it requires that each client use a password to access the network. 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. For more robust security measures, though, look for a router that supports WPS-Enterprise or Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) authentication.So, What Is the Best Gaming Router to Buy?You’ll find a rundown of our favorite gaming routers’ specs below. Once you’ve found the right model for your home and budget, you’ll also want to see our tips for setting up your router and boosting your Wi-Fi signal.
