Best gaming router – best router for gaming

In today’s society, technology is advancing by leaps and bounds. This means that previous technology is rapidly becoming too old and no longer sufficient. Gaming via wireless network connection is demanding and it requires the best router for gaming. That’s also why I list the best gaming router so you can easily know which one is best.

Below you have a table of the best budget gaming router. Then I go through what a router is and what you should think about before you buy one. Finally, I go into more detail on the different products and give my view on them.

How does a router work?

It is important to have some basic knowledge about how a router works to be able to keep up with the article.

A router’s task is to make sure that you can connect with your mobile, computer and tablet to the internet. Via the internet, you can then, for example, stream music and play games. It is then the router that still ensures that you are connected to the internet and can do these things.

The router works as if it directs the network traffic to where it is going. The router also consists of several different components that have different functions. For example, a router has a firewall. A router is like a small computer you could say.

Why should you have a gaming router?

If you are a gamer, you have probably experienced that you have started to lag or that the internet has completely disappeared while you were playing. This is usually the router’s fault.

A gaming router is designed and built to deliver a strong and stable connection to the internet. You will no longer have to play with teams or the connection will be broken from time to time.

If you play multiplayer games, you really do not want to start lagging. With a gaming router, that chance is minimized as it is built to be able to handle games. A cheap regular router cannot really handle demanding multiplayer games and that is when lag occurs.

A gaming router also works great if you want to stream movies or music that is also demanding. What distinguishes a regular router from a gaming router is that a gaming router is able to deliver a stable connection even when you are playing. In addition, a gaming router has the same features as a regular router.

A good network cable is also good to have if you decide not to get a router. You can read more about which is the best network cable here.

Features the best gaming router should have

There are a few different features that a router should have to suit gaming.

MU-MIMO

What is it you might be wondering? MU-MIMO stands for Multiple user, Multiple Input, Multiple Output which is good for you who have several users who are connected simultaneously to the same Wifi.

An ordinary and traditional router has frequency bands that can only communicate with one device (computer, mobile, tablet, etc.) at a time. With MU-MIMO technology, each frequency band can instead communicate with as many as 4 different devices. You who do not want a lag, may think that if it then communicates, the connection will not be as stable. That’s wrong, MU-MIMO technology provides a more stable and smoother connection, which is optimal for gaming.

Wifi 6 – the latest wifi standard

Wifi 6 is the latest wifi standard and is optimal for gaming. It is also usually called 802.11ax. Wifi 5 is also called 802.11ac and is still the one that most routers use.

Wifi 6 has much better range, speed and bandwidth than wifi 5. If you have an older router that uses wifi 5 or older, it is definitely worth upgrading.

DumaOS

DumaOS is software developed by Netduma and Netgear. It is an interface and helps you manage your network.

It also has features such as setting which ping your enemies may have. You should also be able to play with people who are close to you geographically. This should lead to less teams and a better gaming experience.

QoS

QoS stands for Quality of Service and is an important feature of a gaming router.

With QoS, you can decide how much bandwidth a particular device should have. For example, you can add 50% of the bandwidth to your gaming computer. The other units that are connected may then share the remaining 50%. In this way, you can distribute the bandwidth to where it is most useful.

Beamforming

This technology is for wireless networks. A router with beamforming often has 4 antennas on it that you can angle. The signals then go from these antennas to your device. Because you can point these antennas however you want, you can then angle them towards your device. This results in a better connection.

A router without beamforming sends out signals in all directions with the same strength. The strength is thus not concentrated in the direction where your units are.

Speed ​​via the router

How fast the router is is also determined by the speed you ordered from the provider. If you order 100 Mbits from, for example, Telenor, it is the Jew speed you want to get to the computer or other device. The only way to get exactly 100 Mbits is to have a wired network where cables go out to the various devices.

However, most people want a wireless network and this is where the router comes into the picture. The router sends these 100 Mbits to the various devices. The better the router, the more of these 100 Mbits reach the device.

It also means that the internet connection you have cannot be faster than what you actually pay for with the provider. Therefore, it can also be good to take a look at their subscription.

What to consider before buying a gaming router?

As with much else, you need to decide what features you want the product you are buying to have. If there is something special that is important, you should look for routers that have it. The routers that we list here in the best gaming router list, have all the features that are well suited for gaming.

If, on the other hand, you have any extra requests such as support for wireless storage, you can keep an eye out for it on the product pages.

It is also important to know approximately how much money you want to spend on a gaming router. It will then be easier to know where to start looking and what you can expect to find for the router.

The features I listed above are good things to look for if you want a router for gaming. These are all relatively new functions and if the router has these, it is a very good router that you can have for many years.

Do you have fiber?

There are actually two different things you can have, ADSL or fiber. If you have ADSL, the router needs to have a modem in addition to the router itself. There is thus an additional device, in addition to the router.

If, on the other hand, you have fiber, you can skip routers with a modem as it can cost a little extra money. Instead, spend that money on something else.

If possible, you should choose fiber over ADSL as it is more stable and faster.

Please also read: best gaming mouse pad.

Easy installation of router

Today’s routers often come pre-installed and are almost just plugging in the cables and starting to enjoy the network.

If you are very knowledgeable in routers, you may want a router that is not fully configured. Then you can make several choices yourself. For most people, it’s crazy too advanced though. All routers that I list here are therefore easy to install.

How have I thought about the ranking in the list?

Many factors have had to be considered, too many to be able to name them all. The most important for me, however, have been speed and price. This is because you want a router that is fast but also affordable.

Best gaming router – router for gaming

Finding the best gaming router has been difficult as there are many good options out there in the market. There are also very different factors to consider, such as price, features and speed. Here comes the ranking.

1: Netgear XR500 Nighthawk – best wifi router for gaming

     

Connectivity Technology	Wireless, Wired
Brand	NETGEAR
Control Method	Voice
Frequency Band Class	Dual-Band
Wireless Communication Standard	802.11ac
Security Protocol	WPA-PSK;WPA2-PSK
Number of Ports	7
LAN Port Bandwidth	1000 Mbps
Data Transfer Rate	2600 Megabits Per Second
Voltage	220 Volts

The Netgear XR500 Nighthawk is the best gaming router. Much thanks to the ability to use the Duma OS. As I mentioned earlier, you can then, for example, set which ping your opponents may have. If you play, just like I do multiplayer games, this router is absolutely the best.

The connection is stable and extremely fast. The router is built for gaming and you really feel it when you play. The gaming experience is lag-free and cruel.

There are 4 antennas on the router which allows you to point them in all different directions. Having more than 4 is usually not necessary if you do not have all your devices extremely scattered. Even if you now had the units extremely scattered and ate all the different directions, the signal is strong enough to still deliver a cruel experience.

2: Linksys EA9500– stable router for gaming

If there are several of you in the household and you are all connected to the Wifi, there are no problems at all. Everyone could play demanding multiplayer games and the connection would still be awesome. The network connection is lightning fast and stable. This is possible because the router has MU-MIMO and Tri-band.

It is easy to install and set up. This is because it comes with installation options so that you can start playing quickly.

With 8 antennas, it is also possible to point it in several directions. This is something that I myself think is very good as we have several connected devices that are a bit everywhere. Then I can point one or more antennas at each unit.

It also has a very good security with both WPA / WPA 2 encryption and advanced firewall.

This router is perfect for you who want a fast and stable connection even when several devices are connected.

3: ASUS Wireless Router RT-AX88U NORDIC – Gaming router with awesome security

ASUS Wireless Router RT-AX88U NORDIC is a real monster with incredibly fast speed. In addition, they have put a lot of gunpowder on security. For example, they may block access to sites that pose a threat to you.

Nice design with golden details I also like. Creates a “cool” look that goes well with gaming.

The speed is extremely fast and you can be sure that the speed will not be a problem when you play. It also has 4 antennas that can be bent and turned in the direction the units are located.

It is also possible to control the router via Amazon Alexa, something that I myself thought was awesome. Then I could only give it commands by talking.

A router for you who want your internet to be really damn fast.

4: Netgear XR300 Nighthawk – best budget gaming router

Netgear XR300 Nighthawk is a good gaming router for you who do not want to spend a lot of money.

The gaming dashboard is something I really like. Among other things, you can easily distribute the traffic to the various units and see ping times.

The speed is not as fast as with the others I have listed, but it is still fast in terms of price range. It also has dual bands with 2.4 and 5 GHz, which provides a stable connection.

The range is not quite as large as the others I listed, but for most homes it works well. 3 antennas also allow you to control the signals in the direction of your connected devices.

The best thing about this router is the price, it is incredibly affordable.

5: Asus – RT-AC88U Wireless AC3100 Dual-Band Gigabit Router

Asus – RT-AC88U Wireless AC3100 Dual-Band Gigabit Router is a fast router that has a nice design.

It uses beamforming as it has antennas that can be directed in the direction of the connected devices.

It is also possible to control the child’s surfing through a parental control. It can be good to have when the child is small.

The router is fast but unfortunately lacks Wifi 6. This means that it does not have the latest Wifi standard. The speed is still really fast and you will not have any problems playing games or streaming movies in 4K.