Looking for the best router for gaming and streaming? Struggling with lag whenever you’re shooting heads?
Gaming has steadily gained its spotlight over the years and now doesn’t limit its fans to just entertainment. With streaming, players also get to earn good money and make gaming more interactive.
Securing yourself a router suitable for gaming and streaming delivers the best experience—from high-speed streaming video quality to seamless lag-free gameplay! We’ve pinned down five top routers for gaming and streaming for you.
Best Router for Streaming: ASUS ROG Rapture (GT-AX11000)
High-Speed Gaming and High-Definition Streaming.
ASUS AX11000 provides triple-level game acceleration that speeds up the flow of data and lessens delay during play. This works by accelerating and prioritizing and game-related packets so that your gaming experience is always optimized.
Offering the fastest Wi-Fi speed for modern devices, you can consistently play and stream at the same time without any issues.
Pros:
- It can be connected to up to 15 devices via Wi-Fi, but it’s fast enough to be perfect for LAN parties as well.
- Its tri-band networking dedicates 5GHz bands solely for gaming, eliminating bandwidth competition among paired devices.
- Port forwarding is easy to set up.
Cons:
- Most pricey among all other products on the list.
Best Budget Router for Gamers: TP-Link AC5400 (Archer C5400X)
Wi-Fi Made for Gamers.
A known router created for gamers, TP-Link AC5400 has a data transfer rate of up to 5,334 Mbps. It’s built with a 1.8-GHz 64 bit Quad-core CPU and 1GB RAM to hasten loading processes and eliminate delay.
The AC5400 comes with 8 Gigabit LAN ports, perfect for LAN parties, and a dedicated 5GHz Wi-Fi band for gaming traffic. You can even use this with Alexa.
Pros:
- Affordable yet powerful.
- Uses MU-MIMO (multiple user, multiple input, multiple output) technology that allows the router to connect to several devices simultaneously, avoiding the waiting time.
- Includes a built-in VPN server to ensure safety while browsing the web and downloading files.
Cons:
- Coverage and the number of devices that can be paired aren’t guaranteed. The outcome can be affected by several factors (e.g. surroundings, network conditions and client limitations).
- It’s a must that the paired devices support MU-MIMO, too.
Highest-Compatibility Router for Diverse Gaming Devices: NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming (XR1000)
Stabilization and Flexible Pairing.
Powered by DumaOS 3.0, NETGEAR Nighthawk reduces ping rate up to 93 percent so gamers can enjoy lag-free online gaming and smoother streaming. The lower the ping, the faster the connection.
With a wide-range game console compatibility, this router works with PCs, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStations, and mobile devices. Routers are generally compatible with these devices, but the Nighthawk is built for them—assurance at its finest.
Pros:
- AX5400s Wi-Fi band provides 4x more device capacity than most AC routers.
- 4 x 1G ethernet ports for wired devices.
- Equipped with an advanced cyber-security that supports WPA2/WPA3 wireless security protocols.
Cons:
- Processor speed of 1.5 Ghz Triple-core which is only a little lower than XR500’s 1.7 Ghz Dual-core.
- Comes next to ASUS ROG Rapture in terms of price.
First Router Devised Uniquely for Gaming: Linksys WRT32X AC3200
Gaming Above Everything Else.
Besides being the spearhead, Linksys WRT32X is engineered with the Killer Prioritization Engine, which was the first program to prioritize gaming packets. This router has aged well, remaining competitively priced and reliable despite being out in the market since 2017.
Each linked device is granted with its own data stream, therefore, user rivalry for bandwidth is no longer a problem.
Pros:
- Data transfer rate of 3,200 Mbps.
- Reduces ping rate by up to 77 percent.
- Operating system of MacOS (10.X or higher), Windows 7, Windows 8.1 (works with Windows 10).
Cons:
- Other routers can minimize ping rate to a higher percentage than Linksys WRT32X.
- While this is the cheapest among the five, the restocking date is currently undetermined.
Router with the Most Extended Coverage: NETGEAR Orbi(RBK752)
Connection in Every Corner of your Home.
If you’re using Wi-Fi, then the distance from your internet source affects your signal strength, ultimately cutting at your speed. NETGEAR Orbi is capable of providing beyond belief coverage of up to 5,000 sq. ft.—through doors, ceilings and walls, indoors and out—and 40 plus concurrent devices.
Sold separately, an add-on satellite extends the coverage up to 2,500 sq. ft. Say goodbye to switching on your mobile data because the Wi-Fi doesn’t hit your bathroom.
Pros:
- Up to 4,200 mbps Wi-Fi speed.
- Quick and easy to set-up with the Orbi app, manage settings, evaluate speed and keep track of data usage.
- Protects devices from virus, malware and data theft with a 30-day free trial.
Cons:
- Also costs higher than other routers.
- With a few reports of bugs and issues with the interface from users.
