If … One last note: We don't have full access to our test lab this year as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, so we haven't been able to run this same test with some of the newer models we've reviewed. Get the best wireless routers 2020 for long range home gaming streaming from brands such as Netgear, Asus, Google Wi-Fi, TP-Link, and Netgear. Our local server of choice is a MacBook Pro. When it comes to most anything technology related, the more you spend, the more bells and whistles you get. We liked that previous model for its fast, steady speeds, its impressive lineup of gamer-centric features, and its strong finish in our latency tests. As far as features go it offers DLNA support, port aggregation if you want to deploy it in a SOHO setup, and if you've got any MU-MIMO devices/adapters it supports that too. If you're paying for speeds of up to, say, 50 megabits per second, then your router won't transmit data from the cloud any faster than that. We do our best to account for those variables in our tests, but some factors are beyond our control -- and beyond your router's control, too. Looking for the absolute best connection speeds you can get to power your gaming desktop and let you play lag-free or stream HD video seamlessly then you need the ASUS 4×4 802.11AC Wireless … If you're looking for a router with gaming-minded key features and design, but you're also interested in multipoint mesh networking, then take a look at the Amplifi HD Gamer's Edition from Ubiquiti. Once we're able to test everything in a controlled setting once more, we'll update this section with fresh data. Keep getting shot dead in Fortnite or outmaneuvered when you play Fall Guys? New this year, the RT-AX86U offers all of the same, and it adds in support for Wi-Fi 6 for a retail price of $250. The aforementioned DIR-867 and the Zyxel Armor Z2 each scored well in this speed test, too. Fourteen routers, five locations in my home, three tests per location, two rounds of tests (at minimum). CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. That Netgear model was also the fastest Wi-Fi 5 router on the 5GHz band, which tells us that it's a pretty capable piece of hardware. From mesh to gaming to Wi-Fi 6, these are the best … With an average speed of 85.9Mbps throughout my place, it was the top finisher, but I'd note that speeds dropped considerably at range. ISP speeds can fluctuate throughout the day, so to help account for this as best as I could, I'd run this whole process again with each router at a later time. This is, without a … Across 90 speed tests at my home, it didn't see a single spike above 20ms, which is truly outstanding. If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. FebSmart Wireless AC Dual Band AC1200 (2.4GHz 300Mbps or 5GHz 867Mbps) PCIE Wi-Fi Adapter for Windows Server,7,8,8,1,10(32/64bit) Desktop PCs Online Gaming and Video Streming-PCIe WiFi … But if you've tried all of that and you're ready for an upgrade, you're in the right place. Whenever I test a router, I end up logging at least 100 different speed test results, including the ping time it takes for the router to send a signal to a remote server and receive a response. Each of these graphs show you how much lag I recorded across 90 speed tests for a single router. That raises an obvious question: How do you test the top speed of a router like that TP-Link AX6000, which promises Wi-Fi 6 data transfer rates well above 1,000Mbps? Great gifts you can still get in time for Christmas, 6 streaming services you can give as gifts (including Disney Plus), Get it there by Christmas: 2020 holiday shipping deadlines, Read our D-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Router review, Best game subscription services: Here's how to choose, The best racing wheels and pedals for iRacing and your budget. Read more: The best racing wheels and pedals for iRacing and your budget. Still, a good gaming router should help minimize those occasional latency spikes that can be a real killer when they hit your network at a critical moment during an online match. The optical sensor in play here is considered by some to be the best … It allows you to extend dual band wifi up … All told, that left us with more than a dozen routers to test. The Amplifi HD Gamer's Edition, which uses plug-in mesh extenders to help relay the signal around the house, was the runner up -- it was one of the worst performers when we measured top speeds, but unless you have a blazing fast internet connection of 500Mbps or faster, you won't notice that at all. I can't say the same for the Netgear Nighthawk AX12 or the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, though. This mouse has performance on the brain as evidenced by its 2.4 GHz wireless connection and its svelte 107 gram weight. The tri-band version of the fabled Nighthawk router (read our review) doesn't really bring anything new to the table in terms of features as it's a pretty standard Wave 2 80211.AC router, but it's fast, reliable, and easy to use, and you can't ask for much more in a router. If you’re a competitive gamer who … Wi-Fi 6 routers like the TP-Link Archer AX6000, the Asus ROG Rapture AX11000, and the Netgear Nighthawk AX6000 model seen here were all able to hit top speeds well above 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps). Right behind it, the D-Link DIR-867, which also holds the distinction of being the cheapest router we tested for this roundup. Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500: The best Netgear designed the XR500 for optimal gaming on a wireless network. That, coupled with the fact that it includes a Quality of Service engine that can prioritize gaming traffic, is what made it an easy value pick among this field. That tells me that the DIR-867 would work best in small homes like mine -- anything bigger, and you'll want something with better range. That's enough for most -- especially if you don't want to break the bank on something fancier. 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