![]() The Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700 is no ordinary router. Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700: The best all-round gaming router The best gaming routers you can buy in 2023 1. Finally, we weigh up whether the router’s performance and features justify its price. We try out all of these functions, and explore the management interface to discover how easy it is to navigate and access the various gamer functions. We also thoroughly explore each router’s gaming features as some “gaming” routers offer little more than a flashy design, while others build in extensive game-specific optimisations and customisable traffic-management features. If the router supports Wi-Fi 6E, we repeat the tests on the 6GHz band. This reveals the real-world performance and range of the router’s wireless hardware, in terms that can be directly compared with competing routers. To test performance, we take our laptop to various locations in the home, copy a standard set of files to and from the NAS, and measure read and write speeds in megabytes per second. We also hook up a NAS appliance to the router via gigabit Ethernet – or a faster wired connection, if the router supports it. First, we use the router’s mobile app or web interface to install the router in a typical home, connecting to its 5GHz wireless network from a standard test laptop, equipped with an Intel Wi-Fi 6E network card supporting 2x2 MIMO. But if your current router uses an integrated modem, don’t splash out on a replacement until you’ve confirmed that you can switch your old router into modem-only mode, or hook up your new gaming router via some other method.Įvery gaming router that comes into our labs undergoes a rigorous set of hands-on tests. If you have a standalone DSL or cable modem, you can just yank its cable out from your old router and plug it into the new one. There’s just one thing that you won’t find in any of these routers, and that’s a built-in modem. Those include the option to operate a separate wireless network for guests, set up parental controls, and share a hard disk or thumb drive with your whole network via the router’s USB ports. What other features should I look out for?Īs we’ve mentioned, you can expect all the same features you’d demand from an ordinary domestic router. Bear in mind, though, that there’s usually only a single high-speed port on the router, so if you want to hook up more than one computer you’ll need to invest in a multi-port switch, which pushes up the price considerably. What these upscale ports are good for is letting systems within your home network communicate with each other at tremendous speeds, which might be attractive if you want to host a local multiplayer tournament. However, even a gigabit Ethernet link has more bandwidth than most domestic internet services, so using one of these faster connections between your PC and your router will probably make zero difference to your gaming (or anything else you do online). You can expect a gaming router to have at least four standard Ethernet ports some also have dedicated 2.5GbE or 10GbE ports. Do I need an ultra-fast wired connection for gaming? ![]() As you’d hope, that router offers excellent performance and a superb set of gaming features – but if you just need simple traffic prioritisation then there are other options out there that can transform your gaming experience for a lot less money. The cheapest router on our list below costs £204, and prices go as high as £438 for the top-of-the-range Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700. Gaming routers tend to be somewhat pricey. With all routers, though, real-world performance varies from model to model, and different manufacturers include different game-specific software enhancements, so we strongly recommend comparing the specs, features and prices to find the specific router that’s right for you. Almost all current models support the high-speed 802.11ax standard (also known as WiFi 6), and some offer Wi-Fi 6E, which allows compatible devices to connect on the super-fast 6GHz radio band. When you’re shopping for a gaming router, you can expect that all the standard router functions will be well covered. How to choose the right gaming router for you These routers typically include advanced quality-of-service (QoS) controls, which ensure that your games get priority ahead of other network traffic they may also use clever tricks like geofencing to minimise latency by ensuring you only connect to the closest servers.īut which features should you be looking out for? And how much should you expect to pay? Here’s our buyer’s guide to help you make the right choice, along with our selection of the best gaming routers on the market. If that problem sounds familiar, a specialised gaming router could well be the answer. Best PC 2021: Powerful, expandable desktop PCs from £449- save £100 on the Acer Aspire XC!
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