Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
October 2, 2025: With this update, our lineup of recommended gaming routers remains unchanged. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Note that the US Commerce, Defense, and Justice Departments are investigating routers from TP-Link with an eye to a possible ban on sales in the US, according to a report. For now, we retain our recommendation for the TP-Link product listed here, but we will reassess its status pending further developments.
The Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro combines top-shelf components, the latest Wi-Fi 7 technologies, and a host of gamer-friendly features to deliver the fastest 6GHz performance we’ve seen to date. If your gaming PC is in the same room as your router, the GT-BE98 Pro will be an excellent choice no matter your connection type. Prefer wired? Use the dedicated 10GbE game port. Wireless? We measured speeds in excess of 3,000Mbps via a 6GHz connection. However, note that 6GHz signal strength will likely drop significantly as you move further away from the router, a drawback that all Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E routers share.
The Rapture GT-BE98 Pro is best for gamers who want to future-proof their networks and have the budget to do so. It’s now cheaper than its original $800 MSRP, but it’s still a tough sell for everyone else. If you’d like 6GHz data transmissions but don’t want to spend a bundle for a Wi-Fi 7 router, consider a Wi-Fi 6E router instead.
Wireless Specification
802.11be
Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput)
BE30000
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
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro Review
The Asus RT-BE96U is a massive tri-band Wi-Fi router that uses Wi-Fi 7 technology and a generous assortment of high-speed ports to deliver speedy throughput over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz radio bands. As with most Wi-Fi 7 routers, it’s expensive, but you get many features for the money, including a pair of 10GbE networking ports, high-speed USB connectivity, free parental control software, and, most importantly, fast throughput performance. Of particular note for gamers is the Game Mode feature, which optimizes the network for mobile gaming and gives mobile devices bandwidth priority.
The Asus RT-BE96U is an excellent choice for gamers ready to take the Wi-Fi 7 plunge.
Wireless Specification
802.11be
Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput)
BE19000
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
Learn More
Asus RT-BE96U Review
The Asus ROG Rapture GT6 is one of the few mesh systems we’ve seen designed with gamers in mind. The Rapture isn’t cheap, but its superior performance, robust gaming features, and anti-malware tools make it worth every cent. Game-centric settings include a mobile game mode and QoS settings that provide extra bandwidth for online play. Meanwhile, a Game Radar diagnostic utility helps you identify the connection quality of servers for specific games. The GT6 easily earns our Editors’ Choice award for gamer-centric Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems.
With a cool-looking design and Aura RGB lighting effects, the Rapture 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, Asus has your number.
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Speed (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
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Mesh System Review
A dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router designed for hardcore gamers, the Reyee E6 AX6000 doesn’t offer anything particularly unique or innovative, but it has all the basics you need to serve up snappy play without too much fiddling. Perhaps its most useful feature is a built-in separation between gaming and other uses: When you first install the E6, it creates not only the usual 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks but also a 5GHz Game network that you can dedicate exclusively for wireless gaming. The router also packs multi-gig connectivity, gamer-centric QoS settings, and a dedicated gaming LAN port to help bring your online experience up to speed.
If you want the essentials—class-leading throughput speeds and game-enhancing settings—without too many flashy extras, this is the gaming router for you.
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput)
AX6000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
4
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
2
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
Learn More
Reyee E6 AX6000 Gaming Router Review
The TP-Link GE800 BE19000 is a tri-band router designed for gamers, with Wi-Fi 7 tech to deliver speedy throughput and a generous assortment of gamer-friendly features. One particularly noteworthy feature is the SFP+ port, a rarity on consumer routers. It’s not necessarily better than the multi-gigabit Ethernet-only ports that many of the other routers on this list offer. Still, this niche jack provides additional flexibility for wired connections, especially if you’re one of the increasing number of gamers who subscribe to fiber-based internet plans with speeds in excess of 1Gbps.
The Archer GE800 is a good choice if you’re a gamer in one of two specific situations: you want Wi-Fi 7 now and don’t want to spend more than $600, or you want the flexibility that an SFP+ port provides.
Wireless Specification
802.11be
Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput)
BE19000
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
5
Number of USB ports
1
Number of Antennas
8
Number of Bands
3
Wireless Networking Security
WPA2, WPA3
Learn More
TP-Link Archer GE800 BE19000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router Review
The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro may be pricey, but it’s also one of the most capable routers we’ve ever seen if you plan to connect 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 screaming speeds aren’t enough for your needs, the GT-AX11000 Pro also supports link aggregation, offering the potential for truly massive bandwidth and future-proofing. You’ll also find a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port and a 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 in our performance tests.
If you crave a high-end router with the latest and greatest technology, look no further. This Rapture will set you back something of a bundle (MSRP is $450, though you may find it discounted slightly), 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.
Wireless Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Speed (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
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro Review
The Rapture 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 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 plenty of gamer-centric settings.
Asus’ GT-AXE16000 is even more expensive than the costly 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.
Wireless Specification
802.11ax with 6E
Wi-Fi Speed (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
Learn More
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 Review
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The Best Gaming Routers for 2025
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Buying Guide: The Best Gaming Routers for 2025
Gaming Router vs. Regular Router: What’s the Difference?
Among the biggest differences between a gaming router and a typical consumer router is how it handles quality of service (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. Alternately, QoS controls can be as granular as drag-and-drop prioritization that lets you assign a higher priority to specific devices connected to the network, ensuring they experience better performance than other devices.
Gaming routers go a step further by offering prioritization for specific gaming systems and programs and letting you decide how much bandwidth each client is entitled to. That can be especially important if you have multiple online gamers in the same household, all competing for the feed from the same pipe. For example, some gaming routers have firmware that automatically gives network priority to devices equipped with the Intel Killer Prioritization Engine. When the router detects a device fitted with Killer networking hardware, it provides that device with 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, for example, run DumaOS, an interactive operating system developed by Netduma. It has a sleek-looking dashboard that lets you see what’s going on with your network at a glance, with graphs showing real-time CPU and bandwidth usage, currently installed apps, guest networking status, and Wi-Fi and internet status.
(Credit: Netgear)
DumaOS 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 outside 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 your router’s full potential to improve 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.
How Many Radio Bands Should a Gaming Router Have?
Any gaming router worth its salt will offer at least two Wi-Fi radio bands. The 2.4GHz band is the most widely used and tends to get more crowded than the 5GHz and 6GHz bands. You’ll also get much better range on the 2.4GHz band, but it can’t match the speeds you get with 5GHz or 6GHz. Every router that comes through PC Labs is thoroughly tested across all bands, but you should know that different bands impact performance.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The 5GHz and 6GHz bands will provide the best throughput if your gaming system is near your router. If you have numerous devices connecting to your network, a router with three or more bands is your best bet, especially if you also employ range extenders to reach the far corners of your home.
Tri-band routers add a second 5GHz band that you can dedicate to specific devices or applications. For example, you can reserve an entire 5GHz band just for gaming (as long as your gaming PC or console supports 5GHz Wi-Fi) and use the other 5GHz band for high-bandwidth apps such as video streaming, massive file transfers, or torrent downloads. This frees the more crowded 2.4GHz band for everyday tasks such as web surfing and connecting to smart-home devices such as lights, cameras, locks, and security systems.
Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7: Which Is Best for Gaming?
Most gaming routers today are members of the (802.11ax) Wi-Fi 6 generation, an evolution of 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) technology. It offers 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 subchannels, allowing up to 30 users to share a channel simultaneously. Target Wake Time (TWT) reduces 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 home networking overall.
(Credit: René Ramos; Wi-Fi Alliance; Getty Images/LIORIKI)
Aside from its suitability as a mesh protocol, Wi-Fi 6 takes advantage of previously unused radio frequencies to provide faster 2.4GHz performance and uses refined uplink and downlink bandwidth management to enhance QoS. It also offers uplink and downlink MU-MIMO streaming. (By contrast, 802.11ac supports only downlink MU-MIMO.) As with 802.11ac, 802.11ax is backward-compatible and works with devices that use 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi radios.
Many more expensive gaming routers support the even newer Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 specs. The former is the same as Wi-Fi 6 regarding software and features, but it adds access to 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 apartment buildings. However, your Wi-Fi 6E-enabled gaming device must be located in the same room (or very near) 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 supports a few additional features, including 320MHz channel bandwidth and multi-link operation (MLO), which lets devices 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 finalized in 2024, is still rather in its infancy from a router perspective.
More to Know: Ports, Security, Access Controls
Most gaming routers use the same hardware inside as traditional Wi-Fi routers, but you’ll often be able to tell the gaming models apart from the rest on sight. They usually sport a somewhat different chassis design than their general-purpose counterparts. Shop around, and you may see unusual flair, such as a stylish finned enclosure or LED illumination.
On a more practical level, at a minimum, you should look for a router with at least four gigabit LAN ports to offer wired connectivity to nearby gaming consoles, PCs, and printers. Many gaming routers also offer a multi-gigabit WAN port and at least one multi-gigabit LAN port, which is useful if you subscribe to internet speeds greater than 1Gbps. At least one USB port, preferably supporting USB 3.0 or higher, is handy for attaching peripherals you want to share across the network, such as portable hard drives and flash drives. A router with two or more USB ports offers extra flexibility.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Parental controls are also essential, especially if you have younger children. These tools allow you to block access to specific 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 house guests, 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 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, requiring 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.
Ready to Buy the Right Gaming Router for You?
We trust our advice and picks have set you on your way; after all, no single router is best for every type of gamer. This guide can help you find the suitable model for your home and budget. After you’ve chosen one, you’ll also want to see our tips for setting up your router and boosting your Wi-Fi signal.
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