Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)

Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)
12 min read
11 June 2020

For most people, it is imperative to be virtually connected every day, may it be for work, leisure, or social life. To get the most out of what the Internet can offer, you need the best wifi router. In this video, we’re going to look at the top five wireless routers available on the market today. We made this list based on our own opinion, research, and customer reviews. We’ve considered their quality, features, and values when narrowing down the best choices possible.  So, here are the top five best wireless routers.

5. D-Link DIR-867

Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)D-Link has been a well-known brand in the network equipment industry for decades now. It is known for producing mostly budget range products. The DIR-867 is an affordable option for a wireless router. It gives excellent value to every penny you spend as it is stacked with all the relevant features and performs well at that price point. The DIR-867 packs a Dual-Band connection features that deliver speeds of 450 Mbps on 2.4GigaHertz and 1300 Mbps on 5GigaHertz simultaneously. The 1750 Mbps comes out handy allowing multiple devices to connect without sacrificing speeds or causing latency issues.

This router comes with four antennas and a Dual-Core processor to deliver the maximum performance and range. Apart from that, it also has a Multi‑User MIMO feature to distribute data more efficiently to optimize the speed of your connection. Another useful feature of this router is its compatibility with the D-Link Wi-Fi mobile app. It provides easy setup, management, and monitoring of your devices and connections. Despite being a bit old, the DIR-867 still performs better than other routers in the same price range or even higher. It is one of the most excellent entry-level wireless routers up-to-date, ideal for small workplaces or households.

Its pros are:

  • It is very affordable and performs exceptionally well for its price point
  • The support for the mobile app makes everything easier and convenient

However, the cons are:

  • It is a bit older than most routers on the market today

Some brands offer more innovative features than DIR-867. For instance, you won’t get to experience the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology with this one. Nevertheless, D-Link DIR-867 is a very good option especially if you are on a tight budget and want to upgrade.

4. Asus RT-AC86U

Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)Asus is one of the leading brands in the gaming world. Even though they are not known for network equipment, they do have a line of gaming-grade wireless routers. The Asus RT is such a gaming-centric router that can identify all the issues concerned with lag and bad connections. This router features a 1.8Gigahertz 64bit dual-core processor that allows faster and smoother data transfers. It also supports USB data transferring up to 110mbps and the router speeds up to 1600 Mbps.

Asus RT delivers a maximum 5Gigahertz bandwidth; It is stable and performs well in long ranges. Thanks to the Multi‑User MIMO technology, the router facilitates data transfer speeds up to 2900mbps, allowing a better connection to all devices. It is also able to connect to multiple Multi‑User MIMO-compatible clients simultaneously. The in-built accelerators that boost performance is a key selling factor. The Adaptive Quality of Service or QoS allows the devices to prioritize gaming to make the most of the network bandwidth, ensuring low latency even in consoles. The Gamers Private Network or GPN from WTFast optimizes the routes, ensuring the connection is in the lowest ping and minimal packet loss.

Apart from the performance boosters, the router’s design increases the range drastically. AiRadar further enhances signal received by devices, while AiProtection Pro allows users to identify disguised cyber threats that can steal private data. Apart from all these features, the RT-AC86U is supported by AiMesh. It allows central control of multiple ASUS router models, so you can create a whole-home Wifi network that covering every part of a home. This router also has support to a mobile app for convenient network control.

Its pros are:

  • It is compatible with all devices including consoles and has even better compatibility with Asus devices
  • It has significant software support from Asus as well as third party providers that boost performance
  • It is an affordable gaming router with excellent range

However,

  • It can be overkill and expensive for standard users who are not into gaming
  • Its firmware can get a little bit confusing and tricky

Even though this router is designed for the gaming market, it is also excellent for other users who need that extra speed.

3. Google Nest Wi-Fi

Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)If your goal is to convert your house to a smart home, the Nest wifi is the perfect product to start. Thanks to its innovative and useful features, the Google Nest remains a competitive brand on the market. Traditional wireless routers are slowly coming to an end, and the Nest wifi is a step in the wireless mesh routers. It is a whole net of routers rather than just a single unit which maximizes its range and usability. The system uses the main router and several “point” routers to expand the coverage of the signals. It is loaded with a Quad-core 64-bit ARM CPU for an excellent performance. The Nest Wi-Fi has four internal antennas that create a self-healing 802.11ac network.

It also comes with simultaneous dual-band of 2.4 GigaHertz and 5 GigaHertz facilitating a Multi‑User-MIMO feature, creating a maximum throughput of 2,200 Mbps. Its band is proactive as it sends data to the least congested channel and the preferred extension. The router can cover up to 2,200 square feet, and a two-pack extension is enough to fill an area of 3,800 square feet. The Nest Wi-Fi can accommodate up to 32 extensions, perfect for bigger spaces. You can also use the previous generation of Google Wi-Fi as extensions. An exciting bonus is the built-in Google Home speaker for voice commands and playing music. You can activate the Google Assistant to ask questions and control your smart home features.

Its pros are:

  • It is innovative, smart, and it maximizes the range of your network
  • It is small and compact so you can put it anywhere you want. Its cute design of soft colors and no hard edges make it fit into a variety of home decors
  • It is affordable compared to other wireless mesh router systems
  • It creates an excellent ecosystem with other Google Nest items and with your personal Google account preferences

However, the cons are:

  • There isn’t any available upgrade performance-wise
  • It has minimal configuration options
  • The speaker does not get loud enough

If you are trying to maximize your productivity or fancy a smart home, the Nest wifi is an excellent option.

2. TP-Link Archer C5400 v2

Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)Imagine a maximized range router and multiply it. The Archer C5400 is a high-performing device with an 8-antenna design for maximized coverage and a whole new seamless connectivity level. These 8 antennas are focused on beamforming, allowing the router to detect device locations and concentrate signals towards them. Its core performance boost is from NitroQAM, leveling it up by 25%. It provides the router’s 2.4 and 5 GigaHertz bands with 1000 Mpbs and 2167 Mbps, respectively. The combined tri-band Wi-Fi enables delivery of speeds up to 5334 Mpbs, and the support from Smart Connect allows devices to run even faster.

Like all high-grade routers, the Archer C5400 also features Multi‑User MIMO support for multiple reliable connections. It provides four simultaneous data streams that allow devices to reach 4 times its average speed supported by standard routers. The processor is an ultra-fast 1.4 GigaHertz Dual-Core CPU. It also includes 3 co-processors that enhance performance, making every bite count and lag during games non-existent. The Archer C5400 is easy to set up through the Tether app. It allows easy management of network settings through any Android or iOS device. TP-Links Homecare protects every device. It is also supported by Amazon Alexa, making it easier for users to utilize voice commands to control the router.

Its pros are:

  • It is easy to use, set up, and has a friendly user interface
  • The high range from one router is enough for the whole household
  • It is extremely fast and powerful

However

  • As it is in the premium category, this device is not cheap

The TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 is all about high performance. Its range makes multiple-router systems feel outdated. Considering the user-friendliness and support from Amazon Alexa, it is an ideal router for a house without a tech expert and all these collectively make up for the high price you pay for it.

1. Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000

Best Wireless Router 2020 (budget gaming & home & wifi)As you already know, Wi-Fi 6 is the latest technology in the Internet world and there are plenty of routers out there that supports it. But among all of those routers, the Asus ROG Rapture GT is a top contender. It is the world's first 10 Gigabit wifi router. With its aggressive angular design and the LED-lit Republic of Gaming logo, this router does show off. It provides plenty of speed for whatever you use it for with 802.11ax going up to 1148 Mbps and 802.11ax going up to 4804 Mbps. This means that it supports the Multi‑User-MIMO feature with its tri-band inclusion. It can tap into the latest wireless techniques such as Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access, dynamic frequency selection, and the ability to use any of 15 5-gigahertz bands for the clearest signal.

This router is on the high-performance gaming side as it stacks a 1.8 GigaHertz quad-core CPU and 2.5GBase-T port for ultimate performance. It also has 8 antennas for a maximized range. On the gaming performance side, the router has - “Triple-level game acceleration” with ROG devices prioritization, - Game packet prioritization, and - Support from WTFast to minimize latency and packet losses. Just like the Asus RT, this high-end router also comes with support for a load of Asus and third-party software and features.

Such as:

  • Adaptive Quality of Service
  • Gamers Private Network
  • AiProtection Pro
  • AiMesh
  • Traffic Analyzer
  • Link Aggregation
  • and many more

To push this router to perfection, it supports every gamer's number-one priority –– RGB. With the Quality of Service as well as security and parental controls, the ROG Rapture GT can be a good home router. It does not only prioritize the available bandwidth but its time-scheduling feature can set limits on user logins. Its security scan powered by Trend Micro software helps detect vulnerabilities. The parental controls can also help promote good online health among family members. It can block inappropriate materials and schedule time limits of using the Internet.

Its pros are:

  • It has one of the best wireless performance ever
  • It is extremely user friendly with numerous software support
  • It has plenty of customizations unlike other routers
  • It is an excellent choice not only for gamers and families

However, its cons are:

  • It is expensive
  • It has a limited number of LAN ports compared to other routers in the same price range

If you are a gamer or your work require ultra-fast connections and the lowest latencies, Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, the world's first 10 Gigabit Wi-Fi router is clearly the way to go!

And that completes our top five Wireless Routers on the market. 

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Alex 9.8K
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