With online gaming on the rise, a reliable and fast internet connection is worth its weight in gold. Now, although it’s ideal to have a wired connection for gaming, some folks prefer the convenience bought about by wireless connectivity. If you fall under the same umbrella, then you might be on the fence about your network speeds. Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about a shabby connection with the best budget Wi-Fi routers for gaming at your disposal.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best budget Wi-Fi routers for gaming. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a hardcore enthusiast, these routers offer the speed, reliability, and performance you need to get the most out of your gaming experience. At the same time, these routers won’t break the bank either. So, let’s dive in and find the perfect router for your gaming needs!
But first, you might want to check out the following:
- Understand the difference between a Router and a Modem
- Learn how to choose the right Wi-Fi router for you
- Continue to stay online with these power banks for your Wi-Fi router
1. Tongyu AX1800
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 | Speed: 1.8Gbps
- LAN Ports: 3 | Antennas: 4
- Bands: Dual Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
The router has a combined speed of up to 1800Mbps and the device nets 574Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and close to 1201Mbps on the 5GHz band. Unsurprisingly, the router is more than adept at tackling HD content, online gaming, and other bandwidth-intensive activities.
Unlike the rest of the products on this list, the Tongyu router lacks any gaming-specific features. That said, it more than makes up for its lackluster feature set by being among the most affordable Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market. As such, the device should be able to provide faster speeds and better coverage compared to older Wi-Fi standards.
2. ASUS ROG Strix AX3000
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 | Speed: 3Gbps
- LAN Ports: 4 | Antennas: 4
- Bands: Dual Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
When it comes to gaming features, the ASUS ROG Strix AX3000 has a couple of tricks up its sleeve. You get a dedicated Gaming LAN port for wired connections. As for wireless connectivity, there’s a Mobile Game Mode that minimizes latency for mobile gaming with a single tap.
And, if you’re concerned about network security, then you’ll be glad to know that ASUS offers a lifetime free Network Protection service. At its core, it’s basically a firewall service built into your router directly, but it works very well. As for your gaming flair, the router also benefits from Aura RGB LEDs up front.
3. ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 | Speed: 2.9Gbps
- LAN Ports: 4 | Antennas: 3
- Bands: Dual Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 is among the rare budget Wi-Fi routers for gaming that are certified for NVIDIA’s GeForce Now service. Essentially, if you were to use NVIDIA’s cloud gaming service, you would get the best possible speeds on the router, thanks to its QoS profiles.
Apart from that, the router comes with a triple-level game accelerator. To wit, the device promises lower latency with better routing and traffic control, thereby delivering an enhanced gaming experience. Additionally, for console gamers, configuring Open NAT on the router is a seamless process.
You also get two USB ports here, in case you wish to attach a drive or two to your network. And of course, you get support for ASUS’ AURA RGB lighting, on both the front strip and the ROG logo itself.
4. TP-Link AX5400
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 | Speed: 5.4Gbps
- LAN Ports: 4 | Antennas: 6
- Bands: Dual Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
The TP-Link Tether app makes it easy to set up and manage your network, including setting up a separate guest network for your gaming friends. There’s also support for MU-MIMO technology, which enables multiple devices to connect to the network without any slowdowns. It also includes OFDMA technology, which reduces latency and improves the overall performance of your network.
When it comes to Wi-Fi gaming, you’ll want to stay connected to a router via the 5GHz band. And, as per PCMag’s review, the TP-Link AX5400 absolutely shines in that area. However, the performance of the router on the 2.4GHz band isn’t that great. As such, if you’re concerned about the range, you should probably invest in a Wi-Fi repeater or extender.
5. Tenda AXE5700
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6E | Speed: 5.7Gbps
- LAN Ports: 3 | Antennas: 5
- Bands: Tri Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz + 6GHz)
The major highlight of the router is that it supports the Wi-Fi 6E standard, which comes with a 160MHz bandwidth. This allows your wireless gaming device to connect to the router without any signal interference, and game smoothly and swiftly.
Since most of your devices will be connected to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the 6GHz band can be deployed for your gaming needs. Of course, that also means that your gaming device needs to support Wi-Fi 6E standards as well.
You also get advanced security features like WPA3 encryption, which provides enhanced protection for your network and connected devices. The only downside here is the fact that Tenda isn’t as renowned as opposed to its competitors. But for its price, it’s hard to match the router’s value-for-money proposition.
6. ASUS TUF-AX5400
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 | Speed: 5.4Gbps
- LAN Ports: 4 | Antennas: 6
- Bands: Dual Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
Similar to the company’s other gaming routers, the TUF Gaming AX5400 features a dedicated LAN port which takes priority over the other Ethernet connectors to ensure the maximum speeds possible. There’s also support for link aggregation, should you require that.
For wireless connectivity, you get plenty of QoS profiles inside the ASUS Router app. This enables you to prioritize activities like gaming or video streaming to deliver optimal performance for your gaming sessions.
While it lacks the flashy RGB lights as seen on the ROG Strix lineup, you still get a TUF logo with customizable RGB lighting. Also, per TechRadar, the router scores exceptionally well in the performance department too.
FAQs About Best Budget Wi-Fi Routers for Gaming
Wired connections are generally more reliable and provide lower latency compared to Wi-Fi. That being said, a good quality Wi-Fi router can provide a stable and fast internet connection for online gaming, allowing players to enjoy a smooth and lag-free experience.
Both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies have their advantages and disadvantages. 2.4 GHz frequencies have a longer range and can penetrate walls and other obstacles more easily. On the other hand, while 5 GHz frequencies have a shorter range, they offer faster speeds and less interference. Ultimately, which frequency is better or not totally depends on your specific needs and use case.
At the time of writing, the ASUS GT-AX11000 ROG Rapture is widely regarded as the best router for online gaming.
Overall, a gaming router is designed to optimize the gaming experience by providing fast speeds, low latency, and reliable connections. They prioritize the traffic on your connection while offering better coverage as well.
A gaming router can potentially improve your ping, but it is not a guarantee. A gaming router is designed to provide faster and more reliable internet connectivity, which can result in a lower ping. However, there are various other factors involved as well. Such as your internet speed, the distance between your device and the router, and the quality of the game server you are connecting to.
Improve Your Online Gameplay with These Budget Wi-Fi Gaming Routers
Can a normal router work for gaming? Yes. However, a gaming router often comes with additional features and capabilities that improve the gaming performance and your end-user experience.
The routers listed in this article are all excellent options for gamers on a budget, providing reliable connections, fast speeds, and low latency at an affordable price. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a competitive player, these routers can help you enjoy a smooth and lag-free gaming experience without spending a fortune.
Last updated on 13 March, 2023
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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DID YOU KNOW
Wi-Fi signals are generally in the shape of a doughnut.
