The best WiFi routers for gaming

Best gaming routers in 2025 (UK)

If you're devoted to playing the latest newest games online, you'll know the pain of network issues. We're talking the kind of frustrating lag that comes from having a sluggish WiFi connection. That's a fast track to dropping out of your game.

Unless you're playing with a wired LAN connection, these issues are almost inevitable. Online game sessions will drop out. You will experience lag. It's going to affect your gaming. It can be maddening. But there's a solution: A high-powered gaming router.

But buying a gaming-friendly router comes with the same problems as any other high-end device. Unless your deeply embedded in the tech, it's almost impossible to decipher all the jargon and know exactly what you're buying. Does that sound confusingly familiar? Well, we're here to help. Here's some useful information on gaming-specific routers and a selection of the best models available right now.

Why do you need a router for gaming?

Today's gaming-centric routers offer power, convenience, and quality in relatively inexpensive packages. You can get something very good for around £200, which is far cheaper than all the other hardware needed to run your games. A router can make all the difference when it comes to an impressive Call of Duty kill/death ratio, for instance, and keep you competing for longer in your favourite online tournament.

Do you need a new router?

Before you go out and buy anything, look at what’s connected to your router. Every single device in your home — be that a phone, tablet, TV, or smart-home devices like Alexa — takes bandwidth from your router. If all you're doing at home is browsing the web and streaming the odd film, you probably won't need an upgrade. But if you're planning on doing some heavy-duty gaming without a decent router — on top of having lots of connected devices — you’re going to run into annoying lag issues.

What makes a router good for gaming?

There are various features designed for gamers. Look for a gaming router that offers prioritisation for your gaming systems and applications. If you live in a home with multiple gamers, you might also want to get a router that allows you to control how much bandwidth everyone in your household gets. Some also have a modified management console to adjust bandwidth priorities depending on your needs. Also consider looking for routers that have a Geo-Filter because that can limit the distance to the host server you play on, which will reduce lag.

Other features you might want to consider include Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology for faster data streaming, beamforming, and wider channel bandwidths up to 160Hz. You’ll also want at least four gigabit LAN ports, at least one USB port, and a router that offers robust cyber security.

What's the difference between dual-band and tri-band?

A dual-band router offers two frequency bands — 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Compared to the older single band routers, dual-band routers relieve congestion and give you a faster connection. Tri-band routers are even more impressive, offering one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz bands. Tri-band routers tend to be better for high-demand gaming because you can reserve one of the 5 GHz bands specifically for your gaming. It depends on how much bandwidth your gaming will eat up. If you're more of a casual gamer, a dual-band will almost certainly be enough.

How fast are gaming routers?

It really depends on how much you're willing to spend, or how serious you want to get with the tech. The routers on the list below begin at theoretical speeds of just over 1Gbps and go from there. But it also depends on the WiFi technology you have. Routers and devices that use WiFi 5 — which is the more standard version — can go up to 3.5 Gbps. WiFi 6, which most people are yet to upgrade to, can go up to 9.6Gbps. The faster the better when it comes to gaming that puts heavy demands on your internet, such as AR or VR gaming, but the theoretical speeds are likely faster than you'll ever need. WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 — the latest WiFi technology — go even faster. Recommended speeds for PS5 gaming range between 3Mbps and 100Mbps. In other words, you'll be fine with any of the routers listed below.

What is the best gaming router?

To make things simple, we've selected the best gaming routers on the market. No matter your budget, whether you don't want to miss a second of the action in Fortnite or simply want a stronger wireless signal all around the house, these gaming routers are sure to boost your gaming experience. Just connect and lock and load.

These are the best gaming routers in 2025.

TP-Link Archer GE550

The Good & The Bad

WiFi 7 support
Dedicated gaming band
No shortage of features
Prioritises gaming bandwidth
Sensational speeds

Not the most beautiful device
Big, bulky footprint
Set-up can be a little tricky

Why We Like It

You know you're in good hands when a router has a 5Hz band that's dedicated purely to gaming and games applications. And that's what you get with the immense and highly-immersive TP-Link Archer GE550 BE9300 — a gaming router that out-plays the competition and prevents bandwidth congestion from other devices. Not only that, it supports WiFi 7, the latest and fastest WiFi tech.

It also has a QoS (quality of service) feature that identifies gaming traffic and prioritises that bandwidth, meaning extra sharp responses and extra low latency. It will also prioritise streaming, file downloads, or specific devices.

If you're confident with the tech, you can play around with diagnostic tools to monitor and optimise gaming performance thanks to built-in accelreation features. This allows you to optimise gaming applications, devices, and servers, which will reduce jitter and lag. This is controlled via a gaming panel that gives you real-time network insights and game and settings customisation options.

The volcano-inspired RGB design won't be to everyone's tastes — it's a very gamer specific style — but there's plenty more to recommend it, such as EasyMesh tech, a whole bunch of ports, and awesome download speeds.

Details

Asus RT-AC86U WiFi router

The Good & The Bad

Built-in game accelerator
Adaptive QoS
Commercial level security
AiMesh compatible

Older model

Why We Like It

If you want plenty of bang for you buck — and, honestly, who doesn't? — the Asus RT-AC86U is a safe bet. This router has plenty of gaming specific features and is well-rated for its performance. Not only that, it costs less than £200 — significantly less than some other high performance routers on this list.

The Asus RT-AC86U is packing some impressive tech, and it has been commended for its super-fast performance. In terms of gaming features, adaptive QoS prioritises your game session, dedicating the bandwidth to ensure super low latency. You'll also get low latency from a double gaming boost feature.

If you've got coverage issues, this router uses Asus's AiMesh technology. This allows you to connect compatible Asus routers into a mesh system, which will expand coverage throughout the home or office. Every corner will be covered. But that is dependent on having other Asus AiMesh routers at hand.

On the negative side, this router has been around for a few years now, so it doesn't support WiFi 6. In truth, most households haven't caught up to WiFi 6 anyway and the Asus RT-AC86U still has the kind of speed needed to keep up with current games.

Details

Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 WiFi router

The Good & The Bad

Built for up-to-date gaming
Unwaveringly fast wireless speeds
Game optimisation features
Low-profile design

Doesn't offer tri-band
Not much else

Why We Like It

When it comes to lavish, feature-rich routers, most gamers will be looking for a blend of up-and-coming tech, an attractive aesthetic, and ease-of-use in addition to great network performance. Not to mention speeds to match the console or PC you're playing. All of which makes recommending the Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 an absolute no brainer — one of very best routers from the Pro Gaming XR range.

It's built for gaming on the latest gen machines, and clocks speeds of up to 5.4Gbps. Realistically, that's more internet speed than you're ever likely to need. But it's good to know there's plenty to chew through during those major gaming sessions.

It's powered by a triple-core processor — more than enough to handle VR/AR gaming and 4K streaming — with an Application QoS feature that allows you to allocate bandwidth to specific tasks and devices. In other words, if you're locked in the gaming zone and need all the bandwidth available, it's yours. Other features help reduce lag by optimising lag-free server connections.

It does cut down on the LAN ports available on the unit in comparison to the other premum routers on the market, but what it lacks in direct connectivity options, it more than makes up for in speed and easy-to-set-up app control.

Details

Asus XP4 AX1800 Mesh System router

The Good & The Bad

Great for office spaces
Double up as powerline adapters
Respectable speeds
Solid reviews
AiMesh compatible
Integrates with Alexa smarthomes

Extra nodes needed for very large spaces
Complex set up

Why We Like It

If you have a large home, or there are far-off corners that your regular router can't quite reach, a mesh system is an absolute must.

Mesh systems are essentially a series of router units — or "nodes" — that connect and each broadcast a WiFi signal, expanding your coverage. And when it comes to a mesh WiFi system that handles gaming spec, look no further than the Asus ZenWiFi XP4 AX.

In fact, its more than a mesh system — it's actually a hybrid. The router units are powerline adapters, which means they don't just rely of WiFi signals. They can be connected to your home electrics and send mesh network through your electrical wiring. That's especially useful in homes or buildings that have obstacles — like thick or metal reinforced walls — that would usually be hard for the WiFi to penetrate.

The speeds aren't as flashy as some other models — though 1.8Gbps is plenty in real-world scenarios, unless your piling seriously intense demands on your gaming set-up — but this one's all about its reach and coverage. It also works well as part of a smart home, thanks to Alexa compatibility. Reviewers have noted that the hybrid tech makes it hard to set up, but after that it's plain sailing.

Details

Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 WiFi router

The Good & The Bad

Advanced WiFi technology
Formidable cyber security
Lightning-fast speeds
Plenty of features
Voice control compatibility

Pricey

Why We Like It

Life comes at you fast in the gaming world. The next-gen console — and next-gen internet demands are only ever a few button mashes away. With that in mind, the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 will future proof your gaming set-up. It’s built for up-to-date WiFi 6E technology. That means lightning-fast speeds, no congestion, and the ability to connect literally dozens of devices at once.

Powered by a quad-core processor, this router is also capable of streaming 8K video, meaning it’s perfect for high-demand AR and VR gaming. It also supports a very impressive eight streams.

Wth the speeds and seamless performance that this router is capable of, it’s also ideal for uninterrupted videoconferencing. That’s good if you like to break up your WFH schedule with a bit of gaming (or the other way around). It covers 2,500 sq ft and offers advanced security features. Simply set it up and control through the Nighthawk app.

The only real downsides are the cost and the fact that it’s probably overkill if you don’t have 6E capable devices or you’re not planning on upgrading any time soon. Though this router is backwards compatible with WiFi 5.