A fast and stable internet connection is always vital for gaming. And one of the critical things you need to ensure you maintain a good connection is a good router. Routers help distribute the internet to your various gaming devices by providing both wired and wireless connections.
Contrary to what many tend to assume, a good router for gaming does not have to be expensive as there are many budget models. These cheap routers for gaming still provide a good connection and are also as feature-packed as the more expensive ones.
That said, like any other router, you still need to choose a suitable model from the different options to ensure useful functionality. And to help you with this here, we look at some of the top-performing but affordable router for gaming currently on the market.
Contents
- List of The Best Cheap Router for Gaming in 2021 on Amazon.com
- 1. D-Link AC1700 WiFi Router
- 2. TP-Link AC5400 Gaming Router
- 3. ASUS RT-AC1200 Dual Band Router
- 4. NETGEAR XR500 Nighthawk Pro Gaming WiFi Router
- 5. ASUS AC3100 Dual-Band Gaming Router
- 6. D-Link AC2600 MU-MIMO WiFi Router
- 7. ASUS RT-AC5300 WiFi Gaming Router
- 8. ASUS GT-AC5300 Gaming Router
- 9. TP-Link AC1900 Wireless WiFi Gigabit Router
- 10. NETGEAR Pro Gaming XR500 WiFi Router
List of The Best Cheap Router for Gaming in 2021 on Amazon.com
1. D-Link AC1700 WiFi Router
The smart connect technology is among the unique elements of the D-Link AC1700 router and one of the reasons it makes the top of our list. This technology allows for better performance by directing you to less congested bands.
With this router, you also get some high-performing antennas that work with the Beamforming technology to deliver a maximum range. The D-Link AC1700 also provides a better network management system than many other budget routers as it has enhanced parental control and accommodates voice control applications like Alexa.
When it comes to the setup, you can have it running in just a few minutes and without doing much. And with this model, you also get easy coverage extension and dual-band technology to accommodate more devices.
Pros
- Smart connect technology
- High-performing antennas
- Provides better network management
- Quick and easy setup
- Allows for easy coverage extension
- Dual-band technology accommodates more devices
Cons
- Finding a convenient mount position can be hard
- Cord is relatively short
2. TP-Link AC5400 Gaming Router
The superior WiFi speeds are what makes this TP-Link router such a fantastic buy. It is a tri-band WiFi model that makes sure you maintain a stable connection when gaming. Better still, it has intelligent traffic prioritization that will not only help reduce latency but also give priority to gaming over other internet connections and users.
Also, when it comes to controlling the device, you have an easier time as it works with Alexa for voice controls.
Better yet, there are also 8 Ethernet ports, which are more than you get from most other router models. And you can be sure that your network will be secure as this router comes with more advanced security features.
Pros
- Superior WiFi speeds
- Works with Alexa
- Offers more Ethernet ports
- Premium quality service with no latency
- Includes more external antennas
- More advanced security features
Cons
- Some of the security feature re expensive to pay for in the long run
- Not completely future proof
3. ASUS RT-AC1200 Dual Band Router
When it comes to the setup, this ASUS RT-AC1200 is a fantastic buy as it allows for quick and easy setup in only three simple steps. Besides the ease of setting up the router, it also comes with four powerful routers that improve the coverage.
And you will also be in more control over the router because, besides parental control capability, it has a myriad of other security options such as firewalls and guest networking.
Better still, with this fantastic quality router, you get to connect two WAN simultaneously, which helps eliminate downtimes.
Pros
- Simple 3-step setup
- Improved coverage area
- Advanced parental control
- Can connect two WAN connections at the same time
- More security options
Cons
- Relatively smaller RAM
- Does not accommodate speeds over 100 Mbps
4. NETGEAR XR500 Nighthawk Pro Gaming WiFi Router
With four 1GB Ethernet ports, the NETGEAR XR500 ensures you get lag-free wired connections as it minimizes ping and maximizes the overall performance. What’s more, this is a high-speed router that delivers a speed of up to 2.6 Gbps.
And gamers love that it dedicates a channel to gaming to ensure you get an uninterrupted connection. For gamers, this router allows you to connect to a more secure gaming VPN server that protects your gaming identity.
Also, it uses Geo filtering to allow you to connect to the nearest server to ensure you never waste any time when gaming. And to maximize the security, you get real-time monitoring to ensure you can see anyone hogging your bandwidth.
Pros
- Minimal ping and maximum performance
- Delivers speeds up to 2.6 Gbps
- Real-time network monitoring
- Allows you to connect to a secure gaming VPN server
- Geo filtering allows you to connect to the closest server
- Lag-free wired connections
Cons
- No mobile app
- Seems to have minor reboot issues
5. ASUS AC3100 Dual-Band Gaming Router
ASUS AC3100 is a top-quality dual-band gaming router that offers expansive connectivity options thanks to the 8 Gigabit LAN ports. It has some high-quality antennas that come in a unique design to deliver a wider coverage area of up to 5,000 square feet.
And many users will love that this model includes a powerful core processor that ensures you enjoy high speeds and consistent performance. With the advanced parental controls, you get full control over your network from anywhere.
This router comes smart home ready as it will allow you to operate it via Alexa and other voice control devices. Other things like the sound, overall build quality, and automatic smart connectivity make this an even better router model.
Pros
- Expansive connectivity options
- Powerful dual-core processor
- Automatic smart connectivity
- Provides a wider coverage
- Advanced parental control
- Comes smart home ready
Cons
- Wireless speeds are a little lacking
- Setup is a little hectic
6. D-Link AC2600 MU-MIMO WiFi Router
Connectivity is well-taken care of with the D-Link AC2600 MU-MIMO router. Besides the standard Ethernet ports you can expect from most routers, it includes USB ports that give you even more internet access options.
This router uses a powerful dual core processor to ensure stability in performance and deliver incredible speeds for wireless and wired connections. Setting up and operating the router should not take a lot of effort as it includes a highly intuitive user interface.
And this is the perfect router for those that share their internet or use it with multiple devices as it maintains good performance for simultaneous streaming. The connection is also highly secured, and you can easily keep track of it with the advanced smart beam technology.
Pros
- Includes USB ports
- Powerful wired and wireless connections
- Improves simultaneous streaming on different devices
- More intuitive user interface
- Highly secure connection
- Advanced smart beam technology
Cons
- Can sometimes have wireless connectivity issues
- Gets quite hot
7. ASUS RT-AC5300 WiFi Gaming Router
The high speeds and broader network coverage as the two main highlights of this router. And besides the superior overall build that uses advanced technologies, they stem from using eight antennas instead of two or four like other budget models.
What’s more, gamers can maintain a stable connection when gaming as this router provides low and stable ping times. There is also a 3.0 USB port on the router to help with setup and give you more internet access options.
And with the heavy-duty construction, this gaming router is designed to deliver a long service life. One more thing that users love is that it provides some more advanced parental controls.
Pros
- High speed and broader coverage
- Supports all operating systems
- Low and stable ping times
- USB 3.0 port included
- Heavy-duty overall construction
- Advanced parental controls
Cons
- Can be a little hard to figure out for newbies
8. ASUS GT-AC5300 Gaming Router
If you have a broader space that you need to cover with your internet connection, the ASUS GT-AC5300 should be up to the task as it can easily cover up to 5,000 square feet. What’s more, you can maintain a more stable and fast connection as it uses an optimized network traffic function, which also makes it even more ideal for gaming.
There is also a unique game-boost technology that delivers unmatched performance. Because this router is AirMesh supported, you should have an easy time giving it an upgrade when you want to connect to other ASUS devices that support the function.
And for the installation, you get all the necessary hardware and some detailed instructions. Also, this router provides a much more secure gaming network.
Pros
- Covers up to 5,000 square feet
- Optimized network traffic
- Special game-boost technology
- AirMesh supported
- Comes complete with all hardware and instructions booklet
- Provide a highly secure gaming network
Cons
- Has privacy issues
- Can be a little glitch
9. TP-Link AC1900 Wireless WiFi Gigabit Router
For those that prefer something more compact but still highly effective at providing good internet connections, the TP-Link AC1900 makes a great buy. It is also a high-power and reliable router that will give gamers a wider bandwidth of up to 1,900Mbps, which is quite impressive.
And with the powerful dual-core processor, both the wired and wireless connections will be stable as there are no interruptions. The simultaneous dual-band WiFi makes it possible to connect different devices at the same time while maintaining maximum speeds.
And you can super-charge the network to get relatively broader coverage. Another element that makes this a great router is that it streams in 4K quality, and the wired connections are also super-fast thanks to the four-gigabit ports.
Pros
- High power with more bandwidth
- Super-fast wired connection
- Allows you to super-charge the WiFi network
- Handles simultaneous connections
- Stream in 4K quality
Cons
- Smaller coverage area
- Few Ethernet ports
10. NETGEAR Pro Gaming XR500 WiFi Router
With minimal pinging time, you can be sure of maintaining a stable connection when gaming. What’s more, this route is designed to maximize performance to ensure you have a fantastic time gaming.
The router also uses some lag-free 1GB Ethernet ports that maintain a good connection and a more efficient dual-core processor.
Because this router is designed for gaming, it will include a dedicated and advanced express lane that ensures other internet users will never interfere with your gaming as it dedicates specific bandwidth to the console. And you never have to worry about other siphoning out bandwidth without knowing as the user interface makes it possible to monitor it in real-time.
Pros
- Minimal pinging
- Deliver fast speed
- Designed to maximize performance
- Advanced express lane for gaming
- Lag-free 1Gb Ethernet ports
- Allows for real-time bandwidth monitoring
Cons
- 5Ghz signal could be a little stronger
- Some of the capabilities seem to have a glitch
Conclusion
With a good router, you can be sure of maintaining a highly stable internet connection for your gaming. In this piece, we provide some of the best ones in the market that will not cost a lot to ensure you have an easy time finding the perfect one.
Each model on our list makes a fantastic buy for every gamer as it has something unique to offer. The D-Link AC1700 WiFi Router is our best overall model, while the TP-Link AC5400 Gaming Router is what we recommend for gamers looking for stable, high-speed connections.
