Best gaming routers 2023: top options for PC, PS5

The best gaming router could make the world of difference to your multiplayer performance. When it comes to technology for your home, there are few things as infuriating as bad Wi-Fi, and it just so happens there are gaming-specific routers that can enhance your connection for your favorite pastime. Of course, these will particularly benefit you if you do a lot of streaming, since that can put a lot of strain on your bandwidth.

One serious plus side to the best gaming routers is that you may have more Ethernet ports than a typical router. We would generally recommend that you stay plugged in via Ethernet. In particular, the best gaming PCs can truly benefit from a wired connection, and depending on your configuration, you may only be able to go online if you wire-up. Either way, wired connections are much more stable than Wi-Fi, and don't forget that most service providers give quoted speeds to you based on a wired connection.

In this day and age, faster internet is more important than it's ever been. If you work remotely, or just a few days from home per week, your job depends on reliable internet. Add on Ultra HD (4K) streaming and demands for multiplayer gaming, and you've got a router that will be working overtime. Having said that, the upper echelons of internet speed will rely on the area you live, your service provider, and the cabling situation in your building, but the best gaming routers can use features and interfaces to enhance things for you no matter where you live.

Fortunately, WiFi 6 (802.11ax) is here, and it boasts significant improvements over the previous generation. It's estimated that the latest iteration of the technology is up to 250% faster than what was previously available with Wi-Fi 5, with faster throughput speeds, and much more bandwidth to play with. WiFi 5 topped out at just 3.5 Gbps, however, WiFi 6 is capable of 9.6 Gbps. Keep in mind that devices have to be Wi-Fi 6 compatible in order to benefit, though.