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Compare gigabit router speeds and prices

Best overall—TP-Link Archer AX11000

Best for VPNs—TP-Link Archer AX90

Best for gamers—NETGEAR Nighthawk RAX200

Best for budgets—TP-Link Archer AX20

Gigabit router specs and features

Generally, all modern routers support gigabit wired speeds, since modems have at least one Gigabit Ethernet port. But there are other factors to consider if you want to harness all that speed on your wireless devices.

Streams

A modern router sends and receives encoded data simultaneously across a single Wi-Fi channel using spatial streams. The router transmits one stream and receives one stream through one antenna, so generally, a router with two antennas can transmit two streams and receive two streams. You’ll see this written as 2×2 in a router’s hardware specs.

Nearly every wireless device we use supports up to two streams. The problem is, if you have a smartphone, a laptop, and a game console connected to the same band, that adds up to six streams one way. A router with just two transmitting streams can communicate with two of these devices simultaneously using one stream each, cutting their speed in half. The router handles all downloads in sequential order, so in one instance, the router sends data to the laptop and console, and in the next, it sends data to the smartphone and laptop.

This traffic jam is why four or more streams are better. When you see a router boasting 12 streams, it can send data to six wireless devices simultaneously at full speed, or to 12 devices at half speed. Add more devices to the mix, and the connections become sequential.

Keep in mind that some desktops support up to four streams each way (or even eight), but generally, PCs transmit and receive across two streams since they can fall back on Ethernet.

For now, MU-MIMO applies to the downstream only (router to client), but it will support upstreams (client to router) in Wi-Fi 6 Wave 2.

Wi-Fi 6

The big selling point with Wi-Fi 6 is speed. Routers based on this specification can reach 9,600 Mbps (9.6 Gbps) on a single band, up from 3,500 Mbps (3.5 Gbps) with Wi-Fi 5 and 600 Mbps with Wi-Fi 4. Wider and less congested frequency channels help make this speed increase possible.

Wi-Fi 6 allows routers to transmit eight or more data streams simultaneously on a single band. Think of these streams as eight lanes, each with a truck delivering a package to four wireless devices—so, two packages per device. Streams are generally used for high bandwidth applications, like gaming, streaming, and so on.

To help improve the traffic flow, Wi-Fi 6 incorporates Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA). Think of this method as a truck carrying multiple packages for multiple devices as it drives down a single lane. OFDMA is generally used for low bandwidth applications, like IoT communications, and it helps alleviate bottlenecks caused by having more devices than your router has streams.

Other Wi-Fi 6 technologies that help improve your connection include Target Wait Time, which allows devices to put their Wi-Fi radio into sleep mode until the next transmission arrives, saving battery power. Overlapping Basic Service Sets (OBSS) reduces latency by “coloring” network traffic, so your wireless devices can communicate more quickly with the router.

Link aggregation

Routers, modems, PCs, game consoles, and set-top boxes usually have at least one Gigabit Ethernet port—a wired port that can reach 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps)—so they all fall under the gigabit umbrella. Link aggregation allows you to link two Gigabit Ethernet ports together for a 2 Gbps connection. However, you need a modem or fiber ONT that supports link aggregation to use a 2 Gbps internet connection.

Our verdict

The TP-Link Archer AX11000 is our top pick gigabit router. It doesn’t have the absolute fastest wireless speeds, but it’s ideal if you have a multigig internet connection. Plus, the eight LAN ports are ideal if you want to mostly avoid Wi-Fi altogether and use wired connections with your Ethernet-ready devices, like game consoles and desktops. The free antivirus and premium parental tools round out a great package for the money.

Related content

• Best Long-Range Routers
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• Best Routers for Security
• Best Routers for Gaming
• Best Routers for Parental Controls

Methodology

We test router speed by setting up each router in an office and connecting it to a local test server. Then, we transmit test data between our wireless devices and the server, taking numerous measurements to account for fluctuations in Wi-Fi speeds.

The first tests occur close to the router, without obstructions—so the Wi-Fi is as strong and fast as it’s gonna get. We repeat the process straight out at 10, 20, and 30 feet, with only a glass door obstructing our view of the router. The same glass door and an exterior door blocks our path when we test outside at 40 and 50 feet.

We also run tests in a hallway to the left of the TV room and office—where there’s a glass door, three walls, and an air handler unit blocking our view of the router. The dining room, another testing point, sits to the right of the kitchen, TV room, and office—two walls and a glass door block the path in this test.

To test video streaming, we connect a fast storage device to the router and stream a 4K video to six wireless devices simultaneously—two phones, three tablets, and a laptop—connected to the same wireless band.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RAX200

TP-Link Archer AX90

TP-Link Archer AX11000

TP-Link Archer AX20

Are three bands better than two?

Yes, three bands are better than two. Tri-band routers usually have more data streams and allow for more simultaneous connections. So if you have multiple phones, tablets, computers, or consoles all on Wi-Fi, you could benefit from the extra Wi-Fi band.

Most modern tri-band routers have one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz bands. Some newer tri-band routers may use the 6 GHz spectrum as the third band.

Why are real-world Wi-Fi speeds slower?

Actual Wi-Fi speeds are slower than your device’s theoretical maximum speed for many reasons. Radio interference is the biggest culprit. Local radar, microwaves, neighboring Wi-Fi networks, wireless devices, and anything else sending signals over the airwaves can disrupt your signal. Physical obstructions also degrade speed, as they absorb and bounce the radio waves. Device software and hardware limit the connection, too, as does distance.

Under good conditions, you should see 70% of your device’s maximum speed, as defined by your device’s manufacturer. The iPhone 12 Pro Max, for example, is built with a 1,200 Mbps max speed, but the environment and networking limits reduce its speed to 880 Mbps at the most. A Lenovo ThinkPad laptop may support a faster 2,400 Mbps connection, but the local area conditions may cut that speed in half.

What is max throughput?

Max throughput is the highest possible rate of data that can be processed and transferred from the router to all connected devices simultaneously. For example, the RAX200 has a maximum throughput of 11,000 Mbps, so it can output 11,000 Mbps of data across all three Wi-Fi bands at once: 1,200 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, 4,800 Mbps on 5 GHz-1, and 4,800 Mbps on 5 GHz-2.

How far can a router reach?

At best, routers have a range of up to 100 feet straight out, but manufacturers typically advertise range in square feet. Walls and other obstructions reduce that range, as they absorb the radio waves that transmit Wi-Fi. But even at 50 feet out from the router, you may see half the speed of what you get from two feet away.