Best Routers That Enable Gigabit Speeds

If you play online games, stream video, or rely on your internet connection to download or upload large files, you need a router that supports gigabit speeds. The typical speed of an internet connection is less than 1 GB/s.

However, in the last five years, gigabit internet speeds have become more and more common. That said, their availability varies widely around the world.

Many internet users are slowly considering upgrading from their ISP-issued routers to more modern models that can better take advantage of gigabit connections. If you are looking for an ISP offering gigabit connections, you can always consider WOW Internet.

It can be challenging to identify an optimal router for gigabit internet. Is it necessary, given your requirements, to spend that much money on a router? In all honesty, it really depends on your internet use and needs.

Gigabit internet isn't for people who are tight on a budget, but we've attempted to take a variety of price points and requirements into account.

Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500

The Netgear RAXE500 is the greatest Wi-Fi router for 1000 Mbps speeds as it is one of the few home routers capable of such high Wi-Fi speeds.

If you want to go faster than 1000 Mbps with most other routers, you'll need to use an Ethernet connection. However, the Nighthawk's incredible Wi-Fi 6e technology makes transfer speeds of up to 1000 Mbps a piece of cake.

In reality, its speed exceeds 1 Gbps. Wi-Fi 6e adds a third band to the regular 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies found in most wireless routers. This band, at 6 GHz, is where one can achieve incredible throughput.

The Nighthawk supports Mesh, so you can connect more satellites to the same network and increase the range even further. If you have a Gigabit internet plan and want to use Wi-Fi, the Nighthawk is an excellent choice only if you can afford it.

ASUS WiFi RT-AC5300

ASUS's ROG Strix brand has made a significant impact on the PC and laptop gaming market. They've repeatedly shown they can be relied upon to supply the best equipment for PC gamers.

The ASUS wireless gaming router is an excellent buy for the money. Its tri-band Wi-Fi environment (2 x 5GHZ and 1 x 2.4GHz) and an array of eight external Omni-directional antennas support speeds of up to 5334 Mbps over a distance of 5000 feet.

The ASUS Wi-Fi gaming router shines as the top gigabit router because of the quality of its accompanying software. With direct integration into the Waist GPN, gamers can count on consistently reduced ping times.

Furthermore, ASUS Smart Connect handles device connections automatically, switching between 3.4GHz, 4GHz, and 5GHz as required.

TP-Link Archer AX21

The TP-Link Archer AX21 offers speeds of up to 1.8 Gbps via a wired connection. Using an Ethernet cable, you can get the most out of a 1000 Mbps internet connection without breaking the budget.

There are 4 Gigabit LAN ports, so you won't have any trouble doing this. If you decide to take the wireless route, this router offers reasonable performance for the price. Although QoS on this router isn't particularly complex, it can help prioritize certain devices on the network.

The TP-Link AX21 isn't the least expensive option the company offers, but we still think it's a great buy for the money. This holds true even more so for 1000 Mbps packages. However, if you're set on saving money, you may always opt for something like the AX10 instead.

Netgear Nighthawk AX6000

The Netgear Nighthawk AX6000 is the most costly option, but its impressive features make it worth the cost. The problem is that many people won't need all of the bells and whistles, and many of the valuable features stated may be found in cheaper competitors.

It claims to be the greatest router for gigabit internet, and its claim of 6.6Gbps Wi-Fi speeds is impressive. It also states that it is compatible with all ISPs.

The trouble is, these speeds are not available on most gadgets. Wi-Fi 6 is likely to be present in the newest high-end products introduced in the recent year or so. Regardless, this router is quite powerful.

There's also a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, Beamforming technology, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Dynamic QoS, 1024-QAM, Smart Connect for a single Wi-Fi name, and a variety of other features.

In this buyer's guide, you'll find more affordable alternatives to the majority of these technologies. But it's up to you to decide if the additional $100 is justified.

All in All

After all the research we did, the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 was the most suitable router for a gigabit internet connection. It's one of the few routers that can reliably provide a Wi-Fi download speed of over a thousand megabits per second. And, that's really impressive.