For a smooth gaming experience, a top-quality router is crucial. We compiled a list of the 8 best gaming routers under 100 in 2023.

Most routers are not considered “gaming” grade. Although routers are certainly essential, they have always been ugly boxes that could be hidden behind a desk to perform their task.

Those days are long gone, and more companies are now paying more attention to the online gaming experience. 

Surprisingly, Tenda was the most popular brand-name router of all the ones we tested. This router is an amazing value for the price due to its low price, high coverage and almost 2 Gbps total bandwidth.

However, spec-to-spec isn’t always the best comparison. The TP-Link AC1200 is a low-cost option that makes up for the speed loss.

We tracked down the 8 best gaming routers under 100 to discover their results.

8 Best Gaming Routers Under 100 in 2023

1. NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart Wi-Fi Router – Best Gaming Routers Under 100

The NetGear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 is very affordable. It is one of the most popular devices on the market. It performs better than other routers in the same price range.

The R6700 is equipped with the most recent technology. You can connect up to 25 devices simultaneously using the 1GHz CPU, providing seamless access. It is reliable and fast for everyday use. It comes with all the required features and a beautiful design.

It features 4 high-power Gigabit ports. These ports allow fast connections to wired devices, such as gaming consoles, to ensure that you can enjoy lag-free gaming. Beamforming technology and Advanced QoS direct Wi-Fi signals provide higher bandwidth. This makes gaming even more enjoyable. This device is a top-rated WiFi gaming router.

Net Gear Armour is also included in the R6700, which provides advanced security. It defends your home network against any cyber threats and attacks. Spyware, Trojan, Viruses, etc. It supports VPN for secure and private internet access. You can also use the “Guest Network Access” feature to create a separate network for your guests. USB 3.0 support is available on the R6700. This port allows 10x faster file sharing and transfers than USB 2.0.

2. D-Link WiFi Router AC1750

The D-Link Wifi Router AC1750 is easy to use as it supports Alexa voice commands and Google Assistant. Smart connect technology directs traffic towards less congested networks, which results in higher performance and faster speeds. DIR-1750 is a gaming router under $100. It features a dual-core processor and Mu-MIMO technology. This allows multiple devices to receive maximum bandwidth simultaneously, which is great for gaming.

It is dual-band and automatically connects to devices on the compatible band (2.4GHz or 5GHz). This allows for seamless streaming and internet surfing. The D-Link Wi Fi Application makes it easier to manage your router. This application is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. It also allows Guest access through the creation of a separate secure network.

Beamforming technology locks Wi-Fi signals to compatible devices and follows them around. Four high power antennas provide uninterruptible bandwidth and HD streaming. Parental control allows you to have full access to the network. You can create profiles for each person and assign a device to each profile. It’s great if you have children at home.

It offers 4 gigabit ports for high-speed internet. These ports allow wired devices to be connected, such as media storages or gameing consoles. This device doesn’t support USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, so file sharingis not possible.

3. TP-Link AC2600 Smart WiFi Router Archer A10

The TP Link Archer A10 offers dual-band device with 2.4GHz band for surfing and lighter tasks, and 5GHz band for more intensive tasks such gaming and streaming video.

This device supports 802.11ac technology which is 3x faster than wireless N speeds. The device has 3 external antennas which are fixed to ensure smooth surfing across all connected devices. The panel has 10 LED icons that blink green to indicate the status of the device, including internet, Ethernet and USB connectivity. It doesn’t support USB 3.0.

To determine the speed of this device, we ran multiple tests at various ranges. From 5 feet, the Archer A10 measured 800 Mbps. Its speed dropped from a greater range, leaving few dead spots. The Archer A10 does not support Mu-MIMO Technology.

Archer A10 also offers Amazon Alexa for voice control integration.  A guest network feature allows guests to have separate access to the network. It supports WPA 2 and basic WPA networks.

4. Linksys EA7300 Max-Stream

The Linksys EA7300 is one of the most affordable gaming routers, with Next-Gen AC Wi-Fi technology. This technology allows multiple devices, such as tablets, mobile phones, 4K Smart TVs and game consoles to share higher bandwidth.

You can download large files and stream Ultra HD videos without buffering. Its MU-MIMO technology provides more than 2x the speed of a Non Multi-user MIMO Wi-Fi router. EA7300 can achieve speeds of 450 Mbps (2.4GHz), + 1300Mbps (5GHz).

It comes with a Qualcomm Atheros IPQ8064 @1.4GHz chipset, 128 MB flash, and 256 MB RAM. Three powerful antennas provide high speed and quality coverage. There are four Ethernet LAN Ports on the back. These can be used to connect wired devices. There are buttons for WPS and VPN. You can also toggle between on and off quickly.

Smart WIFI Application allows you to manage Wi-Fi from anywhere. It allow you to bypass bandwidth restrictions by prioritizing devices who need the fastest internet.

You can also create a secure, separate network for your guests. It allows you to make sure that your children are not exposed to inappropriate content online, even when you’re away. You can manage the access and usage of the internet to ensure your children have a safe experience.

5. NETGEAR WiFi Router R6120

The Netgear R6120 has an elegant design,  It is a sloped-shaped device with an NETGEAR logo at the top. Under the logo there are four light sources: LEDs Green lights. They indicate the power status of the device, Internet connection, Active Wi-Fi status and Ethernet connectivity from Left to Right and vice versa. The ports are all present on the side of the router.

The NetGear R6120 is compatible with 802.11ac, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n. However, it does not provide 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). The R6120 has a coverage of approximately 1,200 Square feet. If you’re installing it in your home, it’s likely to cover the majority of the space.

It offers the overall performance of 1200Mbps over two bands. The 2.4GHz provides a bandwidth of up 300 Mbps. It is also backwards-compatible that means it is able to run the latest as well as older models. The 5GHz band also offers an ideal speed of 1300Mbps or more. It best for online gaming, making sure that there’s sufficient bandwidth and is also used to stream 4K and HD streaming.

It features MU-MIMO technology, which is based on the help of three strong antennas, allows routers the ability to link up to twenty units. This technology allows a vast variety of devices to get broadband at the same time. It means you can play unlimited gaming and streaming as other devices are also connected to the connection at the simultaneously.

6. TP-Link AC1200 Gigabit WiFi Router Archer A6

The TP-Link Archer A6 router meet the most basic needs of a user. It has a very stylish design.. The Archer A6 is suitable for smaller and medium-sized homes or houses. It provides nearly all the features a top router offers.

The A6 features the strong 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology to provide an extremely fast and uninterrupted internet network. It supports Wireless AC to provide Fast WiFi throughout your home. With its 5 GHz as well as 2.4GHz band, the router provides speeds up to 1200 Mbps. This makes it is among the top gaming routers in the smallest cost.

Archer A6 Archer A6 is powered by Broadcom BCM 47189 @ 900 Mhz Chipset. It comes with four antennas that uses Beamforming technology. The device can provide a max speed up to 1200 Mbps. 300 on 2.4 1GHz and 900 on 5 GHz.

The Beamforming technology sends specific wireless signals to devices for better reliability of connection.

7. ASUS AC1900 WiFi Router RT-AC67P

The ASUS AC1900 consists of three antennas, the RT-AC67P. The antennas can be adjusted or removed.

ASUS RT-AC67P has an Intel Q-Core 700 processor. The RT ARCH17 is built on the Qualcomm technology and can support 802.11ac wireless. It comes with 128 MB of flash memory and 256 MB RAM.

The router is equipped with Beamforming AI Radar. This technology concentrates on Wireless devices throughout the home that gives the best security and coverage.

The RT-AC67P router doesn’t include Ai-Mesh. So, you aren’t able to connect the router to Ai-Mesh networks to expand the coverage.

The ASUS RT-AC67P is a gaming device that enhances the experience. The game boost feature an app assigns a maximum speed to the gaming system. It is therefore one of the best gaming routers under 100 for Xbox or PlayStation.

This device is easy to manage, this router using ASUS Application beginning with initial setup to use on a daily basis. You can monitor and access your device from any location. The app supports options i.e Firmware updates, blockage of malicious sites and parental control

The RT-AC67P utilizes the MU-MIMO technology. It equips every device compatible with its own optimized Wi-Fi connection. This allows you to stream at the highest speed without affecting the speed of the network. The device is able to connect up to 3 MU MU-MIMO devices.

8. ASUS RT-AC66U B1 AC1750 Dual Band Wifi Router

The ASUS RT-AC66U has 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology as well as 1GHz Dual-band CPU that allows speed up to 1750 Mbps , with the aid of powerful antennas, and Ai Radar Beamforming.

If you’re curious about how the RT-AC66U performs when compared to other routers from the same makers, we’ve compiled some information through tests. The results were quite satisfying.

It scored 96 Mbps over the 2.4GHz band in a narrow distance (5-8 feet) and 5GHz also gave promising results. From the close distance, it recorded 555 Mbps.

If you’re looking for a router that can play UHD and 4K movies or connect game consoles to it, you’ll find this to be among the best gaming routers under $100.

This router comes with Ai Mesh technology that allows the router to be connected to any other ASUS devices. It provides an extended and more strong Wi-Fi network.

Conclusion

The best gaming router under 100 is one that can enhance your gaming experience by providing top features. For example, QoSfeatures, Beamforming and MU-MIMO with Tri and Dual bands, as well as fast processors.

When you buy a high-quality router, it is important to ensure that you are getting the best result. These are some helpful tips to improve the performance of your router for gaming.

The first thing to consider is connecting to your Gaming Unit through Gigabit ports. The tests have proven that gigabit ports provide more speedy internet connections than Wi-Fi.

The location of the router could give you a boost of speed. Be sure to put the device in an open space with no obstructions. Certain routers have the game boost feature, so make sure that it’s enabled.