Introduction:
Ever got annoyed at your internet provider while playing your favorite game, as it kept lagging? Did you know there can be another culprit that you never suspected? Routers can cause such issues too so; you will need to upgrade your router in order to increase your internet speed.
But we know it can be difficult to upgrade your router if you are already on a budget. Keeping this factor in mind, our team has researched well to find the best gaming router under 100$.
Best Gaming Routers under 100 – Buyer’s Guide
Buying a gaming router involves a lot of technicalities that are difficult to understand for a non-technical person. But, don’t worry! We will try our best to educate you with the help of this buyer’s guide. It will help you in having basic know-how of what to look for in a good gaming router.
Dual-band Router
If you are a gamer that needs a reliable internet connection, the first thing that you should look for is the type of router that you are currently using. Routers usually come in two types namely single-band and dual-band.
Previously, single-band routers were the most common ones. But most of the modern routers offer dual-band. Dual-band routers are superior to its counterpart in terms of the speed and reliability it offers.
The thing that makes dual-band routers superior to the single-band routers is their ability to work on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. 2.4GHz band is fine if you use the internet just for surfing the browser or for doing any other work that doesn’t require much speed.
On the other hand, if you need the internet for performing tasks that require fast speed i.e. gaming, the 5GHz band will be more suitable for you. The only downside of the 5GHz band is that it offers a shorter range as compared to the 2.4Ghz band.
MU-MIMO Technology
Look out for the router that supports MU-MIMO technology. When a lot of devices are connected to the same router, MU-MIMO technology ensures that all the devices get the maximum amount of bandwidth.
If you do not want your game to get affected by someone using the same internet in the other room, MU-MINO technology is your way to go.
Beamforming Technology
Beamforming technology is another thing that you should look for in a gaming router. The technology works in such a way that it restricts the Wi-Fi signals only in the direction of the targeted device, which results in faster and reliable communication.
With the movement of the device, you will not lose internet connectivity. But in fact, the Wi-Fi signals will follow your device, hence allowing you to enjoy a strong internet connection.
Gigabit Ethernet Ports
Ethernet ports are made to connect wired devices to the router. Wired devices can be your gaming computer, gaming console, etc. The gaming router comes with two types of ethernet ports viz. fast and gigabit.
We would advise you to use the gigabit ethernet port, as it will offer you faster speed as compared to fast ethernet. A gigabit ethernet port can provide you with a speed of up to 1Gbps as compared to its counterpart that provides speed only up to 100mbps.
USB Port
Look for the router that offers at least two USB 3.0 ports. These ports are very helpful in transferring files or sharing storage devices. USB 3.0 comes with a 10x faster speed as compared to USB 2.0.
Speed
To ensure lag-free gameplay, you would require a router that offers greater speed. Routers don’t deliver the exact speed that they claim to offer, but even if they provide 10%-15% of the claimed speed, it is more than enough.
Range and coverage
The range offered by the router is another important thing to look at. A router that is capable of providing strong signals in only a small diameter, can be very frustrating to use. Choose the router that offers greater range, so that you can enjoy the strongest signals.
Parental Control
These days parents’ number one concern about their kids is their excessive internet usage. Good routers come with a parental control feature that allows the parents to keep a check on their kids.
This feature helps the parents to restrict their kids from a certain website or content, that they think is inappropriate for them. It also allows them to keep an eye on their kid’s browsing activity.
List of Top 7 Best gaming router under 100
1. D-LINK WI-FI Router AC 1700 – Best gaming router under 100
Key features:
- Weight: 14.7 ounces
- No of antennas: 4
D-Link AC 1700 WI-FI Router provides effective performance and great speed with the help of its Smart Connect Technology. It effectively directs clients to less congested bands.
This particular router comes with beamforming technology that restricts the WIFI signals only in the direction of the targeted device. In this way, the performance of the router is improved. Moreover, it has the capability of operating in both the 2.4Ghz band and 5GHz band.
D-Link’s WI-FI app provides you with great ease of use while setting up the router. Furthermore, the app allows efficiently manage your network. D-Link AC 1700 WI-FI Router also comes with voice control and parental control features that are great add-ons.
The one thing which the router lacks is the fact that it doesn’t offer a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 port.
2. NETGEAR WiFi Router (R6330) – best affordable gaming router
Key features:
- Weight: 1.9 pounds
- No of antennas: 3
The NETGEAR’s R6300 dual-band router comes with three antennas and offers an operational range of 1200 square feet. With the help of MU-MIMO technology offered by the router, the user can connect to as many as 20 devices simultaneously without affecting the bandwidth.
The wired devices can be easily plugged-in with the router, as it offers fast and reliable gigabit ethernet ports. In addition to that, the router allows file transfer and sharing storage device through a USB 2.0 port.
The router claims to offer a speed of 300Mbps and 1300 Mbps on its 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands, respectively. The 5GHz band provides enough bandwidth for you to enjoy lag-free games. The router’s smart parental control feature allows parents to keep an eye on their child’s activity.
Although NETGEAR claims to be offered 1200MBps speed on its 5Ghz band. In reality, its WAN port is only capable of providing 100Mbps of speed max. According to some users, as the router got old, it started dropping internet connections.
3. Linksys EA7300 – best wireless router for gaming under 100
Key features:
- Weight: 2.44 pounds
- No of antennas: 3
This Linksys dual-band router has 3 antennas that can efficiently transmit WI-FI signals in the range of 1500 sq. ft. This router can offer coverage to more than 10 devices simultaneously. MU-MIMO technology makes sure that all these devices enjoy the same bandwidth.
Linksys offers a very helpful app for setting up the router. Once set up, the user can enjoy a high-speed connection. The router is claimed to be offering a speed of 450Mbps and 1300 Mbps on its 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz band, respectively.
The specs of the router are such that: it comes with a 256 Mb RAM, 1.4GHz chipset, and 128 Mb flash. Furthermore, the router offers 4 ethernet ports that enable the router to connect to wired devices. With the help of its app, Linksys offers features like guest access, device prioritization, and parental control.
In comparison to a regular router, Linksys EA7300 is larger. The thing that could act as an inconvenience for some people is that it takes a lot of time to reboot and it loses a considerable amount of signal strength as the device moves away from the router.
4. ASUS Wireless-AC1700 – best wifi router under $100
Key features:
- Weight: 1.1 pounds
- No of antennas: 4
ASUS AC1700 is a highly rated router that comes with 4 antennas. These antennas make sure that users don’t have to worry about signal drops even if they are in the other corner of the house. Moreover, beamforming technology further ensures stronger coverage.
This router features a quad-core processor having a RAM of 256Mb. Despite it being an under 100$ product, it comes with a USB 3.0 port that is 10x faster than the standard USB 2.0. Furthermore, it supports the latest 802. 11ac wireless and has a 128Mb flash memory.
The router uses MU-MIMO technology to provide equal bandwidth to all the devices connected with the router. A good thing about ASUS routers is the application that it comes with. It makes setting up the router easier. Furthermore, the app offers features like parental control, firmware updates, etc.
Most of the high-priced ASUS routers offer AI-mesh technology, but this ASUS router doesn’t come with it. It doesn’t support any third-party firmware.
5. D-Link AC1750 DIR-859 – top routers under 100
Key features:
- Weight: 11.2 ounces
- No of antennas: 3
D-Link DIR-859 is considered to be a very good option for small to medium-sized houses. The router comes with 3 high gain antennas and high-power amplifiers that are quite effective in providing reliable coverage.
Talking about speed, the router claims to provide the same speed as most of the other routers in the list. The 2.4 GHz band provides a maximum bandwidth of 450 while the 5GHz band offers 1300Mbps of bandwidth.
Although the speed is pretty standard, the product offers some advanced features. Features include guest network, MAC/IP filters, active firewall, and parental control. Furthermore, the router is quite easy to set up with the help of the QRS mobile app.
This router’s 2.4GHz band is reported to be slow. Furthermore, the company needs to upgrade its software setup as it is a little clunky.
6. TP-Link AC1200 – best router for 100 dollars
Key features:
- Weight: 1.10 lbs
- No of antennas: 3
The router offers a bandwidth of 900Mbps on the 5GHz band which is 400Mbps less than most of the routers available in the same price range. Having said that, it is still very good for casual online gaming.
It enables you to connect your wired devices to the router with the help of the gigabit ethernet port that can provide with a speed up to 1Gbps. It is very easy to set up and allows you to manage your home network while being away.
Users reported that the product has a short life. Although TP-Link claims to offer a 2-year warranty on this product, most customers had problems claiming the warranty.
7. Tenda AC18 Wireless-AC1900- best cheap routers for gaming
Key features:
- Weight: 1.41 lbs
- No of antennas: 3
This router is not as famous as some of its competitors. But it is good for gaming. The router can provide the total bandwidth of 1900 Mbps that is split over the dual bands. The router claims to offer a speed of 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300 Mbps on the 5GHz band.
The turbo-QAM technology offered by the router helps the user in achieving a 33% faster performance. In addition to that, the router comes with a dual-core processor that further enhances its performance.
This is a 3-antenna router that provides a great operating range. It comes with 4 Lan ports and a 3.0 USB port which offers faster speed as compared to USB 2.0.
However, the router seems to be cheaply made and as a result offers less longevity. Users found the product unreliable. They reviewed that it worked fine at the start but as time passed, the router started having drop-out issues.
Conclusion:
We have done all the hard work for you in finding the top 7 gaming routers under 100$, available in the market. We leave the rest to you. Your decision should be based on your circumstances and requirements. Best of luck!
FAQs:
- What is a dual router?
A dual router can work on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. 5GHz band is particularly useful in performing tasks that require speed such as gaming. - What is MU-MIMO technology in routers?
When a lot of devices are connected to the same router, MU-MIMO technology ensures that all the devices get the maximum amount of bandwidth.
Is USB 3.0 faster than USB 2.0?
Yes, USB 3.0 is 10x faster as compared to USB 2.0. - What is the purpose of the parental control feature in routers?
This feature helps the parents to restrict their kids from a certain website or content, that they think is inappropriate for their children. It also allows them to keep an eye on their kid’s browsing activity - How does beamforming technology work in a router?
The technology works in such a way that it restricts the WIFI signals only in the direction of the targeted device, which results in faster and reliable communication. - Does upgrading a router increases your internet speed?
Yes, modern devices demand modern wireless networking standards. So, upgrading the router does increase your internet speed.