October 2021
Routers: Aggregated Ranking Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of Router rankings posted by key online experts, as of October 2021.
At a glance - October 2021 Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Router |
Tom's Guide
|
CNET
|
How To Geek
|
Digital Trends
|
Laptop Mag
|
Wirecutter
|
Observer
|
Business Insider
|
TechRadar
|
ZD Net
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $158 |
Google Nest WiFi
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
-
|
|
2
|
+1 | $423 |
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
|
4
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
|
3
|
+1 | $125 |
TP-Link Archer AX50
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
|
4
|
-2 | $268 |
TP-Link Archer AX6000
|
6
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
|
5
|
- | $56 |
TP-Link Archer A7
|
9
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
5
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
6
|
- | $268 |
Asus RT-AX88U
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
9
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
7
|
- | $329 |
Asus RT-AX86U
|
1
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
|
8
|
- | $390 |
Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8
|
-
|
6
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
|
9
|
- | $688 |
Netgear Orbi 6 AX6000
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
6
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
10
|
- | $93 |
TP-Link AC2300
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
11
|
- | $378 |
Netgear Nighthawk AX8
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
12
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
12
|
- | $199 |
Synology RT2600ac
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
13
|
- | $160 |
Netgear Nighthawk RS400
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
14
|
- | $550 |
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
We ranked Google Nest WiFi #1 in October 2021 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Google Nest WiFi as #1.
Tom's Guide
A great mesh router with built-in smart speaker
|
Pros
Good performance
Google Assistant built in
Easy setup
|
Cons
Short range
Minimal configuration options
|
How To Geek
Best Budget Mesh Router
|
Pros
Mesh Wi-Fi on a budget
Simple configuration
|
Cons
No Wi-Fi 6
|
Digital Trends
The easiest wireless router to use
|
Pros
It creates a powerful mesh network
perfect for larger homes.
|
Laptop Mag
Best mesh Wi-Fi router system for most people
|
Pros
Excellent, reliable coverage
Easy to set up
Built-in Google Home speaker
Smart home functionality
|
Cons
Limited ports
Lacks advanced configuration options
|
Business Insider
The best budget mesh router
|
Pros
Easy to set up and manage
router
points are small and attractive
access points double as smart speakers
reliable performance at range
attractive pricing
|
Cons
Wi-Fi 6 upgrade is sorely needed
|
TechRadar
Google Wifi and Home together at long last
|
Pros
Excellent design
Smart speaker(s) included
Even simpler controls
|
Cons
No major performance gains
Not worth replacing existing mesh
|
We ranked Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 #2 in October 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best Wi-Fi 6 gaming router
|
Pros
First Wi-Fi 6 (802.11AX) router
Performance improves with distance
Plenty of customization
Impressive 2.5Gbps wired connector
|
Cons
Big
|
How To Geek
Best Gaming Router
|
Pros
11000 Mbps speeds
Tri-band Wi-Fi
Packed with cutting-edge features
|
Cons
It's pricey
|
Laptop Mag
Best Wi-Fi 6 router for gamers
|
Pros
Blazing fast speeds
Excellent performance at range
Extensive customization and optimization for gamers via software
|
Cons
Large footprint
Pricey
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Routers.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Routers, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for October 2021 ranking
Tom's Guide
CNET
How To Geek
Digital Trends
Laptop Mag
Wirecutter
Observer
Business Insider
TechRadar
ZD Net
We ranked TP-Link Archer AX50 #3 in October 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked TP-Link Archer AX50 as #1.
How To Geek
Best Budget Router
|
Pros
Wi-Fi 6 on a budget
Solid and reliable
|
Cons
Only 3000 Mbps speeds
No WPA3 security
Fewer features
|
Laptop Mag
Best Wi-Fi 6 router for most people
|
Pros
Affordable for performance
Solid coverage for single unit
Advanced security options
|
Cons
Limited USB ports
Max data transfer not as high as some
|
Business Insider
The best budget router
|
Pros
Good performance at long range
simple setup process
attractive design
compact size
|
Cons
Maximum Wi-Fi speeds could be higher
|
We ranked TP-Link Archer AX6000 #4 in October 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked TP-Link Archer AX6000 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best value-priced Wi-Fi 6 router
|
Pros
8 LAN ports
Extra security
Inexpensive
|
Cons
Limited app
Hard to remove LAN cables
|
We ranked TP-Link Archer A7 #5 in October 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
Our favorite low-priced wireless router
|
Pros
Bargain router
Reasonable performance
Two-year warranty
|
Cons
Lacks deep customization options
Limited range
|
How To Geek
Best Cheap Router Under $100
|
Pros
A solid router at a low price
|
Cons
No Wi-Fi 6
1750 Mbps speeds
|
Laptop Mag
Best budget Wi-Fi router
|
Pros
Affordable
Solid speeds
Excellent software and warranty
|
Cons
Somewhat limited range
Lacks higher-end features
|
We ranked Asus RT-AX88U #6 in October 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Asus RT-AX88U as #1.
How To Geek
Best Wi-Fi Router
|
Pros
Wi-Fi 6 and future-proof hardware
Packed with features
6000 Mbps speeds
|
Cons
No Tri-Band
Not the fastest Wi-Fi 6 Router
Not the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 router
|
Laptop Mag
Best future-proof Wi-Fi 6 router
|
Pros
Fantastic Wi-Fi 6 performance
Solid built-in malware protection
Abundant ports
Easily configurable network options
|
Cons
Expensive
Limited Wi-Fi 6 devices still
|
We ranked Asus RT-AX86U #7 in October 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Asus RT-AX86U as #1.
Tom's Guide
Great for a full house,and for gaming
|
Pros
Excellent throughput and performance
Security software with lifetime updates
Multi-Gig input and port aggregation
|
Cons
Lacks advanced gaming features like geofencing and ping heat map
|
TechRadar
An impressive all-around upgrade
|
Pros
Fast Wi-Fi 6 performance
Gaming-focused
Security features
|
Cons
Not cheap
|
We ranked Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 #8 in October 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
How To Geek
Best Mesh Router
|
Pros
Wi-Fi 6
5500 square feet of coverage
QoS for traffic prioritization
|
Cons
More expensive than mesh systems without Wi-Fi 6
Not as simple to configure as Google Nest Wifi
|
TechRadar
Wi-Fi 6 meets mesh routers
|
Pros
Great Wi-Fi performance
Good security features
|
Cons
Expensive
Limited to two routers
|
We ranked Netgear Orbi 6 AX6000 #9 in October 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
Digital Trends
The best mesh router
|
Pros
Mesh routers offer expanded coverage and the latest speeds — this is one of the best available
|
Laptop Mag
Best high-end mesh Wi-Fi router
|
Pros
Excellent range and expandable
Easy to set up
Smart speaker integration
|
Cons
Expensive
Overkill for most users
Large footprint
|
We ranked TP-Link AC2300 #10 in October 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked TP-Link AC2300 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best budget router
|
Pros
Top performer
Inexpensive
Built-in antivirus protection
Two-year warranty
|
Cons
Runs hot
|
Laptop Mag
Best Wi-Fi router for most people
|
Pros
Fantastic performance
Affordable
Built-in Trend Micro antivirus
|
Cons
Bland appearance
Lacks Wi-Fi 6 or mesh support
|
We ranked Netgear Nighthawk AX8 #11 in October 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
A great router overall
|
Pros
High performance
Includes malware apps
Good configuration options.
|
Cons
Expensive
Throughput falls off quickly with distance.
|
We ranked Synology RT2600ac #12 in October 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
We ranked Netgear Nighthawk RS400 #13 in October 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best router to secure your whole house
|
Pros
Good performance
Three years of security software
Easy setup
|
Cons
Short range
Not much to configure
|
Laptop Mag
Best Wi-Fi router for the security-conscious
|
Pros
Extensive security features
Includes 3-year Bitdefender subscription
Easy setup
|
Cons
Expensive for performance
Limited range
|
We ranked Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 #14 in October 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Routers” rankings.
How To Geek
Best Wi-Fi 6E Router
|
Pros
Bleeding-edge Wi-Fi 6E
Our top gaming router, upgraded
|
Cons
Few devices have Wi-Fi 6E
It's pricey
|
Business Insider
The best gaming router
|
Pros
Wi-Fi 6E support
excellent maximum performance
plenty of wired connectivity
QoS can reduce lag
|
Cons
Huge
expensive
|