Improve your Wi-Fi speed with some of 2020's best wireless routers
As your smart home gets smarter and smarter, your Wi-Fi network becomes more crucial. If you’re still using the dusty Wi-Fi router you bought when you first got broadband internet — or the basic unit your internet provider rents to you — it might be time to upgrade to something better (and in so doing eventually see savings on your internet bill).
Not all Wi-Fi routers are born equal, of course — having one doesn’t necessarily mean it can handle your smart devices. In our guide to buying a wireless router, we broke down how Wi-Fi routers work, whether you should buy your own router and how to choose the best router for you — including whether it's time to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6. We also found ways to improve your existing wireless signal using mesh Wi-Fi system and range extenders, which could keep you from having to buy a new router.
Below, we put together some of the fastest, most feature-filled routers — at different price points — to help you find your perfect fit.
Best affordable wireless router: TP-Link
1. TP-Link Archer A7 (AC1750) Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router
You’d be surprised what less than $60 will get you in this day and age. TP-Link offers some of the best bang for your buck with their Archer A7 router, a budget-focused router with remarkably fast Wireless AC performance, offering theoretical top speeds of 1300Mbps for an individual device or 1750Mbps combined speed across multiple devices. (Most routers won’t actually reach their theoretical speeds, but Mbps is a halfway decent point of comparison.) The Archer A7 comes with all the basic features you’d expect, as well as Alexa support, meaning you can turn on guest Wi-Fi with your voice or trigger certain actions when a device connects to your network.
TP-Link Archer C7 Wireless Router
TP-Link Archer C7 Wireless Router, $89.99, Shop now
Best feature heavy (and relatively affordable) wireless router: Asus
2. Asus RT-AC68U (AC1900) Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router
If you want to take a more active role in managing your Wi-Fi network, Asus has one of the best routers in terms of its management interface — with extra features to make it worth your while. Apart from the usual parental controls, guest networking, and other basics, Asus’ RT-AC68U also comes with Trend Micro’s AiProtection built-in to protect against malware, plus Asus’ AiMesh feature that lets you create a mesh network with other compatible Asus units. Couple that with a faster CPU and a bump in speed over the Archer, and you’ve got a recipe for solid Wi-Fi across any house.
Asus AC1900 Wi-Fi Router
Asus AC1900 Wi-Fi Router, $149.99, Shop now
Best wireless router to cut through Wi-Fi congestion: TP-Link
3. TP-Link Archer A20 (AC4000) Smart Wi-Fi Router
At the higher end of the spectrum, you'll find TP-Link’s Archer A20, a tri-band router that allows for faster Wi-Fi on particularly crowded networks. So if you’ve got a house full of smart home devices, internet-connected TVs, and other Wi-Fi devices beyond your laptop and phone, the A20 can help ensure you aren’t plagued by dropouts and slowdowns when multiple people are clogging your network. (It also comes with Trend Micro antivirus on the router, which some may find helpful.)
TP-Link AC4000 A20 Smart Wi-Fi Router
TP-Link AC4000 A20 Smart Wi-Fi Router, $189.99, Shop now
Best entry Wi-Fi 6 wireless router: TP-Link
4. TP-Link Archer (AX3000) Wi-Fi 6 Smart Router AX50
Speaking of congestion problems, they're one of the main issues Wi-Fi 6 routers are designed to improve, the latest Wi-Fi standard that’s set to sweep the market in 2020. The standard isn’t final yet, but a few early-revision Wi-Fi 6 devices have already started to appear with the promise of faster speeds, better handling of congestion and better battery life for phones and laptops on the network. TP-Link’s Archer A50 constitutes affordability for Wi-Fi 6 routers, at this point. And while it isn’t the fastest Wi-Fi 6 router on the market, it’ll set you up for the future if your current router is busted and you need to upgrade right now.
TP-Link Archer AX3000
TP-Link Archer AX3000, $129.99, Shop now
Best midrange Wi-Fi 6 router: Asus
5. Asus RT-AX88U (AX6000) Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router
If you need a new router now and you’re willing to pay a bit extra to future-proof your network (as much as one can in the fast-moving world of tech), Asus’ RT-AX88U combines the new improvements in Wi-Fi 6 with everything that makes the brand's other routers great: a user-friendly interface, lots of features, and super-fast speeds.
Asus RT-AX88U Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router
Asus RT-AX88U Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router, $299.99, Shop now
Best high-end Wi-Fi router for top performance: Netgear
6. Netgear Nighthawk AX12 (AX11000) Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router
This is the cream of the crop — one of the fastest, congestion-busting-est routers you can buy right now, thanks to its combination of Wi-Fi 6 and those tri-band antennas. It's an investment — serious power users with a house full of wireless devices that need the fastest speeds possible should consider Netgear’s Nighthawk AX12, which packs an incredibly serious punch that'll last for some time.
NETGEAR Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream Wi-Fi 6 Router
NETGEAR Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream Wi-Fi 6 Router, $599.99, Shop now
