We’ve all been there. Whether watching Twitch, or streaming a Youtube Live stream, or even just using Chromecast. There’s buffering, there’s loss of quality, and then there’s that awkward moment where you miss something and the video jumps as if the person is going through an old school VCR fast forward. And it sucks. But the good news is, it’s not destined to always happen. One of the best ways to avoid these problems is to rerouter yourself. Here, we take a look at some of the best options for streaming routers in 2017 with a quick peak of prices and features.
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Best Routers For For Netflix, Twitch, Youtube, Amazon Video & More
Trednet TEW-812DRU Dual-Band Wireless Router – $135
As some may or may not know, it’s not only your computer and the router that can determine streaming speeds. It can be how many other people are on your network. And that’s where this Trednet shines. With this router, you can toss up to four Wi-Fi networks into your house, and have another 4 guest networks per each main. Unless you live in a very full house (or your apartment neighbors are really good at cracking passwords) that means everyone will be able to have their own network and get the speed they want, with a fairly low pricetag. One can expect that this router will keep up to speed for about 4 years given current technologies, and is also great for online gaming.
Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 R7000 – $180
Out the box, this thing just looks cool. Giving a bit of a stealth vibe, the Nighthawk will ironically be noticeable, not just because of appearance but also raw performance. While it can’t pull the 16 Wi-Fi networks the previous modem can, it can do dual bandwidth and have ripping speeds of 600 and 1300 Mbps. If you’ve ever had an internet package and went “Am I really using all this speed? It doesn’t seem like it.” Then this may be worth the buy just to get what you thought you were getting from your ISP all along. Nighthawk also allows for two great features for streamers and stream viewers: Dynamic QoS which can prioritize your device for the best of uninterrupted streaming, and a Netgear Genie App, just in case you need to make a quick repair or adjustment and you’re not COMPTIA certified. Between the raw power and the great amount of control you can have over the router, the Nighthawk AC1900 R7000 is a great choice. Especially for Amazon Prime users, who currently can save about $30.
TP-Link AC1900 Wireless TouchP5 – $189
While the previous router liked like something from Independence Day, this one is decidedly Star Trek meets Mork and Mindy. Despite its awkward looks, it does have some great qualities to it. As one should come to expect, this AC1900 has the 5GHz 1300Mbps and 2.4 600 Mbps, and several USB ports for use as you see fit. What’s new is the easy set-up and maintenance the touch screen provides, and the 1Ghz dual core processor that can really hash out what needs to be done to ensure a quick and stable stream. 4k video streaming is fairly stable with this device, even with other tasks from other devices occurring simultaneously. What makes this a really great deal, is again for Prime members, the sale price is under $110, which usually could net you a router not nearly as effective for streaming and gaming.
TP-Link AC3150 Archer3150 V1 – $180
Besides the four antennas, you might think this is your normal, everyday, comes-with-the-monthly-payment router. But you would be oh so wrong. Inside this little black box is 1 1.4Ghz processor with a pair of co-processors, and so much speed that it’ll be the ISP being the bottleneck and not the router. Offering a 2.4 GHz channel at 1000Mbps and a 5GHz at 2167Mbps, this is the Porsche of routers, at the price of a tricked out Nissan. With a 2 year warranty, you can be sure that your connection will last a while, and Smart Connect technology which makes sure that each device gets as much room as possible for streaming. Particularly important to streamers and gamers alike is the lack of ping spikes, and how tech like Chromecast can go like it just saved every show you wanted on the dongle.
TP-Link AD7200 Talon AD7200- $350
While the router before was a Porsche at a Nissan price, this one is a Lamborghini at about a Lamborghini price. At $350, it may be hard to justify this purchase unless you yourself are a streamer / Pro gamer, or working for a studio, or have a home that’s made of the Internet of Things. But if those apply, this may be your dream come true, and less a purchase but a long-term investment. This behemoth carries on it a 1.4Ghz dual-core CPU, which while not impressive, is paired with something that is. This router features what’s called 4 Stream Technology, which can handle a 2.4GHz connection at 800Mbps, 5GHz at 1733Mbps, and (drumroll, please) a 60GHz channel that can roll out at 4600Mbps, making it ideal for streaming, gaming, and handling large file loads. Set up is easy, and with the 8 different antennas, the range isn’t so much a problem for the average office space, though the 5GHz channel may slow down a bit. For Prime members, the price drop is currently down to about $290, which still is expensive, but also gives a good deal of savings that could pay for a few Twitch subscriptions or a new game or two.
These have been our top picks for Streaming routers for 2018. Do you have a router you think should be on this list? Be sure to leave a comment and let us know.
The tp-link Archer C1200 is also a great performer in our tests. And most mesh systems perform much better than any single router for a large home.