When it comes to online gaming, you don’t just need a Console/Gaming PC or a good internet connection, you must have a special gaming router as well. This can especially come in handy in case multiple people connect to your network essentially hogging it. Therefore, one of the best routers you would find is the TP-Link Archer C5400X Tri Band Gaming.
Apart from delivering solid performance, the router allows you to prioritize bandwidth to your respective device.
Design
This is one such router which you wouldn’t intend to hide away under your desk or something or put at around a dark corner, but something you would actually feel like boasting about – All because of its aggressive design. Not only this, but there aren’t many routers out there with looks like this one. This is because even though the base would seem to you to be the normal rectangular in shape, but from this very base, sprouts a whopping 8 identical antennas, which are aggressively designed to suit the typical gamer’s favorite combo of black and red.
With dimensions of 9.1 x 9.1 x 1.7 inches when the antennas are out, the router is nothing short of a beast. Though this also means that it can take some valuable space where ever you install it. If the height is an issue, you might need to bend some of the antennas to adjust, but ideally, it should be installed where there is no blocking.
Ports and features
It isn’t just a gamer’s dream from outside, but inside as well. The typical router has 4 Gigabit ports, but guess what, this TP-Link Archer got eight! This means that you can easily attach more than your console, TV, and another device requiring a wired connection, without having to worry about getting low on ports. The best part is that you can easily double up your internet speed since the router also offers link aggregation. Thus, by a combination of two LAN port connections, you are assured of twice than what a single internet connection can offer.
Apart from these, there is a power port as well on the back side, where you can also find two USB 3.0 ports, along with a power button. The usual reset button is also there, but for that, you would need a pin.
Specifications
The router boasts a high end 1.8 GHz 64-Bit Quad Core Processor, something which is found in some smartphones! That’s a lot of processing power, and it can easily impact your browsing experience since it means that the router can handle multiple clients with ease. Not only this, but there are 3 co-processors as well, which aid the management of your Wireless network.
The router also has a whopping 1 GB of RAM, which is more than enough for a router and is essentially important for hassle-free network traffic administration. The router has its own 16 GB of eMMC storage space as well.
This AC5400 Tri-Band Router relies on 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz band and another 802.11 ac/n/a 5GHz band to deliver fastest internet connectivity with the latter offering up to 5,334 Mbps of speeds.
How it suits Gamers
It can so happen that many people are using your network connection. Typical Routers usually serve a single device and then the next and so on. Thus, for gaming, where speeds are the utmost priority and lag is the worst thing that can happen, you need a router with MU-MIMO support, and this router has that. Thus, all the requests would be served in parallel rather than in sequence essentially removing the lag.
Not only this, but the router also increases the efficiency through Airtime Fitness. In addition to this, through bandwidth prioritization, you can dedicate internet speeds to certain devices perhaps your console. This reduces the latency experienced while online gaming since more bandwidth is available to you rather than your family or friends.
Other great features to have
The router is very easy to use and you can easily share your internet connection with a guest by creating a guest network which can work on both on the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands. Not only this, but the TP-Link Archer C5400X is also compatible with Alexa and IFTTT, thus you can tie all your smart devices together easily. The router also offers inbuilt protection against cyber-attacks which is important, especially in today’s world.
Price and Warranty
TP-Link offers this router for a price tag of $400. It ain’t cheap but with the features that the router boasts along with a two-year warranty, it is perhaps the best value for gaming router you can find in the market right now.
