Best Gaming Modem: Looking for Reviews and Buying Guide? [We’hve Got You Covered | 2024]

Being a gamer, you would require fast speed, uninterrupted streaming, and smooth access to gaming websites from your internet plan. So, do you think having a basic network setup is just enough? Definitely not! You need to have an additional powerful device that keeps you offering seamless network connectivity along with more other benefits. Hence, you need a robust gaming modem!

Having a gaming modem not only enhances performance but ensures you have the finest gaming experience. Whether you are making your best gaming move or you want to download hefty content, a gaming modem is always at par.

But the market is flooded with gaming routers, and hence, choosing the best one is slightly difficult. However, you need not worry as we’ve got you covered. We are sharing this post to let you know about the 10 best gaming modems, which you can consider buying. Also, you can check our comprehensive buying guide and some really important queries on these devices, which will help you make a good selection.

Have a quick look!

1. Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1 – Best Overall

Why is it Unique

It is the best modem for Gigabit internet plan users. Inbuilt with DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 3.0 standards offer you top internet speed while eliminating rental fees to a high extent.

Its Active Queue Management capability leads to faster page loading for entire web traffic and dramatically boosts interactive applications like video conferencing and online gaming. Also, it comes with a full-band capture digital tuner that augments speed and saves energy.

Buyer’s Experience

For buyers, this product works like a charm. They find it very easy to assemble and it works well with their existing router setup. They gained fast internet speed along with reliable connectivity.

Ideal For

It is a highly compatible model delivering ultra-fast and reliable internet connectivity and speed. It is easy to set up and compatible with most of the network service providers. This modem is an ideal choice for those who want to secure high-speed wired connection.

2. Motorola MG7540 16 x 4 Cable Modem – Best Connectivity

Why is it Unique

The best aspect of this device is that it comes with four 10/100/100 Gigabit Ethernet ports that allows convenient connections to Mac and Windows devices, streaming units, game stations, and others. It works on Wi-Fi DFS frequencies, and hence, is less vulnerable to signal interferences.

The beamforming technology is another amazing thing about this device. This technology is ideal for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, which focus on the signal strength to further enhance range and performance.

Buyer’s Experience

The buyers gained incredible reception and range with this device. It alleviated the dead spots in their house and offered great network coverage allowing a seamless gaming experience to them.

Ideal For

This modem builds a reliable connection, which reduces wiring and power adapter clutter. Its compact vertical design reduces shelf space and boosts cooling while appearing great in your office or home.

3. NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem Router Combo C7000 – Best Speed

Why is it Unique

Supporting cable internet plans with up to 400 Mbps speed, this device ensures reliable and fast connection for gaming, HD streaming, and more other activities. It comes with range enhancing Beamforming technology and amplified antennas that let you enjoy amazing coverage up to 1800 square feet.

Moreover, you can always select between its dual bands to seamlessly connect Wi-Fi for up to 30 devices. Even when multiple devices are connected you gain maximum speed and minimum interference for your smart wireless gadgets.

Buyer’s Experience

The buyers find it a great unit that functions faster than all their previous modems. They liked the strong connection it builds. It left no dead spots in their house and allowed them to perform all sorts of gaming activities uninterruptedly.

Ideal For

This modem offers great speed and awesome coverage. If you want to serve your demanding online activities without experiencing interruptions, this one is an ideal pick.

4. ARRIS SURFboard SBG10 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem and AC1600 Dual Band Router – Best Budget

Why is it Unique

This device is built-in with 4 upstream and 16 downstream channels, which make it an ideal choice for homes with a few devices to manage. It is a space-saving and budget-friendly option that comes in an easy setup and easily fits into your home or office.

It is equipped with two 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports that offer ultra-fast wired networking ideal for connecting multiple devices like gaming consoles, smart TVs, and others. Great compatibility with major cable internet providers makes it an excellent addition to your existing network.

Buyer’s Experience

The buyers find it a great device that not just saved them money but also helped them perform uninterruptedly. It rectifies the dropping signal problem for most of them and takes up little space. Setting up is simple and broadcast is pretty good.

Ideal For

Engineered with 3 products in 1, it is an affordable yet highly powerful unit best for cable internet service plans up to 400 Mbps. While its SURFboard manager apps allows convenient management, the multiple channels and ports offer easy connections, making it a great solution for every gamer.

5. Motorola 24 x 8 Cable Modem MB7621 DOCSIS 3.0 – Best for Mesh Network

Why is it Unique

This cable modem holds excellent compatibility and connects well with all internet service providers. It is a brilliant way to boost your performance level and at the same time saves you monthly rental fees to a great extent.

The compact and attractive design reduces shelf space, boosts cooling, and enhances product life while fitting perfectly to any office or home décor. Its power surge circuits and rugged lightning extends usability. Also, it is backed by a professional USA-based technical support team, which ensures you never experience any hassle.

Buyer’s Experience

It impressed buyers with its extraordinary performance. They found the setup super convenient and they are happy with the speed they are getting. All download channels work perfectly and are active. The best thing they liked is its Broadcom chipset, which is really powerful.

Ideal For

If you are looking for a DOCSIS 3.0 modem that is proven to deliver impeccable performance, then this device is a perfect solution. It is a beast packed in a sleek and lightweight body that delivers fantastic performance most of the time.

6. NETGEAR Cable Modem CM1000 – Best Compatibility

Why is it Unique

It is one of the finest modems by Netgear, which is designed exclusively to offer ultimate speed. It optimally serves the requirements of cable provider plans up to 1 gigabit speed.

You can use this device with any Wi-Fi router without worrying about connectivity problem. Since, it supports all wireless devices and comes with 1 Gigabit Ethernet port, so you will never suffer any issue while having this unit besides.

Buyer’s Experience

It impressed buyers with its unmatched compatibility. They were able to use it with most of the cable services without requiring any external support. Though it did not augment speed, but it definitely offered them consistent speed.

Ideal For

Having a great modem means a unit that offers you seamless connectivity. Hence, to ensure you never experience connectivity issues, pick this modem, which also plugs well with any router.

7. ASUS ROG (GT-AC2900) Dual Band Wireless Gaming Router – Best Performance

Why is it Unique

Powered by GeForce NOW, it is a cloud gaming router that converts your non-gaming system into a strong gaming rig. It conveniently connects to more than 400 top-notch games such as Fortnight and PUBG easily.

Featuring AiProtection Pro, it safeguards your network from external threats and attacks by neutralizing them before they reach out to your devices. Setting it up is extremely convenient and you do not have to engage into any complicated or frustrating process.

Buyer’s Experience

The buyers find it one of the strongest gaming modem routers that offered them fastest upload and download speeds and lowest ping times. Along with fast performance, it comes with multiple rich functionalities, which make it a lucrative deal for most of them.

Ideal For

It is a powerful modem with numerous advanced features. It not only enhances your gaming performance but lets you monitor the network right away. You can quickly note when your network is busy or when traffic is more. It glows in your favorite color, and hence, is a perfect way to complement your gaming setup.

8. TP-Link AC5400 Tri Band Wi-Fi Gaming Router – Best for Range Boosting

Why is it Unique

Equipped with intelligent traffic prioritization, it prioritizes gaming above other activities for huge benefit during PvP encounters, ranked matches, and heated raids. If you are not gaming, you can use it for immersive 4K movie watching with exceptional clarity.

Offering tri-band speed of 2.4 GHz and two 5 GHz bands, you can easily immerse into a rich gaming time while staying competitive. Even, you can dedicate one band exclusively for gaming. It harnesses Airtime Fairness and MU-MIMO technology to comprehend your wireless requirements and serve every device with precision and speed.

Buyer’s Experience

The most impressive thing to buyers is its multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports that allow them to easily plug smart TVs, PCS, gaming consoles, and other devices. They also liked its advanced Trend MicroTM protection that guards every device from cyber threats and antivirus.

Ideal For

If you want prime gaming and secured browsing experience with VPN access, this router is a must. It comes from a trusted brand and integrated all modern functionalities needed to consistently establish an exceptional quality network.

9. Linksys WRT Gaming Wi-Fi Router – Best for Lag-Free Gaming

Why is it Unique

The finest aspect about this device is that it offers quicker response time. It is because it reduces up to 65% in peak ping on gaming consoles. Furthermore, it holds custom built gaming user firmware and interface that enable rich control over the gaming traffic.

Fast connectivity is achievable with this device as it is equipped with Pro grade Gigabit Ethernet switch with 4 ports.

Buyer’s Experience

For buyers, this router is awesome. The Gigabit channels are blisteringly fast. It is perfect for cloud gaming and delivers zero latency with Xbox. Simple interface and presence of multiple advanced features make it worth every penny.

Ideal For

This device is designed exclusively for gaming and offers a dominating home network. It offers lag-free, smooth gaming experience ensuring you never miss even a millisecond. With amazing capabilities and unparalleled gaming response rate, it is a great pick for all the gamers.

10. D-Link Wi-Fi Router AC1700 Mesh Smart Internet Network – Best Network Coverage

Why is it Unique

Integrated with high-performance antennas and Beamforming technology offers maximum coverage and range around the house for better connectivity. It allows better managing the network with profile based parental control and voice control for Alexa and Google Assistant.

Setting up the modem is very easy and takes just a few minutes. You can change settings and conveniently manage the network with a free D-Link app through your smartphone. With this modem, you can mix-and-match devices to create your own customized network.

Buyer’s Experience

This device precisely served the users with large homes. It offered buyers excellent network coverage along with sound signals. The setup is like a piece of cake and the device allowed them to perform efficiently without experiencing any buffering.

Ideal For

This modem is an optimal pick for those who want robust network coverage throughout their house. It will not only serve gaming needs but will also help you perform other everyday online activities with ease.

There are different kinds of modems available and the one designed for gaming is meant to exclusively serve this purpose. Gaming modems are compatible with online gaming services and offer you an uninterrupted and reliable internet connection throughout. These devices can be wired or wireless and are very handy. They can be easily secured in your existing network setup.

Gaming modems work just like other basic modems. With their full form as modulator-demodulator, these modems translate digital signals from and to the computer into analog waves and transmit the same to your network connection.

As a result, the data travels smoothly allowing constant communication between the gaming server and the computer. The wireless gaming modems are better than the wired ones and let you perform seamlessly and always be ready for the action.

Well, gaming modems can help you become a pro gamer as they ensure you are never out of your screen due to network issues. In addition to this, these devices render other awesome benefits such as:

Fast Speed – A premium-grade gaming modem enhances the internet service to a great extent. It provides you with the fastest Mbps, or megabits per second that is adequate to achieve the highest transfer speeds and FPS.

Smooth Connection – These devices use high-quality material construction and are based on advanced technologies like numerous upstream channels, DOCSIS 3.1, and others. Hence, they deliver reliable internet connection so that you never experience any delay.

Perfectly Blends with Your Existing Router – Picking a compatible modem ensured you can easily set it up along with your existing router. A combination of two offers you reliable and rich connection along with streamlined efficiency.

Perfect for Pro Gamers – To become a professional gamer you need to have uninterrupted network connectivity and fast speed. Only a gaming modem can provide you with one as they are designed exclusively for this purpose. Hence, they blend perfectly with your gaming gear.

How To Install A Gaming Modem?

You will be glad to know that it is very simple to setup your gaming modem. You only have to plug-in your modem with your present internet service and configure the necessary settings from your desktop.

Alternatively, you can ask for professional assistance to have a hassle-free installation experience.

With a lot of options available, picking the best modem can be tricky. But by considering some of the important factors you can make a final choice easily.

1. 2-in-1 Modem Router

While some users prefer buying only a modem, others go for a modem router combo. Having a modem lets you connect directly to the cable line and secure smooth internet access. A router on the other hand plugs into the modem and transmits the connection into wireless signals. Also, a router comes with additional ports to let you connect to multiple devices at once.

A modem router combo combines the best of both worlds into one unit. These devices saves you space as well as money. Though the upfront cost is more, you hardly experience hardware issues, which can be the case when connecting two separate units. If you don’t have a router, you must go for a combo. But for those with a router already, pick a modem that is highly compatible with it.

To know more about the Best Modem Router Combo For Gaming, check out this fantastic review.

2. Compatibility

The next vital thing to consider is the compatibility of a modem with your cable internet service provider. A feature-rich modem is of no use till it allows smooth connectivity to the cable internet. Check the list of providers that your modem supports. Also, make sure your modem is certified by your internet service provider. It ensures that the device will work to the best specifications as per the manufacturer.

3. Download and Upload Speeds

It is easy to understand the download and upload speeds mentioned on the modem. The upload speed tells you about the data you can transmit from your modem or router over the internet. The upload speed is much smaller than the listed upload speed for a modem.

To ensure you use your cable service in the most efficient manner, pick a modem that offers more download speed than your existing internet plan. This is of great benefit especially when you want to upgrade to a distinct plan later.

4. Upstream and Downstream Channels

If you want your data to flow through multiple channels at a time, then you must pick a modem with numerous upstream and downstream channels. Having more channels means more efficient transmission of data as it allows huge data to be delivered at once.

5. Numbers of Ethernet Ports

A modem primarily serves as the source for your cable connection rather than a way to direct the internet to the devices. With the increased usage of wireless connectivity, most of the modems come with limited numbers of Ethernet ports.

However, if you want the fastest gaming experience, you must pick a modem with multiple Ethernet connections. It lets you hook up to multiple devices at once without resulting in any difficulties.

It is best to pick a modem with two ports as it allows you to perform efficiently and offer you access to wireless connectivity for your daily devices and higher upload and download speeds for the best gaming time.

6. Channel Bonding

Channel bonding is essential to boost your gaming performance. Also called as Ethernet bonding, it lets you combine together two distinct channels, particularly letting you double the output. With channel bonding, you can make the most of your modem and secure a powerful internet plan, which it can support. In brief, channel bonding boosts your performance level to a great extent.

7. DOCSIS Standards

The full form of DOCSIS is Data over Cable Service Interface Specification that enables the provider to offer internet to the modem over cable connections. The latest DOCSIS standard is 3.1 which offers 10 times more download speed than DOCSIS 3.0 standard. In most of the cases, DOCSIS 3.0 is sufficient for the gamers. But if you don’t want even a minor speed lag, you must go for DOCSIS 3.1.

8. Brand

With multiple brands available in the market, it is important that you choose one that is proven to offer reliable and efficient products. Do look for after sales support offered by a brand to ensure you do not experience any issue even after purchase.

9. Price

Always decide a budget in advance. This helps in narrowing the search and makes it easy to pick a product without spending more than you want. Sure, you would be able to secure a gaming modem within your budget level.

A gaming modem is a perfect and easiest way out to augment your overall gaming experience. If you have any confusion, you can directly go with any of the models listed in our above-mentioned list and find the best gaming modem for yourself. Also, you must go through our buying guide and check the modem for all the parameters to gain a fruitful deal. So, have your gaming modem besides and delve into a world of awesome gaming! 

Last update on 2024-07-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API