6 Best Routers For 4k Streaming in 2021 (Reviews and Guide)
Here are your best routers for the best lag-free 4K streaming experiences, minimal congestion, interference, or faulty connections.
Is there anything worse than sitting down to finally watch that TV show or movie you’ve looked forward to for weeks, only to struggle with interference or constant lags from either a faulty connection or network congestion?
The truth is that we’ve all been in this situation uncountable times, and none of us wishes to live through this ordeal one more day, which is why I have taken a substantial amount of time to review some of the best options of 4K streaming routers. With several options on the market today, it might be confusing for you to find the best router to fit your needs. In this review, I’ll take you through the best options of 4K streaming routers on the market today.
Some of the best routers on the market come with new features like the mesh network system that ensures the best internet connectivity blanketing the entire house. Overall, the best of these routers for 4K streaming are high-speed routers boasting uninterrupted internet connections for the best streaming experience. They also boast the best built-in and robust anti-virus protection features, and the most powerful/ fastest processor speeds, with the capacity to prioritize data flow based on the number of connected devices and the capacity of said devices; not to mention reliable and super-flexible antennas.
Keep reading to find out which are the best routers for elegant 4K Streaming.
Table of Contents
Comparison Table: Best Router For 4k Streaming
Best Router For 4k Streaming |
Best For |
Speed |
WiFi Protocol |
Price |
NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK R9000 WiFi Router |
Ultimate 4K Smart Streaming Router |
7.2Gbps |
802.11ac/ad
Tri-band |
|
Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band AC5400 Max-Stream WiFi Router |
Best Futuristic Design Router |
5.4Gbps |
802.11ac
Tri-band |
|
NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700 WiFi Router |
Best Performance, Low-Ping Streaming Router |
7.2Gbps |
802.11ac/ad
Tri-band |
|
TP-LINK ARCHER C5400X |
Competitively Priced Streaming Router |
5.4Gbps |
802.11ac
Tri-band |
|
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 WiFi Router |
Highest Speed 4K Streaming Router |
11Gbps |
802.11ax
Tri-band |
|
NETGEAR ORBI ULTRA |
Best Whole-House Mesh Router |
6Gbps |
802.11ax
Tri-band |
6 Best Router For 4k Streaming – Reviews
-
NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK R9000 WiFi Router – Ultimate 4K Smart Streaming Router
- Fast WIFI Performance: Get up to 2500 sq ft wireless coverage with AD7200 speed (Tri-band up to 800 +...
- Recommended Up to 45 Devised: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart...
For the ultimate streaming experience, you might like the NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 range of smart routers, the industry’s best, high-speed routers for 4K media streaming thanks to its Plex Media Server system.
This Nighthawk X10 R9000 smart router is outfitted with some of the best technologies on the router scene – 802.11ac as well as the 802.11ad WiFi technologies, both designed to deliver the smoothest 4K streaming, instant downloads, and VR gaming. To ensure that the router delivers its exceptional level of performance, it’s powered by the powerful processor – 1.7GHz quad-core, along with the high-tech quad-stream architecture, also essential for the best streaming experience at high combined speeds of 7.2Gbps. Thanks to these super-high speeds, you get to enjoy blazing-fast, and lag-free video streaming, VR gaming, and surfing.
Speaking of high speeds, the router sports a 60GHz 802.11ad band, which is the fastest short-range WiFi system for instant downloads, as well as backups. The speeds of this router run-up to 4600Mbps on the 60GHz band, 1733Mbps on the 5GHz band, and 800Mbps on the 2.4GHz band.
You also have six Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports for Gigabit wired connections, also for the fastest streaming experiences. You might also like this router because it boasts the link aggregation function allowing you to aggregate two of the Gigabit ports into one, hence faster data transfers.
To enhance the streaming power of the router is the MU-MIMO technology designed to ensure simultaneous streaming, on top of 160MHz WiFi system that automatically doubles up the router’s connectivity speeds. And for the amplification of the WiFi signals, the router boasts 4 high-performance patent-pending external, flexible and active antennas. The antennas also boost the router’s maximum throughput.
The other features of this router include the dynamic QoS for intelligent prioritization of video streaming, 10G LAN SFP+ port for the fastest gaming/ NAS access, as well as the Plex Media Server for all your movie, music, photo, and TV Show collections. And it’s compatible with Amazon Alexa or Echo.
Pros
- Tri-band WiFi system running on 2.4GHz, 60GHz, and 5GHz bands
- Excellent performance antennas for improved range and throughput
- Top combined WiFi speeds of 7.2Gbps
- 7GHz quad-core processor for best-level streaming
- Works with Alexa
- Reliable performance
- Ease of use
- Lag-free streaming
- Plex Media Server for access to all your media from all your devices
Cons
- Expensive
-
Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band AC5400 Max-Stream WiFi Router – Best Futuristic Design Router
- Connector Type : USB
- Provides up to 3,000 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage for 25plus wireless devices
If you are looking for the best high-speed router with the most attractive design and performance features, then this Linksys router might be the best option for you.
Its design is both attractive and functional, looking more like a drone than a router, but with eight massive and very flexible antennas that boost the range and the maximum throughput. Although you won’t be able to mount it on the wall, it lies perfectly horizontally on a desk, and its eight Gigabit Ethernet ports ensure the best-wired connections for streaming.
Some of the features that make this router an excellent option for 4K streaming include the in-built MU-MIMO function, which is important for you to enjoy the best high-graphics images and movies with zero lag issues. Then there is the Beamforming function, which boosts the wireless signal coverage and strength, especially for specific devices.
As a tri-band router, it boasts great wireless speeds of up to 5.3Gbps, with two 5GHz bands offering high speeds of 1000Mbps and 2166Mbps, and the 2.4GHz band offering speeds of 600Mbps.
The speed, signal range, and the overall performance of the router are further enhanced by the Gigabit Ethernet ports which allow for the best wired connections. And for file/ data transfers, it comes with a reliable USB 3.0 port.
All the functions of this router are enhanced by the powerful 1.4GHz Dual-core processor, which makes the router the best high-speed 4K streaming device on the market.
The Smart WiFi system ensures easy connection with all your home devices; device prioritization means that you wouldn’t have to struggle with bandwidth limitations on specific devices while avoiding lag through the prioritization of the devices that require the fastest bandwidth.
Regarding security, you have the parental controls which set boundaries for what your kids can watch/ access when you aren’t home, meaning you won’t have to worry about them accessing inappropriate content. It also has the Guest WiFi access system that will further enhance the security and safety of your network.
Pros
- Dual-core processor for reliable performance
- Efficient Gigabit Ethernet ports
- High internet speeds of 5.3Gbps
- AC WiFi protocol is reliable
- MU-MIMO for increased maximum throughput and for an increase in device capacity
Cons
- WiFi setup could be better
-
NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700 WiFi Router – Best Performance, Low-Ping Streaming Router
- Minimize ping and maximize performance with six 1 Gigabit Ethernet ports for lag free, wired connectivity...
- Amp up your WiFi with cutting edge AD7200 Quad stream router that delivers speeds up to 7.2 Gbps. 60 GHz...
Next on our list is this powerful gaming and streaming router by NETGEAR. Now, although you may think of this router as a good option for gaming only, its power makes it just as good or even better for streaming because it only means that you will have more power for the best HD streaming.
If you are tired of lags and interruptions while streaming, it goes without saying that this router would be the best option for you. Designed with cutting-edge software and the most robust hardware, the router is designed to keep your network stabilized while kicking off any lag spikes, hence the best streaming performance.
For the stabilization of the router’s ping, the router comes with an Anti-Buffer Bloat or ABB feature, which means that you will have a dedicated gaming bandwidth. Then you have the 1.7GHz dual-core processor that not only powers the whole system, it also makes it easier for network performance and the prioritization of traffic. The processor also makes 4K UHD streaming a breeze.
And if you live with several other people and are tired of network issues and congestion because there are too many devices connected, then you will like the router’s Advanced Quality of Service/ QoS function that is backed by a powerful 1GHz dual-core processor, which not only prioritizes the traffic but also means the end of buffering while streaming.
You also don’t have to worry about fighting over bandwidth, and you can make adjustments to the network on the fly thanks to the Device Manager. You could also use it to dial back on the bandwidth, block devices, and enhance your home network.
The other features designed to boost the performance of the router include the Geo-Filter that connects streamers to the closest servers, hence a smoother streaming experience.
Top all the features above with the high-performance, flexible and active antennas to ensure the best WiFi coverage plus faster speeds, 6 LAN (Ethernet) Gigabit ports, and one WAN ports for the fastest wired connections. Add the 10Gigabit LAN capability of the router, and you have the fastest internet access and data transfer features for elegant streaming. The two USB 3.0 ports allow for easy/ fast data backups or easy media access.
The router boasts high speeds of 7.2Gbps, with the shortest WiFi range at 60GHz band that’s the fastest frequencies on the market.
Pros
- Powerful processor for 4K gaming
- Best for 4K Streaming
- Traffic prioritization
- Works with Alexa
- Low pings and low lag spikes
- Reduced traffic congestion
- High speeds of 7.2Gbps
- Secure VPN network
- Great gaming option too
- Works for large homes
Cons
- Expensive
- Could use more Ethernet ports
- Manual setup doesn’t work too well
- Lacks some advanced features
-
TP-LINK ARCHER C5400X – Competitively Priced Streaming Router
- JD Power Award- Highest in customer satisfaction for wireless routers 2017 and 2019
- Wi-Fi Router Made for Gamers: Leading edge 1.8 GHz 64 bit Quad-core CPU and 1G RAM accelerates loading
This TP-Link tri-band router boasts high speeds of 5400Mbps, and it comes with a powerful 1.8GHz quad-core 64—bit processor, along with 16GB storage.
But that isn’t all that makes this router the absolute best streaming option; it features a MU-MIMO feature that allows for multiple user access and larger access for multiple devices. Then you have the link aggregation function that allows you to aggregate two of the eight Gigabit ports, hence faster and more powerful wired connections.
Its 2.4GHz band delivers high speeds of 1Gbps while each of the 5GHz bands delivers high internet speeds of 2167Mbps. Thanks to these speed options and the link aggregation function, the router boasts super-strong, amplified signals reaching large spaces. There’s also the Airtime Fairness function, which boosts the speed of the WiFi while reducing network congestion.
Pros
- Powerful performance
- High WiFi speeds
- Link aggregation for improved performance
- Ease of use
- Excellent performance
- Advanced security functions
- 8-Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Two USB 3.0 ports for data/ file transfers
Cons
- No geo-filter
- The antennas are not flexible
- The router is rather bulky
-
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 WiFi Router – Highest Speed 4K Streaming Router
- Triple level game acceleration accelerate game traffic With device, game packet and game server...
- Cutting edge hardware offers the best performance 1.8 GigaHertz Quad Core cpu and 2.5 G gaming port for...
Running on the most advanced WiFi systems, WiFi 6, this Asus ROG Rapture router is one of the best AX routers on the market. However, the feature that stands out the most from this router, besides its future-proof features is the super-high WiFi speed, which means that this router is ideal for both heavy gaming and heavy streaming. WiFi 6 or the 802.11ax protocol has a larger device capacity, super-high speeds, less congestion, and 100% backward compatibility.
Some of the features of the router that allow for the best streaming experiences include the OFDMA system, which splits one channel into sub-channels, hence improved device efficiency and a reduction in latency. And thanks to the smaller channels, the router boasts a larger coverage for larger spaces. TWT (Target Wait Time) is the other feature of this router, and it makes it possible for the scheduling of transmissions and the enhancement of the device’s battery life.
Note that its tri-band design means that the router delivers optimal speed and performance at different ranges, with the long-range 2.4GHz band offering the best browsing performance throughout the house, while the two 5GHz bands which have a shorter range and optimal signal strength offering the best WiFi speeds, and streaming performance. These bands offer high speeds of 1.2Gbps (2.4GHz band) and 4.8Gbps on each of the 5GHz bands.
And if you love gaming, then this router will help deliver the best gaming experience thanks to the ROG EcoSystem, Game Acceleration, ROG Gaming Center, as well as port forwarding. All these features work together with the Game First V system for network acceleration to ensure reduced lag and lower ping, as well as prioritized gaming packet.
Then you have the fortified network security system powered by Trend Micro’s AiProtection; a system builds to protect your network from all manner of external attacks and threats while neutralizing these attacks before they reach your devices.
Pros
- Reduced peak ping rates
- Powerful 1.8GHz processor
- 11AX WiFi protocol offers the best high-speed network connections
- Lag-free streaming with no buffering
- Reliable security network
- Ease of use
- Excellent performance
- Great customization features
- Powerful 2.5Gbps wired port for the highest streaming speeds
Cons
- Expensive
- Bulky
-
NETGEAR ORBI ULTRA – Best Whole-House Mesh Router
- Coverage up to 5,000 sq. ft. and for up to 100 devices. Extend coverage up to 2,500 sq. ft. with each...
- Ultrafast AX6000 gigabit speed with WiFi 6 technology for uninterrupted streaming, HD video gaming, and...
With the best features of Netgear Nighthawk routers in an aesthetically-pleasing mesh router, the Eero Home-like Netgear Orbi Ultra is one of the best mesh routers for 4K streaming, and it boasts the largest WiFi network coverage.
It boasts a seamless WiFI connection system with maximum speeds of 3Gbps, and at these high speeds, the router promises zero buffering glitches and no lag time. The best part is that it allows for reliable and stable high internet speeds regardless of the number of connected devices. But since it makes use of the tri-band technology system, it means that you will be able to connect to one of the 5GHz bands easily for seamless streaming, especially if you have many devices wirelessly connected to your network.
You might also like the Orbi App, which ensures ease of use/ setup. With the app, you can run speed tests, easily create Guest WiFi access, and parental controls.
Pros
- Advanced mesh WiFi system
- Orbi app makes it easy to use
- High speeds of 3Gbps
- Ease of use
- Works with Alexa
- Great tri-band backhaul system
- Parental controls
- 1 Gigabit Ethernet port for the best, high-speed wired connections
- MU-MIMO, Beamforming, and Smart Connect for maximum throughput.
- Great security features
- Seamless roaming
- Large device capacity for up to 25 devices or more
Cons
- Only one Gigabit Ethernet port
- Rather pricey
Buying Guide for Best Router for 4K Streaming
Before you buy a router for 4K streaming, take into consideration the following features and factors.
-
Speeds and the standard wireless system
Speed is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing the right router, and you need to make sure that the speeds are reasonably high to allow for the best wireless connections throughout your home and for the smoothest streaming experience.
Regarding standards/ protocols, it’s a good idea to opt for the 802.11ac and 802.11ax protocols because these two work with most of the devices on the market, and they are also designed to prevent interference.
-
Dual or Tri-Band Systems
The number of bands on a router determines the router’s performance, and the best 4K streaming router will have dual or tri-band systems for more seamless operations. While the 2.4GHz band is common, it’s often too congested, but boasts a wider range. The 5GHz band, on the other hand, has a shorter range, less congestion, and it’s ideal for streaming.
-
QoS
Also called Quality of Service, it is the factor that allows for the selection of the fastest streaming bandwidth. QoS makes it possible for the prioritization of the devices on your network. With your streaming system prioritized, you won’t have to worry about being kicked off the network.
-
Beamforming and MU-MIMO
Beamforming is a function that allows for the highest antenna strength, while the direction of the signal gets pushed to the devices that need it the most. MU-MIMO or Multi-user, Multiple Input, and Multiple-Output technology allow for the best communication between devices and your router, allowing for the best device optimization.
The other considerations include:
Processor power – you need a high-performance processor for the best WiFi performance. The fastest processors are essential because they hold up well in the long-term and ensure the best WiFi performance.
Antennas – Internal or external antennas are essential for the power and the range of the signals.
Ports – You need a router with Gigabit Ethernet ports for the best direction and the most stable wired connections to your routers.
FAQs
Which are some of the best 4K TV streaming devices?
4K or UHD streaming refers to streaming on 3840 x 2160 pixels. It boasts the highest level of clarity, and for this, you need the most powerful routers available. If you are shopping for a new streaming device or TV, you need to look out for 4K devices because of the sharper video quality. For the best 4K streaming, your TV must be 4K-compatible, a premium subscription, and high. Stable internet speeds.
Which are the best 4K Streaming services?
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Vudu, and iTunes.
Why choose WiFi 6?
WiFi 6 represents the future proof WiFi technology boasting the highest speeds and performance, a large device capacity, significantly less congestion, and 100% backward compatibility, meaning that it will work easily with previous WiFi systems.
Conclusion
You have numerous options of routers for 4K streaming, and the routers reviewed above are among the best on the market. However, if the options highlighted aren’t the best options for you, then the features and factors of the routers above will make your search much easier.