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Best Wifi 6E Routers in 2023 – our top picks

Reviewed By: Kevin Pocock

Last Updated on November 10, 2023
best wifi 6e routers

If you are looking for the best Wifi 6E router, then we have you covered right here.

In 2019, Wifi 6 (also known as 801.22a or 801.22ax) was released, and it became the new Wifi standard, replacing the Wifi 5. And then in 2020, Wifi 6E was introduced with the additional 6GHz frequency band, which took internet speeds to a whole new level.

Now, Wifi 6 and Wifi 6E have quite a few differences. As mentioned earlier, Wifi 6E has a third 6GHz band, which delivers a higher speed and lower latency over a wider range. Think of it as an exclusive fast lane for devices that can make use of this technology.

While shopping for a Wifi 6E router, you will first have to check if your devices are compatible. At the moment, not many devices are compatible with this tech. To know if you can benefit from the 6GHz band, run a Google search for your device’s specs. If it says ‘Wifi 6E’, then you should be able to reap the benefits of a Wifi 6E router.

With that being said, if you want to invest in a new router, then you will be future-proofing your setup for quite a few years with Wifi 6E. At the moment, there are many Wifi 6E routers that will fit your needs. To help you find the best one out there, we have rounded up what we think are the best Wifi 6E routers.

Products at a Glance

How we picked

For this guide, we have looked at several Wifi 6E routers, compared them, and then selected the ones we thought were the best. The routers have been selected based on specs like number of bands, speeds, coverage, companion apps, and more. Plus, we are always updating our guides with new products, so you can keep checking this page for newer additions.

Our Recommended

Product Reviews

1
PROS
  • 7.8Gbps speed
  • Coverage of up to 2,500 sq. ft.
  • Beamforming and MU-MIMO
CONS
  • Paid security service

If you want the best Wifi 6E router within a reasonable price range, then you should check out the Netgear Nighthawk Wifi 6E router.

To start with, as it is a Wifi 6E router, it has a 6GHz band, which can be accessed by compatible devices. With this connection, you should be able to stream 4K and 8K videos, play AR/VR games, and perform other such demanding tasks. Along with 6GHz, the router is backward compatible and has 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands, so older devices should be able to access the internet as well.

Further, the router packs in a quad-core processor that has 1.7GHz clock speed, which promises to give you up to 7.8Gbps speed – so you should be able to get a high-speed internet connection without a hitch. For wired connections, you get five Ethernet ports, which should let you get the best wired internet connectivity.

Plus, the router claims to cover an area of up to 2,500 sq. ft., which means you should get coverage for your entire house or office, depending on how big it is. Much like some of the best routers for multiple devices, you can connect up to 40 devices, so you should be able to access the internet on your mobile phones, laptops, TVs, and other devices without having to compromise on speed.

As far as installation is concerned, you can set up your Wifi with the Nighthawk app, which lets you manage devices, monitor data usage, test speed, and do much more. Plus, the Wifi router has Alexa as well as Google Assistant support, so you get easy, hands-free controls.

For parental controls and security, you can make use of the Netgear Parental Controls and Netgear Armor app, which protects your router and helps your kids build healthy internet habits at the same time. However, it should be noted that you will have to pay for these services after a 30-day free trial.

2
PROS
  • 5665Mbps speed
  • 6dBi high-gain antennas
  • Wider coverage with Wifi+
CONS
  • Mediocre app

If you want a Wifi 6E router within a reasonable price range, then you should check out the Tenda Tri-Band router, which we think deserves to be one of the best budget routers.

To start with, the wifi router has three bands – 6GHz, 5GHz, and 2.4GHz, which means you can use the 6GHz band on compatible devices and the other two for older devices. Together, the three bands can give you up to 5665 Mbps speed, which should be sufficient for fast browsing, AR/VR gaming, 8K and 4K videos, and an overall more responsive internet experience.

Further, the Tenda router has five 6dBi high-gain antennas, which should deliver stronger signals over wider areas when compared to Wifi routers with internal antennas – so you can expect coverage throughout your house or office. Plus, the router also has the Wifi+ feature, which should further ensure strong coverage.

If you want to use Wifi with VPN, then this Tenda router comes with VPN client support, which means you get VPN for all the connected devices by accessing the remote VPN servers – so you don’t have to install the software on all devices.

Another notable feature here is the One-click Self-Intelligent Diagnosis. You can access this feature through the website and run a self-check. The router then scans and fixes minor issues like network freezes and dropped calls.

3
PROS
  • Quad-band router, 16,000Mbps speed
  • Triple-level game acceleration
  • Compatible with AiMesh
CONS
  • Comparatively expensive

If you want the best Wifi 6E router for gaming, then this Asus ROG Rapture model might be suitable – and we think it deserves to be one of the best routers for gaming.

The router is different from the others in this guide as it has four bands instead of the usual three. So, you have the 6GHz band, then two 5GHz bands, and a 2.4GHz band. Together, these bands can give you up to 16,000Mbps of speed, which should be more than sufficient to deliver high internet speeds for multiple devices.

Further, the Wifi router promises to cover a large area and it also has a RangeBoost feature, which should ensure that you get a strong signal over wider distances. Plus, if you want more coverage, then this router is compatible with AiMesh – so you can use the Asus Extendable Routers and build a dead zone-free network in your house or office.

As far as gaming is concerned, the router has a Triple-level game acceleration, which offers three ways to optimize speed for gaming. You have to plug your gaming PC or laptop into the LAN port (gaming port), which makes this device a priority over other connected devices. If you have an Asus PC or laptop, then you can also enable the ‘ROG First’ feature – so the Asus router can recognize and prioritize the Asus devices. You can also get a WTFast subscription, which gives gamers a better route to the game server.

Coming to the wired connections, the router offers two 10 Gbps LAN/WAN ports, which should handle demanding tasks well. Plus, you also get a 2.5Gbps WAN port, which prioritizes all network traffic, so you experience higher speeds.

4
PROS
  • 5600Mbps speed
  • Up to 200 devices
  • TP-Link HomeShield security
CONS
  • Expansion can get expensive

If you want a Wifi 6E router for larger homes or spaces, then we’d recommend checking out the TP-link Deco mesh system, which we think should be one of the best mesh routers for large homes.

The variant that we have selected for this guide comes with 3 Deco XE75 units, which should replace your Wifi and extender and make the whole system a bit seamless. Further, the 3 Decos claim to cover up to 7,200 sq. ft., which should eliminate dead zones and deliver seamless connectivity to multiple devices.

Much like other Wifi 6E options on this list, the TP-Link Deco mesh system too, has three bands, including the 6GHz one. Together, these three bands can give up to 5600Mbps speed for around 200 devices, which means it is sufficient even for small businesses. Further, this is an AI-driven mesh system that learns user behaviors and gives you a better experience over time.

As far as installation and settings are concerned, you can download the Deco app set up your Wifi network, and configure it from anywhere. Plus, the Deco units are compatible with Alexa, so you get intuitive, hands-free controls with voice commands.

Another notable feature here is the TP-Link’s HomeSheild security service which has a bunch of free, useful features. With this feature, you get network security, parental controls, QoS, and basic weekly or monthly reports – so you don’t have to go through the hassle of getting a security subscription.

How to pick the best WiFi 6E router

Here are some of the pointers to consider while shopping –

Compatibility

Compatibility is a very important factor to consider when looking at buying WiFi 6E routers. Owning compatible devices for WiFi 6E technology is essential if you’re looking to reap all the benefits of WiFi 6. However, it’s important to bear in mind that WiFi 6 is, of course, backward compatible with WiFi 5 and older devices.

Coverage

The “right” coverage will depend on how much square footage your home or office has. Thankfully, most products give you an idea of how much area the Wifi router can cover. For instance, if a router says that it can cover up to 2,500 square feet, then it is suitable for a small-to-medium-sized office. Meanwhile, some of the best routers for wifi range can cover up to 7,200 sq. ft. and more, which makes them suitable for larger spaces.

Companion apps

Most router brands today offer a companion app through which you can set up your Wifi network, configure it, run self-scans, and even get technical support. For example, Netgear’s Nighthawk app allows you to change settings on the device and network level, so you can get the best networking experience.

Security and parental controls

Many routers offer basic security features like network security, VPN, periodic reports, and more for free. These are important to give you a safer experience. Along with this, most brands offer parental controls, so you can provide your children with a safer online environment and healthy internet habits.

What is WiFi 6E?

WiFi 6E is the latest iteration of WiFi. WiFi 6E improves the channel bandwidth of WiFi 6 as it has access to the faster 6GHz Band. Wifi 6E has small improvements over WiFi 6, A good Wifi 6 router will have the same performance for most users.

Is WiFi 6E worth it?

It depends on what you use it for. If you require incredibly fast download speeds and the ability to connect to multiple devices, then possibly. However, for more basic, household use, older iterations of WiFi are more than ok. For those looking for a router that can get the job done but at a lower price, then choosing the best budget router should be enough.

Our Verdict

If you want the best Wifi 6E router for general use, then we think that the Netgear Nighthawk Tri-band router is a good choice. The router comes with the 6GHz band and gives you support for 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands as well. The Wifi router can deliver speeds up to 7.8Gbps, which should ensure high speed and stable connections. Plus, the router promises a coverage of 2,500 sq. ft., which, along with beamforming and MU-MIMO, should give you uninterrupted internet access on multiple devices.