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The Best Modem Router Combos for Gaming

Current 2023 Recommended Modem Routers for Cable Internet (Guide)



Last Updated: June 2, 2023

In this guide to choosing the best modem router combo for gaming on PC we'll cover our current top value picks to help you buy a good modem router as a gamer with a need for speed and reliability. But first of all, should you even buy a modem router combo instead of getting a good gaming router? Good question, because modem routers are definitely not for everyone.

When setting up your networking hardware for online gaming (or accessing the internet in general) you basically have three choices:

  • Just get a modem by itself if you only need wired LAN using an Ethernet cable, and get a network hub/switch for your modem if you need to run multiple Ethernet ports as basic modems will just have one LAN port (cheapest option)
  • Get a modem AND a separate router for wireless (most common home setup)
  • Get a modem router combo device that kills 2 birds with one stone black box

If you're going to roll with option 3, this is the guide for you. Using a modem router combo has its potential downsides as explained in more detail in our guide to routers vs modem router combos, such as being less flexible overall compared to having a separate modem and separate router, but modem routers are convenient and might be just fine for your particular setup.



If you do want/need a modem router combo, just like with choosing a router it's easy to get overwhelmed as the specs can be quite confusing. We've done the extensive research for you as usual and below we'll breakdown some of the best modem router combos for gaming based on our careful analysis of the current market from the perspective of an online gamer allergic to lag who is wanting something reliable but also that is good value for money.

Remember that while we always do our due diligence and value attention to detail quite highly on our quest to always bring to you the most reliable product recommendations, always do your research to ensure any particular modem router is compatible with your service provider, has the speed you need, features you want, and so on.

For example, there's no point spending a lot on a super-fast high-end modem router if you don't have a fast-enough internet plan that will actually get to those speeds in the first place (well, unless you want to future-proof, but again remember that modem routers will only support certain providers so keep that in mind too if potentially switching providers in future). Enough beating around the bush and let's dive into the current best modem routers for PC gaming for various different price points/budgets.

See Also: Choosing the Best Wireless Adapter for Desktop (PCIe vs USB)



Confused about the specs below? Hover over the icon below for a quick overview of that feature.



Swipe to Scroll the Table:


The Best Modem Router for Gaming
Price Tier: Cheap Budget High End Ultimate
Our Pick:
Model: Netgear C3700 (N600) Netgear Nighthawk C7000 (AC1900) ARRIS Surfboard G36 (AX3000) Netgear Orbi CBR750 (AX4200)
WiFi Standard:


WiFi 5 (802.11ac) WiFi 5 (802.11ac) WiFi 6 (802.11ax) WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
Speed:


Up to 340Mbps Up to 800Mbps Up to 2500Mbps (2.5Gbps) Up to 4200Mbps (4.2Gbps)
Ethernet Ports:


2x Gigabit 4x Gigabit 4x Gigabit + 1x 2.5 Gigabit 4x Gigabit
USB Ports: 1 x USB 2.0 1 x USB 2.0 - -
Full Official Specs: Here Here Here Here
Honorable Mentions - ARRIS SURFboard SBG7600AC2 (AC2350)

Netgear Nighthawk D7000 VDSL/ADSL (AC1900) 		Netgear Nighthawk CAX30S (AX2700)

Motorola MT8733 (AX6000) 		-

Related: The Best WiFi 6 Gaming Routers




Trusted VPNs

VPN software is quite important in this day and age and will improve the security and privacy of your PC when online. There are also benefits to using VPNs for gaming.

There's lots of VPNs out there but the ones I recommend most to gamers is ExpressVPN (special link that gets you 3 months off. they also offer a free trial here) and NordVPN which are both highly rated gaming VPNs because they're the fastest and most secure.


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About the Author

Indie game dev currently working on my first public release after years of hobby projects, a story-driven VR FPS built with Unreal Engine (to be announced soon here for anyone into VR FPS's). Also likes writing about tech, which also helps fund development of the game.

My favs of all time are OOT, Perfect Dark, MGS1, MGS2, GE007, DKC2, THPS3, HL1, and HL2, with the most recent addition to my list of immortals being the VR masterpiece Alyx. If you want help with a new build feel free to ask on the main PC builds guide. If you found the site extra helpful and wish to support the work I do here, sharing an article with a friend helps a lot and is much appreciated. - Julz