Spending lots of time working from home these days? Piling on more and more smart home wireless devices? It's time to examine the heart of your home network: your router. If your current one is more than three years old, you may need a speed and security boost, and the Wi-Fi 6 standard has you covered. PCMag has been reviewing wireless routers since Wi-Fi itself was new. We measure the speed and range of each model across multiple bands via a slate of rigorous benchmark tests, and also evaluate routers' usability, design, and value. Our current top pick for most people is the Synology WRX560; we also present a host of other top Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E models for narrower use cases and different budgets. All are backed by our deep-dive reviews. They're followed by all the router buying advice you need, plus a handy spec comparison chart.
Overview
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![Synology WRX560]()
Best Wi-Fi 6 Router OverallSynology WRX560
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![TP-Link Archer AXE75]()
Best Wi-Fi 6E RouterTP-Link Archer AXE75
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![Netgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router (RAXE500)]()
Best Premium Wi-Fi 6E RouterNetgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router (RAXE500)
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![eero 6+]()
Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systemeero 6+
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![Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000]()
Best Wi-Fi 6 Gaming RouterAsus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000
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![D-Link Aquila Pro AI AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router (M60)]()
Best-Looking Wi-Fi 6 RouterD-Link Aquila Pro AI AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router (M60)
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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![Synology WRX560]()
Best Wi-Fi 6 Router OverallSynology WRX560
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Superior throughput performance, wide signal coverage, and a slick menu system make the Synology WRX560 an excellent choice among dual-band Wi-Fi 6 routers. The router turned in some of the highest throughput scores we've seen in its category. It also comes with strong parental control and network security software, and is equipped with a multi-gig WAN/LAN port. You can even use it as part of a whole-home mesh configuration should you want to expand your network later on.
Who It's For
Value seekers: Anyone who wants an excellent value from a Wi-Fi 6 router for a small or medium-sized home should give the WRX560 a look.
People who already own Synology devices: It's especially attractive to people who own a Synology network attached storage (NAS) drive, since it uses a similar interface to the one those devices use, which makes configuring the router easy.
Specs & Configurations
Anti-Malware Tools Beamforming Guest Networking IPv6 Compatible Link Aggregation MU-MIMO Number of Antennas 6 Number of Bands 2 Number of USB ports 1 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 4 Quality of Service VPN Client Pre-Installed Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX3000 Wireless Networking Security WPA2 Wireless Networking Security WPA3 Wireless Parental Controls Wireless Specification 802.11ax Learn More Synology WRX560 Review -
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![TP-Link Archer AXE75]()
Best Wi-Fi 6E RouterTP-Link Archer AXE75
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Archer AXE75 is not only an excellent Wi-Fi 6 router but also supports 6GHz transmissions, known as Wi-Fi 6E, making it one of the most cutting-edge routers, too. Being able to future-proof your network for under $200 is a winner in our book. The Archer AXE75 is a pioneer in bringing 6E down to the lowest price we've seen. The perk: Enjoy the lack of in-air competition while you can, as the 6GHz radio band should remain uncrowded for a bit, until wider Wi-Fi 6E adoption takes hold. Beyond the price, the AXE75 is a solid performer. All you need to do is start collecting 6E-compliant client devices to leverage this bargain router to the max.
Who It's For
People who can take advantage of the uncrowded 6GHz band: Anyone thinking about hopping aboard the 6GHz Wi-Fi train but unwilling to spend a bundle, your engine has arrived.
Parents: Parents will be pleased to learn that the AXE75 includes access to HomeShield Basic, TP-Link's strong parental controls and basic network security tools. You can block internet access for individual users, apply age-based filtering, and see how long a user has been online. (Opting for a monthly or annual paid plan can give you even more control.)
Specs & Configurations
Anti-Malware Tools Beamforming Guest Networking IPv6 Compatible MU-MIMO Number of Antennas 6 Number of Bands 3 Number of USB ports 1 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 4 Quality of Service VPN Client Pre-Installed Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AXE5400 Wireless Networking Security WPA2 Wireless Networking Security WPA3 Wireless Parental Controls Wireless Specification 802.11ax with 6E Learn More TP-Link Archer AXE75 Review -
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![Netgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router (RAXE500)]()
Best Premium Wi-Fi 6E RouterNetgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router (RAXE500)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Netgear RAXE500 has the distinction of being the first router we tested that can communicate on the 6GHz radio band. With a design that resembles a stealth bomber, the RAXE500 packs four internal antennas into each of its two wings and uses the latest Wi-Fi 6E technology to deliver speedy data rates on the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. It also offers multi-gig WAN/LAN connectivity and link aggregation for ultra-high-speed networking.
Who It's For
Cutting-edge enthusiasts: If you're looking to future-proof your network with Wi-Fi 6E technology, Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE500 has you covered. Granted, its $600 price may seem over the top, but cutting-edge tech usually carries a premium.
Power users: With the RAXE500, you get solid throughput and file transfer performance and an optimized CPU designed to handle heavy network traffic and 8K video streaming.
Specs & Configurations
Anti-Malware Tools Beamforming Guest Networking IPv6 Compatible Link Aggregation MU-MIMO Number of Antennas 8 Number of Bands 3 Number of USB ports 2 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 5 VPN Client Pre-Installed Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AXE1000 Wireless Networking Security WPA2 Wireless Networking Security WPA3 Wireless Specification 802.11ax with 6E -
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![eero 6+]()
Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systemeero 6+
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The eero 6+ Wi-Fi mesh system makes it easy to bring speedy wireless networking to every room in your house. We tested the three-piece system, which provides coverage for homes of up to 4,500 square feet. It is a snap to install and delivers excellent performance according to our tests. Plus, it pulls double-duty as a home automation hub. All of this earns it our top recommendation for Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems.
Who It's For
People who don't need the latest and greatest: A Wi-Fi 6 mesh system is perfectly fine for most average-sized homes that aren't packed with devices demanding high bandwidth. If you're just connecting a few PCs and phones in a 2,000-square-foot house, a Wi-Fi 6 system like the eero 6+ is a better fit than a cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 one.
Budget buyers: The eero 6+ is reasonably priced at approximately $100 per node, and is usually discounted during major sales events like Amazon Prime Day.
Specs & Configurations
Anti-Malware Tools Beamforming Coverage Area for Hardware as Tested 4500 Guest Networking IPv6 Compatible Link Aggregation MU-MIMO Number of Bands 2 Number of Nodes 3 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 1 on router, 2 on satellites Parental Controls Security WPA2 Security WPA3 Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX3000 Wired Backhaul Wireless Networking Security WPA2 Wireless Networking Security WPA3 Wireless Parental Controls Wireless Specification 802.11ax Learn More eero 6+ Review -
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![Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000]()
Best Wi-Fi 6 Gaming RouterAsus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Excellent throughput and signal range performance, high-end hardware, and a wealth of cool gaming features earned Asus' ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 an Editors' Choice award among premium gaming routers. You don't get eight LAN ports as you do with some competing routers, but you get dual 2.5GbE LAN/WAN ports and four 1GbE LAN ports with support for link aggregation. You can also dedicate one LAN port for gaming and give it bandwidth priority.
Who It's For
Gamers: The Rapture is an excellent choice for players who crave a Wi-Fi 6 router that will elevate their online gaming prowess.
Value seekers: It's far from cheap at just under $400, but its superb performance, game-enhancing settings, and lifetime parental control and network security tools make it well worth the money.
Specs & Configurations
Anti-Malware Tools Beamforming Guest Networking IPv6 Compatible Link Aggregation MU-MIMO Number of Antennas 4 Number of Bands 2 Number of USB ports 2 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 5 Quality of Service VPN Client Pre-Installed Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX6000 Wireless Networking Security WPA2 Wireless Networking Security WPA3 Wireless Parental Controls Wireless Specification 802.11ax Learn More Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 Review -
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![D-Link Aquila Pro AI AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router (M60)]()
Best-Looking Wi-Fi 6 RouterD-Link Aquila Pro AI AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router (M60)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
While the D-Link Aquila Pro M60 isn't a top performer or particularly feature-rich among Wi-Fi 6 routers, it does offer one of the most noteworthy physical designs we've seen. The M60 has a matte white and light blue enclosure with two fins on either side that curve up and in. D-Link says the design is eagle-inspired—perhaps the fins are meant to look like curved wings—but it really looks more like a manta ray. Either way, it's sure to be a talking point if a visitor spots it in your home.
Who It's For
People who value aesthetics: Some people like their routers to blend in with their home decor, while others like them to stand out. If you're in the second category, you can't get much more distinctive than this Wi-Fi 6 router masquerading as a manta ray.
People who already own D-Link gear: The M60 is a mesh-capable router, which means you can pair it with other Aquila Pro devices to form a whole-home mesh network.
Specs & Configurations
Beamforming Guest Networking IPv6 Compatible MU-MIMO Number of Antennas 8 Number of Bands 2 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 4 Quality of Service VPN Client Pre-Installed Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX6000 Wireless Networking Security WPA2 Wireless Networking Security WPA3 Wireless Parental Controls Wireless Specification 802.11ax -
Compare Specs
Our Pick | |||||||||
Rating |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.5 Outstanding |
3.5 Good |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
Best For | Best Wi-Fi 6 Router Overall | Best Wi-Fi 6E Router | Best Premium Wi-Fi 6E Router | Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System | Best Wi-Fi 6 Gaming Router | Best-Looking Wi-Fi 6 Router | Best Wi-Fi 6 Router Overall | Best Wi-Fi 6E Router | Best Premium Wi-Fi 6E Router |
Wireless Specification | 802.11ax | 802.11ax with 6E | 802.11ax with 6E | 802.11ax | 802.11ax | 802.11ax | 802.11ax | 802.11ax with 6E | 802.11ax with 6E |
Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) | AX3000 | AXE5400 | AXE1000 | AX3000 | AX6000 | AX6000 | AX3000 | AXE5400 | AXE1000 |
Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 on router, 2 on satellites | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Number of USB ports | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
Number of Antennas | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | |
Number of Bands | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Wireless Networking Security | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 |
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VPN Client Pre-Installed | |||||||||
Supports DD-WRT | |||||||||
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Link Aggregation | |||||||||
Beamforming | |||||||||
Guest Networking |
Buying Guide: The Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers for 2026
For those new to Wi-Fi 6, it's good to cover exactly what this standard entails and why it's important. Wi-Fi 6 is another name for 802.11ax. It's a generation behind the cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7, but it's still plenty capable. Wi-Fi 6's primary benefit over Wi-Fi 5 is a theoretical throughput boost from 5.4Gbps to a maximum of 9.6Gbps. But you'll find more to Wi-Fi 6 than faster speed, including greater client capacity, better range performance, and reduced network congestion and power consumption.
Wi-Fi 6 also adds entirely new capabilities to your router's arsenal, such as the Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) protocol. OFDMA enhances throughput by breaking Wi-Fi channels into sub-channels and allowing up to 30 users to share a channel simultaneously. Target Wake Time (TWT) is a power reduction scheme that allows Wi-Fi 6 devices to decide when they will emerge from a power-saving sleep mode to begin sending and receiving data. Smart devices such as security cameras and video doorbells are expected to benefit from TWT technology, as are smartphones, tablets, and laptop PCs.
(Credit: Netgear)Another area of improvement is channel size. Wi-Fi 6 doubles the channel width from 80MHz to 160MHz. This expansion helps create faster connections between the router and its clients. It also broadcasts over previously unused radio frequencies to deliver faster throughput performance over the 2.4GHz radio band. Uplink and downlink MU-MIMO streaming are also on the menu, as is enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) via uplink and downlink bandwidth management, and WPA3 encryption.
After the rollout of Wi-Fi 6, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened up parts of the 6GHz spectrum for unlicensed use. This newer technology, dubbed Wi-Fi 6E, offers 1,200MHz of new spectrum and support for multiple non-overlapping 80MHz and 160MHz high-speed channels. In a nutshell, Wi-Fi 6E means more bandwidth and faster throughput. To take advantage of all this newfound bandwidth, you'll need a router that supports Wi-Fi 6E and clients that can connect to the 6GHz radio band. (See our explainer on Wi-Fi 6E.)
What Important Features Should I Look for in a Wi-Fi 6 Router?
As with any router, you'll find that Wi-Fi 6 routers come with a wide variety of features that can bring specific benefits, though typically with the side effect of a bigger dent in your wallet. The big benefit is higher performance, but other benefits are available, as well. Router models with a specific focus, especially gaming routers, tend to include features specific to that specialty while ignoring other capabilities, so be sure you're getting everything your network will need.
If you'll be connecting wired devices like gaming consoles, home automation hubs, and network attached storage (NAS) drives, look for a router that has at least four LAN ports. Many high-end Wi-Fi 6 routers support link aggregation, which utilizes two gigabit LAN ports to provide increased throughput for things like large file transfers and network traffic load balancing. This also helps serve as a fail-safe in the event that one LAN port stops working. Some of the more advanced models are equipped with multi-gig LAN ports that can handle 2.5Gbps, 5Gbps, and 10Gbps connection speeds.
If you're looking to hard-connect peripherals such as printers and external hard drives to your network, make sure your Wi-Fi 6 router is equipped with at least one USB 3.0 port. Two or more USB ports are even better as they let you connect multiple devices without having to unplug one to connect another. With an external drive, a quick USB port, and router software that supports it, you can build your own secure NAS device that's accessible from not only your network but the internet.
(Credit: Netgear)If there are kids connecting to your network, make sure they stay safe on the internet and look for a Wi-Fi 6 router that comes with built-in parental controls. Most routers come with basic parental controls that let you create access schedules, block certain websites, and deny internet access to specific devices on your network. But if you really want to keep tabs on your child's online activities, you’ll need more granular controls. Many Wi-Fi 6 routers come with free or try-and-buy versions of parental control software that works with your phone and a mobile app, and lets you do things like pause internet access with a single click or create profiles for each member of your family. The more robust controls let you monitor site visits and total online time usage. They also offer customizable age-based presets that will automatically block access to social media platforms and sites that contain things like adult content, gambling, shopping, torrent downloads, and online gaming.
In that vein, any network should make security a priority, which means thinking about antivirus and malware protection. Some Wi-Fi 6 routers come with software that protects your network and all of your connected clients from viruses, phishing schemes, spyware, adware, and other cyber threats. Look for anti-malware tools that will detect malware in real time, quarantine infected devices, and remove malicious content from client devices. More often than not, anti-malware tools are bundled along with parental controls and come with free trial subscriptions, although a handful of router vendors offer free lifetime subscriptions.
Recommended by Our Editors
An oft-overlooked aspect of network security is visitors. If you're going to entertain guests in your home or office and offer them wireless network access, do you really want to give them complete access? Nearly all of today's Wi-Fi 6 routers offer a guest networking feature that lets you grant internet access to visitors, using a separate SSID and password, without giving them full access to everything else connected to your network, like NAS devices, printers, and all your laptops and desktop PCs.
Last, if your house has one or more online gamers vying for bandwidth, or if you do a lot of high-res video streaming, make sure your Wi-Fi 6 router offers strong Quality of Service (QoS) settings that let you allocate bandwidth to specific client devices or protect certain kinds of network traffic. Some QoS implementations allow you to enter an actual number (in Mbps) to make sure devices like gaming consoles and smart TVs have adequate bandwidth for lag-free gaming and smooth 4K video streaming; other schemes offer presets for specific applications. Simply tap a button to grant or revoke priority bandwidth for any device on your network.
What Specifications Should I Look for in a Wi-Fi 6 Router?
You'll see Wi-Fi 6 routers with designations like "AX1500" or "AX11000," which tell you the maximum combined data rate. For example, a dual-band AX1500 router is capable of reaching speeds of up to 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,201Mbps on the 5GHz band, while a tri-band AX11000 router gets you combined speeds of up to 1,148Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 4,804Mbps on each of two 5GHz bands. It's important to note that these are theoretical combined speeds (mostly used for marketing purposes) and not the actual all-the-time speed of a router. In reality, a router is only as fast as its fastest radio band, and even then, that number is arrived at under ideal laboratory conditions and not what you'll see in real-world use. (For much more on decrypting these numbers, see our guide.)
Other specs to consider are the number of radio bands, the processor (CPU) type, and the amount of flash memory and RAM that a router uses. As hinted above, dual-band routers use one 2.4GHz radio and one 5GHz radio, while tri-band routers use a single 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands. Tri-band routers are ideal for high-traffic networks because you can designate specific radio bands to certain applications. For example, you can perform large file transfers over one of the 5GHz bands, which frees up the other two bands for things like web surfing and video streaming.
(Credit: Shutterstock/Deutschlandreform)As with desktop and laptop PCs, beefier specs mean faster speeds. Look for a Wi-Fi 6 router with a quad-core CPU and at least 512MB of RAM and 512MB of flash memory. Additionally, more antennas typically provide better overall wireless coverage, which is why you'll see as many as eight antennas on high-end routers.
Another important and rather broad spec to consider is whether you want a Wi-Fi 6 router or a Wi-Fi 6 mesh networking system. Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems offer potentially easier setup and more even coverage for larger homes. For more details, read about The Best Wi-Fi Mesh Network Systems. And once you've purchased one, check out our primer, How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Mesh Network.
Is It Worth Paying More for a Wi-Fi 6 Router?
As with all other types of routers, Wi-Fi 6 router pricing is based on hardware specs, performance capabilities, and features. Budget Wi-Fi 6 routers can cost anywhere from $50 to well above $200, but these are typically bare-bones, dual-band models that use low-end components such as dual-core CPUs, offer low data rates, and lack features such as USB ports, anti-malware software, and multi-gig LAN ports.
At the other end of the spectrum, a high-end Wi-Fi 6E router designed for gaming can cost upward of $600. For that kind of money, you get all the top-end features, including multi-gig LAN, AXE11000 speeds, three radio bands, built-in malware protection and parental controls, quad-core processing, and a dedicated gamer-friendly operating system.
(Credit: Amazon)With all this in mind, take a look at the top-performing Wi-Fi 6 routers we've tested so far and compare them spec by spec. Once you've found the right router, read our tips for setting up your router and boosting your Wi-Fi signal.