Best TP-Link Routers in 2021

The Archer A7 is a popular router thanks to a competitive price and performance that matches the needs of most people. You get AC1750 performance across 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, there are four LAN ports on the back, and setup and management are easy enough for beginners to handle.

If AC1750 performance from the Archer A7 is a bit too much for your needs, the Archer C1200 is a cheaper option that nevertheless provides speeds up to 300 Mbps and 900 Mbps across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. It still has four LAN ports on the back, and there's a USB-A port for wireless file sharing.

If you're worried about range but don't want to spend big money, the Archer C9 features beamforming for its three external antennas to better find your devices. You get theoretical AC1900 speeds across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands (600 Mbps and 1,300 Mbps) for smooth 4K streaming, and there's a built-in USB-A 3.0 port so that you can wirelessly share your media.

This powerful router is set up to handle 4K video streaming and lag-free gaming, and can theoretically hit AC3150 speeds across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands (1,000 Mbps and 2,167 Mbps). It features beamforming, it's MU-MIMO capable, and it has a powerful dual-core processor (CPU) and two co-CPUs to ensure all data is sent and received properly across devices.

If you have many users connecting to one router, the Archer C5400 should be well worth the money. It has one 2.4 GHz band (1,000 Mbps) and two 5 GHz bands (both 2,167 Mbps) so that there's far less congestion, and it's MU-MIMO capable. Eight antennas provide excellent range, and a powerful CPU and co-CPUs handle Quality of Service (QoS) demands with ease.