PC Magazine, one of the most prestigious technology websites on the Internet, has just published its list of the best wireless routers for 2016, and in today's post we are going to review the proposals that they bring us for this year. Although there are countless websites that offer lists with the best products, this time I have decided to opt for the recommendations of PC Magazine, since usually other lists simply use resources, and only recommend the most powerful routers, which end up being the most expensive, regardless of the quality / price ratio.
Although the routers that we are going to see today are not based solely on price, we will see some that offer great quality and also a high price, but always maintaining that positive balance between price and product.
The 10 best wireless routers of 2016 (Click to enlarge) / Photo: PC Magazine ©Before choosing which is the router that best suits our needs we have to take into account several factors, which are decisive for us to opt for one or the other model.
- Coverage area that we need you to manage.
- Number of devices that are going to connect to our network.
- Device types that we are going to use. If we have updated devices that support 802.11 ac (more powerful) technology, for example, it is interesting to take it into account.
- Single or dual band. The routers that support both frequencies allow us to broadcast both in the standard 2.4 GHz band and in the more powerful but with a lower range of 5 GHz.
- Bandwidth management. Some routers with advanced features allow you to filter traffic, which can be very useful if we make a lot of use of streaming and online games, but if we only use the internet to surf, we don't need to pay for advanced tools and configurations that we are not going to use.
- Transmission protocols. Wireless Ethernet networks use 802.11 protocols, but it is not the same to use 802.11 n (transfer speed of 600 Mbps), than 802.11b (speeds of 11 Mbps), 802.11g (54 Mbps) or 802.11ac (speeds greater than 1000 Mbps).
- Another point to keep in mind is the name of the router. Labels such as AC1200, AC1750 or AC3200 They are used to identify the transmission speed of the router. For example, a dual router that can achieve speeds of 450 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz frequency and 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz frequency is considered an AC1750 router (450Mbps + 1300Mbps).
(In the following list of routers, you can access Amazon by clicking on their name, to see all the technical characteristics and user opinions)
D-Link AC3200 Ultra Wi-Fi Router (DIR-890L / R)
Assessment: 4.5/5
Price: 254,14 EUR
It is a powerful router that can broadcast in 3 bands and at an amazing speed.
Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router AC 1900 (WRT1900AC)
Assessment: 4.5/5
Price: 238,40 EUR
Good transmission speed, OpenWRT firmware, good QoS, a powerful NAS, and easy to configure.
Asus RT-AC68U Dual-band Wireless-AC1900 Gigabit Router
Assessment: 4/5
Price: 167,44 EUR
This dual band router works exceptionally well with the 802.11ac protocol.
D-Link WiFi AC750 Portable Router and Charger (DIR-510L)
Assessment: 4/5
Price: 80,80 EUR
It is a portable router that can create hotspots, WiFi networks and mobile connections. It also has a battery charger function.
Tenda AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Router AC15
Assessment: 3.5/5
Price: 129.99
Good value for money for a router that works efficiently on 5GHz frequencies and with an easy-to-use settings console.
Source: PC Magazine
