6 Best Modem for Gaming Review - [In 2021]

6 Best Modem for Gaming Review – [In 2021]

The modem is one of the most important things for gamers because the lag spikes and dropping of connections happen because of the modem. When you are ready for the gaming and all your team members are waiting for you and suddenly your internet connection drops, I can feel how embarrassing the situation would be.

If you want to avoid this situation, then you would need a suitable modem for gaming, and that might not be an easy task because there are many things that you need to look at when you are selecting a modem, and there are many so-called best brands in the market.

But we have made this thing very simple for you because we bring the seven best modems that would suit the needs of the gamers, and you don’t have to be embarrassed in front of your team members.

Image Product Features Price
NETGEAR Nighthawk Multi-Gig Cable Modem CM2000 NETGEAR Nighthawk Multi-Gig Cable Modem CM2000
  • It is a future-proof modem.
  • It is effortless to install
  • It gives you speed Up to 5000 Mbps
Buy On Amazon
Linksys CM3016 Cable Modem Linksys CM3016 Cable Modem
  • It is a budget gaming modem.
  • It gives you the speed of 686 Mbps with 16 downloads and four upload channels
  • .It is compatible with all cable providers
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NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem
  • It has a built-in Bitdefender security suite for safety
  • It gives you the fastest speed of 6000 Mbps
  • It saves your $168/year rental fees
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Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem
  • It has Motorola’s Active Que Management system for a stable connection
  • English and Spanish support network
  • Two years quality agreement
Buy On Amazon
ASUS Modem Router Combo - All-in-One ASUS Modem Router Combo – All-in-One
  • It is perfect for gamers and streamers.
  • It is compatible with Comcast XFINITY, Cox, and Spectrum (Legacy Time Warner)
  • It saves $120 per year for cable provider renal fees.
Buy On Amazon
ARRIS Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gigabit Cable Modem ARRIS Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gigabit Cable Modem
  • The design of the modem is unique
  • You can make two network systems in your home
  • Fast and stable internet for gaming
Buy On Amazon

 

1.  NETGEAR Nighthawk Multi-Gig Cable Modem CM2000

NETGEAR Nighthawk Multi-Gig Cable Modem CM2000

NetGear is a multinational company which is very famous for its computer networking. This company has offices in more than 25 countries around the world. The headquarters of the company is based in California, USA. This company was founded in 1996, and according to a report in 2017, there are more than 1000 employees in this company.

Specifications

  • Brand: NetGear
  • Color: Black
  • Cable compatibility: All Major Cable Providers, incl. COX, Spectrum, Xfinity
  • Model: CM2000
  • Speed: Up to 2500 Mbps
  • Ethernet ports:  1 x 2.5G
  • Technology:  DOCSIS 3.1, 32×8 Channel Bonding, OFDM(A) 2×2, IPv6
  • Weight: 2.42 lbs
  • Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 4.5 inches

Features

In our view, this is one of the best gaming modems that you can buy, and as a gamer, we know the needs of gaming so, we recommend you this modem after testing this modem for a very long time. As you have seen, the speed is very high at 2500 Mbps, and the installation is straightforward; you just have to plug and play.

It does not matter if you are a casual gamer or a competitive gamer; this modem is perfect for both. Many other modems in the market have routers, and prices are also less but believe us, this modem has the best technology, DOCSIS 3.1, with 40 combined channels that would take your gaming experience to another level.

Firstly when I saw this modem, I thought the brand was bluffing, but after reading the outstanding reviews about this modem on different platforms, I bought this modem, and now I am in love with it.

Pros
  • It is a future proof modem for the gaming
  • Super easy installation, just plug and play.
  • The speed up to 5000 Mbps is fantastic for gaming.
  • You can connect it with any wifi, but the best performance comes with the wifi 6.
Cons
  • The price might not be suitable for everyone.

 

2.  Linksys CM3016 Cable Modem

Linksys CM3016 Cable Modem   

It is another American brand that makes hardware networking products for home users and small businesses. It is a family-based company that was founded by the couple Victor and Janie Tsao. They are Taiwanese but living in the United States. This company was founded in 1988 in Irvine, California, USA.

Specifications

  • Brand: Linksys
  • Model: CM3016
  • Color: Black
  • Speed: Up to 680 Mbps
  • Technology: DOCSIS 24 X 8
  • Weight: 1.13 LBS
  • Dimensions: 6.9 x 3.7 x 6.69 inches

Features

This modem is for people who are on a budget and can’t buy the high-class modem, but they are into gaming so, they have this budget modem which is perfect for casual gaming. Of course, this device does not give you that kind of incredible speed, but still, it does a good job with speed up to 686 Mbps.

When we talk about the tech of this modem, then the best thing is that it also has DOCSIS with 16 download and four upload channels that give you the full speed of up to 686 Mbps. The surprising thing about this modem is that it provides excellent stability in the connection, which is very important for gamers.

It does not need a new cable; you can connect it with your existing internet cable connection it would give you a better speed and performance, and you can also use it with the new cable as you like, but this is a very decent modem that gives good speed in a very low price.

Pros
  • It is a very good low price modem for gaming
  • It is straightforward to install just plug and play
  • It is compatible with all the major cable providers.
  • The maximum speed is up to 686 Mbps with 16 downloads and four upload channels.
Cons
  • This modem is a bit old, released in 2016.
  • It performs really well in small spaces so, not for big places.

 

3.  NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem

NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem

NetGear is a multinational company which is very famous for its computer networking. This company has offices in more than 25 countries around the world. The headquarters of the company is based in California, USA. This company was founded in 1996, and according to a report in 2017, there are more than 1000 employees in this company.

Specifications

  • Brand: NETGEAR
  • Model: CAX80
  • Speed: Up to 6Gbps
  • Color: Black
  • Coverage: Up to 3000 sq ft
  • Ethernet ports: 1 x 2.5 Gbps + 4 x 1G
  • Weight: 4.4 lbs
  • Technology: DOCSIS 3.1 and 32×8 Channel Bonding
  • Dimensions: ‎13.98 x 10.12 x 5.2 inches

Features

It is the fastest and most reliable option in the modems for gaming. It gives you the most incredible speed of 6000 Mbps, making it perfect for casual and competitive gaming. It is a two-in-one gaming modem that allows you to connect it with your gaming pc and gaming console.

The best thing we like about this gaming modem is that you don’t need to connect it with the ethernet cable, but you can sync it with the Wifi 6 and play games from wherever in the range of this modem. This modem has built-in Bitdefender security and WPA/WPA2 wireless standards that ensure that your data is safe.

Some people might say that this is again an expensive product so, for them, we want to say that if you’re going to do some high-end gaming then this is the modem that you would need and you have to pay this price too, but if you are not much into gaming then some cheap modem would work for you.

Pros
  • It is very safe and secure because of the built-in Bitdefender security suite
  • It has the fastest speed of up to 6000 Mbps
  • It is a two in one modem which makes gaming easier for you
  • It saves you $168/year for rental fees
Cons
  • It is a bit bulky and oversized so, it might take some extra space.

 

4.  Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem

Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem

It is an American brand which is very famous for its electronic products, but very few knew that it is a subsidiary of Chinese company Lenovo. They make some entry-level smartphones and also some other home networking products. It was founded in 2011, and its headquarters is situated in Chicago, USA. The founders of this company are Motorola, Joseph Galvin.

Specifications

  • Brand: Motorola
  • Model: MB8611
  • Speed: Up to 1000 Mbps
  • Color: Black
  • Ethernet port: 2.5 G
  • Weight: 1.1 ounces
  • Technology: DOCSIS 3.1 plus 32×8 DOCSIS 3.0
  • Dimensions: 7.25 x 2.25 x 7.88 inches

Features

If you are from the 90s generation, you might have used or heard of Motorola phones, but they are also high-end gaming modems. This is another of the best gaming modems, perfect for your long gaming sessions with your team members.

This modem has the DOCSIS 3.1 technology combined with 2.5 Gbps, giving you the ultimate fast internet wherever you are in your house. If you have more than a 1 GB package, this modem will work perfectly with it, and also, this is compatible with almost every cable provider.

If you are tired of the internet connection drop in the middle of the game, in that case, you don’t have to worry about this modem because it has Motorola’s Active Que Management system that gives you the most reliable and stable internet connection throughout your game.

Pros
  • The installation of the modem is straightforward.
  • It has Motorola’s Active Que Management system that gives you a stable connection
  • They give you exceptional English and Spanish support.
  • Two years quality agreement
Cons
  • The upload speed is very low
  • You have to buy a separate router.

 

5.  ASUS Modem Router Combo – All-in-One

ASUS Modem Router Combo - All-in-One

You might know Asus because of its high-tech gaming motherboards and other accessories, but the good thing about the Asus is that they are also very much into hardware and electronics. It is a Taiwanese company founded by T.H. Tung, Wayne Hsieh, M.T. Liao, Ted Hsu in 1989. The headquarters of this company is also situated in Taipei city of Taiwan.

Specifications

  • Brand: Asus
  • Model: CM-32
  • Speed: Up to 1734 Mbps
  • Color: Black
  • Ethernet port:  RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 4 USB 2.0 x 2 Coaxial Port x 1
  • Weight: 2 lbs
  • Technology: 32 x 8 CableLabs DOCSIS 3.0
  • Dimensions: 7.4 x 2.36 x 11.81 inches

Features

If you want to do the gaming in the HD or 4K, then in our view, this is the best modern modem in the market. This modem uses DOCSIS 3.0 and not DOCSIS 3.1, but this modem can still give you fiber-level high-speed internet. This modem gives you a download speed of 1.3 Gbps which is very outstanding.

It is an excellent modem that saves the internet from the services provider and then distributes it over dual-band 2.4 and 5Ghz frequencies. It makes it a very reliable and stable modem for playing games. This modem would take your gaming to the whole next level and you would enjoy it more.

Pros
  • It would take less than five minutes to set up and then play.
  • Save up to $120 per year for the cable modem rental fees
  • If you are a streamer or gamer, then it is perfect for you.
  • It is compatible with Comcast XFINITY, Cox, and Spectrum (Legacy Time Warner
Cons
  • The manual guide is very poor

 

6.  ARRIS Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gigabit Cable Modem

ARRIS Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gigabit Cable Modem

It is another American telecommunications industry that manufactures networking devices for home users. It is a very old company that started working in 1995. The headquarters of the company is situated in Suwanee, GA. It is a child company of the organization Commscope Uk Holdings Limited.

Specifications

  • Brand: ARRIS
  • Model: S33
  • Speed: Up to 2 Gbps
  • Color: White
  • Ethernet port:  1 – 2.5 Gbps port
  • Weight: 14 ounces
  • Technology: DOCSIS 3.1
  • Dimensions:   ‎5.14 x 1.8 x 4.74 inches

Features

It is another one of the very good modems that allow you to web surfing and plays games faster without dropping the internet connection. This modem has the technology of DOCSIS 3.1, and it has 32 downloads and eight upload channels that give you the perfect gaming environment.

You can play games or high-speed surfing on the internet wherever you are in your home with this modem. There are some more interesting things about this modem, and that is it comes with the two ethernet cable ports that allow you to make two different networks in your home.

This model is not very cheap, but once you purchase it, you won’t need any other tools and expenses daily, so, technically, this is a very good deal.

Pros
  • You can make two different networks in your home with this modem.
  • It gives you a very fast and stable internet speed which is needed for gaming.
  • The design of the modem is also exquisite and different from the other modems.
  • It is a future-proof efficient home network.
Cons
  • It runs very hot as compared to the other devices on this list.
  • This modem is not cheaper.

 

Point Brand Model Color Weight Speed Dimensions Port Technology
NETGEAR Nighthawk Multi-Gig Cable Modem CM2000  NETGEAR CM2000 Black 2.42 lbs Up to 2500 Mbps 10 x 8.5 x 4.5 inches 1 x 2.5G DOCSIS 3.1, 32×8 Channel Bonding, OFDM(A) 2×2, IPv6
Linksys CM3016 Cable Modem Linksys CM3016 Black 1.13 lbs Up to 680 Mbps 6.9 x 3.7 x 6.69 inches DOCSIS 24 X 8
NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem NETGEAR CAX80 Black 4.4 lbs Up to 6Gbps 13.98 x 10.12 x 5.2 inches 1 x 2.5 Gbps + 4 x 1G  DOCSIS 3.1 and 32×8 Channel Bonding
Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem Motorola MB8611 Black 1.1 ounces Up to 1000 Mbps  7.25 x 2.25 x 7.88 inches 2.5 G DOCSIS 3.1 plus 32×8 DOCSIS 3.0
ASUS Modem Router Combo – All-in-One Asus CM-32 Black 2 lbs 1734 Mbps 7.4 x 2.36 x 11.81 inches RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 4 USB 2.0 x 2 Coaxial Port x 1 DOCSIS3.1
ARRIS Surfboard S33 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gigabit Cable Modem ARRIS S33 White 14 ounces Up to 2 Gbps 5.14 x 1.8 x 4.74 inches 1 – 2.5 Gbps port DOCSIS 3.0

Verdict

The modems are a very important device for your gaming sessions because lag spikes and drops of internet connections can be frustrating and embarrassing for you because if you miss one frame of the game, the results can change. That is why the gaming modems are very important that can provide you a very stable internet connection.

If you are a casual gamer or a competitive gamer, you need to have the best gaming modem, so we do our research and bring the top seven best modems in the market that would match everyone’s budget perfectly for the needs of gaming.

If you are planning to buy from our list, make sure you buy from our affiliate link because that would give us a minimal amount of commission, which motivates us to write more researched content.

FAQ’s

What modem do pro gamers use?
There are many modems in the market that claim to be the best, but the best are the ones used by the pro gamers so, here we are going to tell you about the five modems used by pro gamers. • Netgear Cable Modem CM1000 • Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem • Arris Surfboard SB6190 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem • CenturyLink Prism TV Technicolor C2100T 802.11AC Modem • ASUS Modem Router Combo – All-in-One
Is a modem or router better for gaming?
Yes, the modern routers are better for gaming because all the gaming companies that are making the modems know the needs of the gaming industry. They know that when the internet connection drops while team gaming, how frustrating it is so; this is why they are making the modems that fulfill the needs of gamers, so the modern modems are suitable for gaming.
Do Gaming modems make a difference?
Yes, the gaming modems makes the difference because when you are playing the game, especially nowadays online games, then the lag for one second can make a difference and especially if you are a competitive gamer then you can be lost the competition so, this is the why modem makes a lot of difference. If you are a non-gamers, it makes a difference for you too with high-speed surfing and a straightforward user interface.
Do you need a modem for gaming?
Yes, the modem is a good tool for gaming, and it gives you access to the internet when gaming on your pc. There are two types of modems connected with your pc through the cable and the other that connect through wifi so you can choose any of them and enjoy your long gaming sessions.