Netgear R7000 and R8500 comparison for gaming

[mastro]

I'm considering to buy a new Router-only.

I need it to have a very strong signal for a very large house and I want it to be specifically though for gaming (QoS, low lag etc...)

And the worst issue I currently have is that when I'm gaming I have to ask everyone else in the house to avoid using the internet or I start lagging very high.

So I would like the new router to mitigate this as much as possible!

To compare the two I've used the comparison feature here:

https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/?cid=wmt_netgear_organic

In the R700 I can see things like these that are not available in the R8500:

• Advanced features for lag-free gaming
• Upstream & downstream QoS for best gaming & video streaming experience
• Airtime fairness prevents network lag when slower devices connect

I do not know what those features actually are and how effective they are for gaming.

Also the R700 specifically talk about gaming while the R8500 doesn't.

Can you tell me which of these is the best suited for gaming and why / how? (or if there are other models that are even better?)

I'm aware there's a big price difference. I just want to get the best device I can for my two needs (WiFi for big house + best gaming experience possible) and I'm fairly ignorant of these things and need advice.

Thank you

[aalexandrebeta · Accepted solution]

R8500 is far better than R7000.

For perfomances R8500 > R7000

Price R7000 < R8500

for your needs R7000 is sufficient but for the future R8500!

[aalexandrebeta]

If you have basic needs R7000 is sufficient!

If you need a starving beast hungry to deliver heavy loads go to the R8500.

I reached 50 devices connected to the R8500 without any issues!

[mastro]

That doesn't reply my question at all.

I care about two things:

• strong signal in a very large house
• features for gaming (low latency even when some other people are using the network)

At most I'll have 12 devices connected at once on the WiFi at any given time, 3 on the cable, 9 on WiFi.

Most of the time tough I'll have 3 cable and 3 WiFi.

Currently when people in the house use the network the ping (latency) go from 50 ms / 3 ms jitter to 128 ms / 80 ms jitter in no time, even if they are just browsing facebook or instagram or watching youtube or whatever.

If i connect a cable to the gaming PC things become a little better but still sucks.

This means when I'm gaming I have to ask everyone in the house to avoid using internet.

Which is better at solving THIS issue and still be good at signal in a large house?

[aalexandrebeta · Accepted solution]

R8500 is far better than R7000.

For perfomances R8500 > R7000

Price R7000 < R8500

for your needs R7000 is sufficient but for the future R8500!

[mastro]

I see

thank you.

Just a little something more: what about those features I listed about latency and lag control?

What are them?

Do the R8500 have them?

[aalexandrebeta]

I forgot something if you are a greeniy and hate cosumming energy R8500 is an hungry beast, I do have both devices.

Lag control don't have them!

[mastro]

"Lag control don't have them!"

Can I ask you what does this mean?

[aalexandrebeta]

I meant "latency and lag control" don't have them!

[mastro]

Nor the R7000 nor the R8500?

then what are those features it talks about here:

https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/R7000.aspx?cid=wmt_netgear_organic

just marketing crap?

[aalexandrebeta]

"just marketing crap?" you got it it depends on geographical region for wifi try to modify USA, australia Japan or EU funny things happens!

[aalexandrebeta]

Mastro I'm glad to have been able to help you!

Enjoy your beast and Happy Hardcore gaming!

[Jim_B]

I can assure you that neither model can reliably "automatically recognizes & prioritizes streaming & gaming applications"  My testing with my xbox ones shows that the 7000 has a real hard time with IPv6  - which is the default for all gaming services- and provides much better performance. 

[aalexandrebeta]

I've been complaigning for months of the QoS, this feature is only in draft mode!

[mastro]

My internet line has 50 ms of latency and 1-3 ms jitter if no one else is using it.

When people in the house use the internet (you know, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, the usual stuff) the latency can go up to over 1 second if the gaming PC is connected on WiFi and easily reach 280 ms ping with 120 ms jitter if I connect the gaming PC with a cable.

I do not expect miracles = keeping the minimum ping gaming over WiFi: this is intrinsic in how the WiFi works.

But I DO expect it to keep the ping below 100 ms (preferrably closer to 50 ms then not) and jitter below 10ms if I connect my Gaming PC / Console via Cable, regardless of what other people do with the internet.

Are you saying neither the R7000 nor the R8500 are capable of doing it?

I don't really care about opening ports dynamically, I can handle that manually if I need it. I'm more interested in the QoS and the latency.