Best Value Router for Game Streaming?

LVoucherd on 30/05/2020 - 20:34
Last edited 03/06/2020 - 10:43 by 1 other user

Hi guys,

Looking for some help here, long story short I have decided to save money on a gaming laptop in order to buy a PC which I can then stream to my laptop instead. This way I save more money, get better performance and also get to game on my ultra-portable/phone/TV. The issue is I am trying to get the best value(ozbargain style) to performance router for my needs. Planning on streaming over LAN but not sure about what routers are good value whilst also minimizing latency/lag issues. My PC will be connected via ethernet but laptop and phones all have wifi 6 (not sure if that helps at all). Hoping some of you here may have some suggestions.

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  Hybroid on 30/05/2020 - 20:36

  +3

  You can get an external GPU for your laptop that would be a better solution to play games natively than trying to stream them.

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  Voucherd on 30/05/2020 - 21:01

  Can I ask why that is? Is the streaming a poor solution? Only reason I ask is an external GPU setup was my original idea, even bought and then sold a TB3 enclosure. The issue was the poor performance ~20% which increased to 30-40% (of PC set up) when my GPU was used with my laptop screen. The value proposition wasn't great and with new gpu's coming out soon I was thinking it might not be worth it compared to a PC set up. That led me down to checking out game streaming over LAN which seemed like the perfect solution. Play on my big screen when noones on the TV and then switch to my laptop of phone when laying on the coach/bed but still get the best performance from a PC.

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  rocketpoweredmice on 30/05/2020 - 21:24

  +2

  Performance of your home wireless network will be hugely dependent on large number of factors, the router itself only one consideration. Many other factors will be outside of your control.
  Layout/size of your home, wireless channel/band congestion in your area, and in the individual rooms you're considering streaming to. Add to that other people using your wireless network simultaneously.
  If your intention is to wireless streaming to a laptop, I would be getting a wifi scanner app on your phone and seeing what channel congestion is in your house before even considering this type of arrangement.
  Read more about wireless network performance limitations and what sort of wireless link speed is required to provide adequate streaming for the system you use…steam link possibly?

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    Voucherd on 30/05/2020 - 21:26

    Thanks for your suggestion I will get one now and have a look around me to see what the congestion is like.

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    Voucherd on 31/05/2020 - 01:00

    So by the looks of it I do not have much congestion at my place at all, only one 5ghz channel 48 is congested and 1 2.4ghz channel. Everything else judging by the app is free currently. As far as steam link ( the hardware dongle I'm assuming), I'd prefer not to have things attached to my laptop/phone and I might as well just use an ethernet cable then instead. My house is small and I do most of my gaming/pc use on the coach in front of where the router will be so fingers crossed is should be okay. Wouldn't mind gaming on my phone with a controller attached in bed occasionally and can link up an additional router in mesh mode if I have to but it's only 1-2 walls away. Sonald, do you know if a wifi 6 will be of any benefit in this use case, and can suggest any other tips for this type of set up?