Powerline adapters can be the perfect solution for improving the connectivity and stability of your gaming setup. This is especially important for large homes or areas with spotty Wi-Fi coverage.
These adapters use your home’s electrical wiring to create a high-speed network connection, allowing you to connect your gaming devices directly to your router without the need for long ethernet cables. You will still need ethernet cables connecting the adapters to your router and PC, so click Best Ethernet Cable For Gaming if you want something that’s great for gaming!
Stable and fast internet connection is crucial for a seamless gaming experience. A powerline adapter can help to eliminate lag and reduce latency, making it an ideal choice for online gaming.
So, what is the best powerline adapter for gaming? Here are a few top contenders:
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
Tenda PH3 Powerline Adapter
- Brand - Tenda
- Dimensions - 8.2 x 6 x 3.2 cm
- Weight - aprx. 525 g
- Data Transfer Speed - 1000Mpbs
- Special Feature - Pre-paried out of the box
One example is the fact that the adapter units come pre-paired in the box. This means that there’s no need to mess around with the pairing process. It’s no surprise that the PH3 has received a large number of reviews mentioning the ease of the installation process. One thing to note is that the Tenda PH3 only comes with a Cat5e ethernet cable as standard.
The Tenda PH3 is a great entry level power line adapter- it’s budget friendly and easy-to-install. If you’re looking for an easy solution to improve the network connection on your gaming setup, then this might be the solution for you.
Buy the TP-LINK PA411KIT from Amazon for only £26/$32:
TP-Link PA717
- Brand - TP-Link
- Dimensions - 6.5 x 5.2 x 5.8 cm
- Weight - aprx. 525 g
- Data Transfer Speed - 1000Mpbs
- Special Feature - Pre-paried out of the box
Buy the TP-Link PA717 from Amazon for only £30/$37:
TP-Link PA7017P KIT
- Brand - TP-Link
- Dimensions - 12.6 x 7.1 x 7.2 cm
- Weight - 580 g
- Data Transfer Speed - 1000Mpbs
- Special Feature - Pre-paried out of the box
Buy the TP-Link PA7017P KIT from Amazon for £37/$45:
ZyXEL Pass-Thru Powerline Adapter
- Brand - ZyXEL
- Dimensions - 18.5 x 23.1 x 3.8 cm
- Weight - aprx. 580 g
- Data Transfer Speed - 1800Mpbs
- Special Feature - Dual LAN Ports
devolo Magic 2–2400 Home Kit
- Brand - develo
- Dimensions - 26.2 x 18.8 x 9.2 cm
- Weight - 1.36 kg
- Data Transfer Speed - 2400Mpbs
- Special Feature - Wi-Fi Transmission
If you’re looking for the best powerline adapter for gaming that can also facilitate a Wi-Fi for mobile devices, then the devolo Magic Home Kit is an excellent option.
FAQs
Powerline adapters can be a great solution for gamers who want to improve on their Wi-Fi based internet connection.
In general, a wired powerline adapter connection will always be faster than a standard Wi-Fi connection. An average powerline usually has a ping in the 5-7 ms range, whereas average Wi-Fi may give you a ping of around 20-30 ms. This is a substantial difference for gaming where a minor change in ping can completely change the outcome of a game. A wired ethernet connection will still usually outperform a power line adapter, but a cable from your router to your gaming system is not always practical depending on the layout of your home. This makes these adapters a perfect middle ground for gamers who want to improve their connection.
If you want to improve your connection even further, take a look at our article on the Best Ethernet Cable For Gaming.
In short, yes. Powerline adapters use your existing electrical wiring to create a wired internet connection. This wired connection is usually far more consistent than the wireless connection that you would get from a standard Wi-Fi router, and unlike Wi-Fi it is unaffected by walls, furniture and distance from the router (as long as your electrical wiring is in good condition). If you’re looking for faster download speed and lower latency, powerline adapters are a great choice.
Powerline adapters use your home’s electrical wiring to create a wired internet connection. This means that they have to be on the same circuit to create the connection, as it’s impossible to create an end to end connection from two separate circuits without some kind of crossover.
While powerline adapters can provide a much more stable internet connection than Wi-Fi, they still have some key disadvantages.
The powerline units have to be connected to the same electrical circuit, which can cause issues in larger houses with separated circuits or breakers. Their use is also limited by the positions of sockets, as it’s not recommended that you connect them to extension leads. The effective speeds of the adapters will also likely be less than what is listed on the box as their speed is dependant on the layout and condition of your electrical wiring.
Thanks for reading our article comparing the best powerline adapters for improving your gaming experience.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or queries that you’d like us to take a look at – we’d be happy to help. Bye for now!
