For gamers, a wireless connection is completely sufficient

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Key findings

  • Thanks to advances in Wi-Fi, it is now faster than the most commonly used Ethernet speed.
  • Consumer devices are rapidly migrating to Wi-Fi 6E and 7.
  • Faster Wi-Fi standards are being adopted faster than advances in wired networks.



The tech world is rife with well-intentioned advice that may have once been true but has since become a myth. Some of it is more deeply rooted than others, whether it's that overclocking shortens hardware lifespan, that 5G signals cause health problems, or that you're too small a target for cybercrime. Another widely accepted fact, if you can call it that these days, is that a wired network connection is better for gaming than Wi-Fi. That used to be true, but advances in Wi-Fi and a slowdown in the adoption of faster Ethernet devices have turned the tide, and Wi-Fi is now a better option for online gaming.


New WLAN standards are fast enough

Wi-Fi 6 has set new standards

When Wi-Fi 6 was certified in early 2020, it promised theoretical transfer speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps. That's not far from the 10 Gbps of Fast Ethernet connections, and several times faster than Gigabit Ethernet. Wi-Fi 6 was barely around when it was already replaced by Wi-Fi 6E, which kept all of Wi-Fi 6's efficiency and added an uncongested 6 GHz band for compatible devices. Router placement needs to be more carefully considered, as the higher frequencies penetrate walls, furniture, and other objects worse. The easiest way to get around this is to use a mesh network with multiple access points. Wi-Fi 7 is here now, with even faster speeds and higher bandwidth, and Wi-Fi 8 is in the planning stages and focuses on reliability. The point is that Wi-Fi is already fast enough and has low enough latency to outperform many wired connections, and it will only get better over time.


The Sabrent Rocket-2230 in the Steam Deck.

Consumer devices like PCs, laptops, handheld game consoles, and other consoles use modern versions of Wi-Fi. The Steam Deck LCD uses Wi-Fi 5, as does the Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. The OLED Steam Deck has Wi-Fi 6E, as does the PS5. It's getting harder to find motherboards or laptops with Wi-Fi 5, as all new devices have Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7, depending on the chipset generation. Smartphones are also slowly switching to Wi-Fi 7, and the iPhone 16 will accelerate that adoption in many more homes. If faster Wi-Fi is available everywhere, why not use it?


Most consumer devices use legacy Ethernet

Or have none at all

Many consumers value convenience, and it's a hassle to plug in an Ethernet cable every time you want to go online and overpower a few noobs. Even the best gaming laptops rarely have Ethernet ports these days, as the trend toward thin and light designs means there's no physical space for them. Even laptops with Ethernet often opt for 1GbE ports, which are slower than the latest Wi-Fi adapters that are also included. 2.5GbE ports are even rarer on mobile, although they're becoming more common on budget motherboards. Even rarer are 10GbE ports, and if you want to go higher, you'll need expensive adapter cards, new wiring for your home, and expensive routers and switches to connect everything.


Gigabit Ethernet is being overtaken by Wi-Fi 6, and with the iPhone 16 now using the latest standard, we'll soon be getting Wi-Fi 7 devices from every manufacturer. This means you can expect Wi-Fi connections that are several times faster than Gigabit Ethernet, making the need for a wired connection to play a thing of the past. Since Gigabit fiber is the fastest broadband connection available for many gamers, it also means your Wi-Fi network will be faster than the connection coming into your home. Of course, your ping can be affected by the other devices on your network, but this is just as true if you're using Ethernet, and the solution is to set up Quality of Service (QoS) on your router to prioritize your gaming traffic. This way, the Zoom calls and Netflix streams from other devices in your home won't have a noticeable impact on your online gaming experience.


Faster adoption of Wi-Fi standard than advances in wired networks

Wired network connections will always have their place, but for home users, they're becoming increasingly outdated. Thanks to technologies like 4×4 MU MIMO, which uses multiple antennas to achieve comparable speeds to wireless, you no longer need to run cables to achieve full-duplex speeds. Ping and latency may still be a major consideration when gaming, but we no longer live in the age of copper cables and DSL connections. Most users have a much faster broadband connection that delivers pings so low you might as well be physically playing on the game server you're connected to. Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and 7 have overtaken the adoption of faster wired networks, and you no longer need to connect to gain a competitive edge when gaming.


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