There are many reasons to look at Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), not the least of which is the tremendous potential for improved operation of multiple Internet-connected devices and wireless PC VR with the Oculus Quest 2. Step one in taking advantage of Wi-Fi 6 is to purchase a router based on wireless specifications, but you don't have to shell out the big bucks; Walmart is now selling Netgear's Nighthawk RAX35 (AX3000) for just $84.99.

That's half the list price and much cheaper than the RAX40, one of the best routers for gaming that Walmart sells for $199.99. There isn't much difference between the RAX35 and RAX40, not enough to make it worth paying more than twice the price. [According to Netgear, both are four-stream models that can cover 1,500 square feet and are dual-band models, with speeds of up to 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 2,400 Mbps on the 5 GHz band.

Both also have a built-in 4-port switch, which allows up to four wired connections (1 Gbps), a standard feature of modern routers. Both have the same dual-core processor and support the same security features. So what are the differences?

As a Netgear representative tells us in the support thread, the RAX40 has a USB 3.0 port and the RAX35 does not. For some people, that may be a deciding factor. However, if you are okay with not having a USB port on your router (useful for sharing printers without built-in Wi-Fi or storage on your network), the RAX35, which is the same as the RAX40, is a better value.

I have not tested this particular model, but have spent a lot of time benchmarking and evaluating Nighthawk models in the past. In my experience, they are generally fast, reliable, and can cover a large area.

Also, with Virtual Desktop now available on Quest 2 via the Oculus App Lab, Wi-Fi 6 is my only hope for a lag-free experience. Think about it, Half-Life: Alyx at home without cables...

It is also worth noting that the majority of Wi-Fi 6 routers in this price range are low-speed models. For example, TP-Link's Archer AX21 is an AX1800 router and costs $5 more on Amazon.