Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is likely to take a while to really take off. Still, if I were to buy a new gaming router now, I would skip all the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) models and buy one based on the latest wireless standards. I would also strongly consider the Asus RT-AX3000.

Apply coupon code EMCDHGE24 on Newegg to get the RT-AX3000 for $159.99. This is a $20 savings over the list price. Not a huge savings, of course, but a good price for a high-end router to "future-proof" your home network.

This means you won't have to upgrade for a while (there is no such thing as true future-proofing). I've already written about why gamers should pay attention to Wi-Fi 6, but to summarize briefly, the latest standard has been improved to handle multiple devices requesting data at the same time. This is especially important because today's homes are filled with Internet-connected devices (PCs, game consoles, smart phones, tablets, smart TVs, smart watches, etc.).

The caveat is that to take full advantage of this standard, wireless adapters must also support Wi-Fi 6. New smartphones and laptops are bundled with Wi-Fi 6 adapters, and that number will grow over time. Until then, pre-Wi-Fi 5 devices will work fine with Wi-Fi 6 routers.

The RT-AX3000 is an interesting choice because it enters next-generation territory without the exorbitant price tags that come with high-end models like Asus' ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 ($399.99) and Netgear's AX12 ($499.99). It also looks smarter than the GT-AX11000.

This is a dual-band router offering speeds of up to 2,402 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 575 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. It also has four external antennas, an internal LAN switch (4 ports) for wired devices, and a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port for connecting an external printer or storage drive.