No, this is not the Devil's pitchfork. It's the TP-Link Archer gaming router.

TP-Link launches gaming router for 4K video stream era

TP-Link, a consumer and business networking gear, has unveiled a new gaming router for the age of 4K video streaming. The Archer C5400X MU-MIMO Tri-Band Gaming Router is a mouthful, but it is designed to deliver strong, reliable Wi-Fi for heavy-bandwidth gaming and 4K video streaming.

Equipped with TP-Link HomeCare, Archer C5400X routers feature security and antivirus protection powered by Trend Micro.

“Archer C5400X is our most powerful gaming router yet, made to power the performance that gamers need and give your gaming rig the boost it deserves,” said Louis Liu, CEO of TP-Link USA, in a statement. “This feature-rich router is designed to connect more devices with speed and precision to maximize throughput and minimize delays whether you’re gaming on your own, with family or hosting a LAN party with friends.”

Archer C5400X delivers Wi-Fi across the whole home, and it features a 1.8 GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU, three co-processors and 1 GB of main memory. It delivers Wi-Fi speeds up to 5400 megabits per second over one 2.4 GHz (1000 Mbps) and two 5 GHz (2167 Mbps) bands. It has three Wi-Fi bands, eight Gigabit LAN ports, and one Gigabit WAN port.

The dynamic optimization engine delivers prioritized performance with a gaming mode, so you can get a tactical advantage during heated raids, PvP encounters and ranked matches. It’s also good for watching streams of immersive 4K movies. TP-Link competes with rivals such as Netgear’s Nighthawk Pro gaming router and D-Link’s new DIR-878 Gigabit Router and DIR-882 Gigabit Router.

The Archer C5400X uses Smart Connect to take the guesswork out of connecting devices. With Smart Connect enabled, the router identifies the optimal Wi-Fi band for every device and steers them to the right band, balancing the load for peak performance. It also uses MU-MIMO and Airtime Fairness to manage Wi-Fi, maximizing total throughput and minimizing delays.

To further enhance your gaming and streaming experience, C5400X routers are equipped with RangeBoost technology to provide strong reception quality and sensitivity at far distance. This allows you to keep your devices connected throughout the home, from the basement to the garage, and even the backyard, with greater range when compared to traditional routers.

Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi is editorial director for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He was lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat from 2008 to April 2025. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Dallas Times-Herald. He is the author of two books, "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." He organizes the annual GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Summit and GamesBeat Insider Series: Hollywood and Games conferences and is a frequent speaker at gaming and tech events. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.