Minions router is going viral for being one of the best you can buy instead of just a gimmick

It looks like something that belongs in your kid’s bedroom, but the Davolink Minions router is getting attention online for a very different reason.

The bright yellow router has gone viral online after users discovered it can deliver surprisingly intense wireless performance.

The Kevin model is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E one with a 2.5Gbps WAN port and theoretical speeds of up to 5.4Gbps.

And if you’re tempted to buy one, there’s one piece of advice popping up again and again: make sure you get Kevin, not Bob.

This Minions router is actually seriously fast

The Davolink Minions Kevin looks like a giant Minion, complete with the character’s familiar yellow design, but it seems to be a genuinely useful gadget despite its banana-loving nature.

The router uses three wireless bands, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz, and is rated for combined speeds of up to 5.4Gbps.

It also has a 2.5Gbps WAN port, allowing it to use internet connections faster than 1Gbps.

Independent testing by RTINGS found the Kevin delivered impressive top speeds on its 5GHz and 6GHz bands, although its long-range performance was less remarkable.

The tester also confirmed that Kevin can be paired with the smaller Minions Bob to create a mesh setup.

The gadget has also unsurprisingly developed something of a cult following among PC VR users.

One Reddit user who bought the router specifically to use with a Meta Quest 3 said it was pushing more than 2000Mbps wirelessly on the 6GHz band and described the connection as stable.

Another Quest 3 owner later said the Minion gadget worked ‘almost perfect’ with their wireless PC VR setup.

It seems that even the management software gets in on the joke, with the router’s interface being styled on a Minions theme rather than looking like a completely ordinary piece of networking equipment.

Whatever you do, don’t accidentally buy Bob

This is where things get slightly confusing.

Davolink makes two Minions routers: Kevin and the smaller Bob, and while they may look like two different versions of the same silly yellow gadget, but they aren’t identical.

Kevin is the larger, tri-band Wi-Fi 6E model, while Bob is a smaller dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router. Bob has 2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity and a 1Gbps WAN port, whereas Kevin adds the 6GHz band and a 2.5Gbps WAN port.

That explains why people online have been warning potential buyers to ‘get Kevin’.

Bob isn’t necessarily useless – RTINGS found it can work well as a standalone router in smaller homes and apartments, and it can also be paired with Kevin as a mesh satellite.

But Bob doesn’t give you the 6GHz connection or the same multi-gigabit capabilities.

The Kevin has previously sold for around $129, which is part of what made the discovery so surprising, because those kinds of speeds usually command a higher price tag (and a less yellow exterior).

So while the Minions branding is clearly designed to make the router stand out from the crowd, the router isn’t just for decoration.

For anyone shopping specifically for the performance of the viral router, the lesson is pretty simple: Kevin is the one you want.