Is a higher tier better?

Yes, as long as it is made for your game's anti-cheat. Check that first, because a more expensive build does not always cover more: Private costs more than Advanced but swaps EAC for Vanguard. After that, a higher tier has better emulation and more time spent on it. It costs more, so the people on it are mostly legit players who won't get the device flagged by raging. The higher you go, the more complex the device, the longer the warranty and the more priority you get on support and new devices. Premium T3 is for people who are serious about competitive play. Advanced is more than enough for most people, and as of September 2026 no device has more than 30 people on it. T1 vs T2 vs T3 helps you pick.