new_user wroteI want to buy a new dsl modem (preferably with no router since I have one already).
Any recommended brands or devices? What are the hardware specs that I should look for? Are there any features that i should look out for? (SNR tweaking maybe?)
The answer will depend on where you are, how noisy your lines are, and how likely you are to get upgraded to VDSL or better soon. In order to have a modem which will allow snr tweaking, you need to find one with a broadcom chipset. If your line is noisy, for some reason, a lot of people recommend something from asus.
A good solid one pretty futureproof one though is the Archer vr600--it is about $130 here, or if you want one that is serviceable, try the TP-link series 896x or 9980 (difference is 5gh frequency I believe $35 vs $60) .
Anyhow, good luck. I am sure others will give opinion on which ones work for them and which ones to avoid.