TP-Link is trying to get the Wi-Fi 7 party started early by introducing several new routers that’ll support the next-generation wireless technology.
The company today debuted a Wi-Fi 7 quad-band router called the Archer BE900, which it plans on selling in Q1 in the US for a whopping $699.99. The product also drops the traditional Wi-Fi model design for a taller hardware case, which includes a touch screen and an LED screen that can display emoji.
TP-Link has outfitted the router with 12 antennas, which can provide 16 data streams simultaneously. The result can supply up to 11,520Mbps over the product’s 6GHz band, 5,720Mbps speeds over two 5GHz bands and then 1,376Mbps over a 2.4GHz radio signal.
In addition, the 6GHz band represents new spectrum for Wi-Fi devices, which only Wi-Fi 6E has begun to utilize. “The brand new 6GHz band never overlaps or interferes with other bands in older devices. This means a congestion-free frequency,” TP-Link noted.
The router also comes with two 10Gbps Ethernet ports and four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports. Meanwhile, the router’s built-in touch screen shows the time, weather and current bandwidth usage.
TP-Link will start pre-orders of the Archer BE900 on Dec. 31. But it's not the most expensive router in the lineup. The company is also working on Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems for homes, including the Deco BE95, which will retail for $1,199 in the US during next year's Q1. The Deco BE95 comes in a two-pack, and one can offer a total of 33Gbps over four bands.
For customers looking for a more affordable product, TP-Link is preparing two other models, called the Archer BE800 and Archer BE550, which can supply slower internet speeds over three radio bands.
Specifically, the Archer BE550 can send data at 5,760Mbps over the 6GHz band, 2,880Mbps over the 5GHz signal and 574Mbps over the 2.4GHz band, still making it faster than some Wi-Fi 6 routers.
For gamers, the company has developed the Archer GE800. It can supply up to 11,520Mbps over the product’s 6GHz band, and 1,376Mbps over the 2.4GHz radio signal. But the router seems to only support one 5GHz band capable of 5,720Mbps data speeds.
In the back of the router are two 10Gbps Ethernet ports, along with two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports. For now, TP-Link is remaining mum on pricing or release data, only saying the router will arrive sometime in 2023.
Of course, Wi-Fi 7 will only be useful for customers with a 10Gbps home internet connection. You’ll also need to buy new devices, such as smartphones and laptops built with Wi-Fi 7 modems, to fully experience the speed gains.
The other issue is how the Wi-Fi ecosystem is still hammering out the full specifications for the technology. Wi-Fi 7 is being designed to theoretically offer speeds up to 40Gbps, or about four times faster than Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. As a result, consumers are better off waiting for the technology to mature and for the prices to go down before adopting.