The new Wi-Fi 7 standard looks as if it’s about to take off in a big way because networking giant, TP-Link, has announced its new lineup of Wi-Fi 7 networking products which will sell at an affordable price, speeding up adoption in the mass market of the new high-speed wireless networking standard.
Today, TP-Link is launching the Deco BE5000 and Deco BE3600 Mesh Systems, to work with the Archer BE3600 router that I reviewed last month. The BE3600 was the first Wi-Fi 7 router to break the sub-$100 price barrier and is stunning value for money for anyone who wants to dip their toe in the waters of Wi-Fi 7.
“Consumers are often resigned to seeing new generations of technology siloed off behind high costs, relegated to businesses, technology enthusiasts and dedicated hobbyists,” says Jeff Barney, President at TP-Link Systems Inc. “As leaders in Wi-Fi 7, we believe everyone should have access to the latest technologies. This is why we’re offering these new products at accessible price points today.”
Wi-Fi 7 is rapidly gaining traction in the consumer market and internet service providers are already offering the technology with a premium pricing tier. Consumers are attracted to Wi-Fi 7 by its promise of higher wireless speeds and advanced capabilities.
Take-up of Wi-Fi 7 is also being helped by more Wi-Fi 7 compatible devices coming onto the market from brands like Apple and Samsung, who have already started to integrate the new standard in their latest smartphones.
In the PC world, manufacturers like Microsoft, Lenovo and Razer have all developed Wi-Fi 7-compatible devices for the market this year that take full advantage of the new standard. To unlock the full potential of their Wi-Fi 7 devices, consumers will need an upgrade their wireless home network.
The big difference with Wi-Fi 7 lies in its Multi-Link Operation, a feature that provides simultaneous transmission across all frequency bands, resulting in faster wireless speeds and more reliable connections while eliminating input delay. Additionally, Wi-Fi 7’s 4K-QAM delivers better transmission efficiency and Multi-RU offers seamless and reliable connections for multiple users in a household.
All these Wi-Fi 7 advantages represent more than a just an incremental improvement in wireless networking. The new standard can form the backbone of a home network with faster speeds and greater efficiency which will be necessary with the roll-out of much faster gigabit and full-fiber internet. There’s no point in having a high-speed internet connection if your home’s wireless network then slows everything down by acting as a data bottleneck.
The new Deco BE5000 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 7 System is one of the first of its kind and has been priced aggressively. It offers powerful Wi-Fi 7 coverage for homes measuring up to 6,600 square feet, with combined Wi-Fi speeds reaching 5Gbps and the ability to support more than 150 client devices.
The new Deco BE5000 features 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN ports plus 240MHz Wi-Fi 7 channels for more bandwidth. Meanwhile, the Deco BE3600 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 7 System has similar features to the Deco BE5000 but provides slightly slower combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 3.6Gbps across 160MHz channels.
The new design of the Deco mesh devices is attractive and won’t look too out of place, even in a tastefully decorated home. Setting up a three-device mesh network using the Deco smartphone app is so simple you can be up and running in around 30 minutes. The app is excellent and enables you to monitor how your mesh network is performing, plus you can install firmware updates from your smartphone and control access to the network.
Both the Deco mesh kits are designed to work with the TP-Link Archer BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Router. Together, the units can create a powerful Wi-Fi 7 whole home wireless network that’s capable of delivering fast data speeds of 3.6Gbps and 5Gbps. The four high-gain antennas offer wider wireless coverage, plus the inclusion of 2.5Gbps LAN/WAN ports make it simple to get the most out of the new generation of high-speed gigabit internet connections.
Verdict: If you are considering upgrading your home wireless network to Wi-Fi 7 standards, the TP-Link Archer BE3600 Router and the Deco BE5000 and Deco BE3600 Whole Home Mesh Systems are the most cost-effective way of getting the fastest wireless networking around the whole home. The system offers excellent value for money and it’s so easy to set up. If you want to try Wi-Fi 7 now, the TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 offering is an absolute no-brainer.
Pricing & Availability: The TP-Link Deco BE5000 and Deco BE3600 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 7 Systems are available now at Best Buy and Walmart, prices start at $199.99 for a 3-pack. Both systems will be available on Amazon from November. The TP-Link Archer BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Router is also available for purchase at Walmart and Amazon, with prices starting at $99.99.
