TP-Link already has some Wi-Fi 7 routers for you to buy

The Wi-Fi 7 specification isn't quite finished yet, but you know TP-Link won't stop over a little thing like pending certification, and why should it stop? Netgear and Asus are not. And so, the company is launching its first Wi-Fi 7 router — a mesh system called the Deco BE85, and a powerful single access point router designed for yesteryear sci-fi show Yes, TP-Link Archer. Looks like a set piece. BE800.

Wi-Fi 7 means you can probably expect to get a gigabit throughput with a laptop or a good Wi-Fi 6e or Wi-Fi 7 network card, possibly much more, especially if you have a router capable of it. You have a connection to your ISP, such as those offered by Google Fiber, AT&T, or Comcast in some places.

TP-Link sent us some of its test data, along with the layout of the home it tested the Mesh Deco BE85 system with, using a OnePlus 11 5G phone as a Wi-Fi 7 client, and if correct, the number Looks impressive, showing the phone reaching over 3,000Mbps of throughput a few feet away from the main router, only dropping slightly to over 300Mbps at the farthest point. That's incredibly fast and something I've never even come close to seeing, with most Wi-Fi 6E routers topping out at over 1,000 Mbps. I want to see how it fares in real world testing.

While the specifications aren't officially complete, these should be some impressive routers. Just looking at their hardware features, both get 10Gbps and 2.5Gbps ports, a single USB 3.0 port, and an SFP+ WAN/LAN port.

Both of TP-Link's new routers are technically capable of up to 19Gbps, which is roughly in line with the speeds claimed by Qualcomm in relation to its new Wi-Fi 7 chipset that likely resides in them. Naturally, this is spread across all bands and individual data links, so you shouldn't expect to see anywhere near that much throughput. Both routers will support the free and Pro versions of TP-Link HomeShield, the company's network security package.

Taking a closer look, the Deco BE85 uses eight antennas per mesh node, and TP-Link says a three-pack should cover about 9,600 square feet. Of course, in the real world, with walls and furniture strewn about and sacks of sticky meat strewn about, this might not be enough. The company also says it will use AI to control roaming, sending your device to the best node for roaming around your home. The best mesh systems already do this without AI and usually do a pretty good job of it, so we'll see how and whether TP-Link improves things there.

Each node has two 2.5Gbps ports and two 10Gbps ports, each of which can serve as a WAN or LAN - meaning depending on whether they are connected to your modem or the rest of your network but they will automatically configure itself.

The Deco BE85 will also support wired backhaul, meaning you can run an Ethernet cable between devices so that each mesh node gets all of your bandwidth to share with devices in every part of your home, instead of it otherwise Can pick up wirelessly. At least, that's how it traditionally worked. With multi-link aggregation for wireless backhaul, it is likely to be faster than gigabit. So, if your home is already connected with old cables and you don't mind running new Ethernet drops, you might be better off going wireless with enough Deco BE85 nodes.

As for the chunky TP-Link Archer BE800 (named "Bebo" in my headcannon), the company's new single access point resembles a rejected Xbox design, with its pseudo-X-shaped outer shell and black front. With great Together. It has a dot matrix LED display, and TP-Link says it has over 3,000 graphics, showing you the weather, the time, and for some reason, emoji. I don't know who wants their router to have sentiment on them, but it looks like you've finally got that. TP-Link says it will also offer the ability to set up a separate network for your smart home devices.

Mostly, its wireless capabilities look on par with the BE85 kit: It has the same number of bands, antennas, and potential throughput, and although TP-Link hasn't shared the coverage area, I'd bet somewhere around 2,500-3,000 square feet. The company also mentioned the ability to create a separate network for your smart home devices, though it's unclear whether this is for the BE85 mesh system.