The Best WiFi 7 Routers in 2023 [Expert Recommendations]

As the launch of Wi-Fi 7 approaches, manufacturers have started making WiFi 7 routers. Although there are very few options available as of today, production shall increase with demand over time.

The next-gen wireless standard brings several upgrades over WiFi 6 and 6E. These include a massive throughput capacity, the lowest possible latency, 4096 QAM, MLO, and the ability to handle many clients at a time.

Pro gamers, crypto professionals, and large-scale online businesses can benefit from these. If you’re one of them seeking a suitable device, you’re in the right place.

Best WiFi 7 Routers of 2023 [Reviewed]

These devices being relatively new, cost an arm and leg. Plus, there’s so much yet to discover with this Wi-Fi standard. That said, WiFi 6 and 6E routers are still great options due to affordability and value. They should remain relevant for the next couple of years.

To prepare this list, I got in touch with router manufacturers and managed to get my hands on the fully developed versions. I tested them for numerous activities like VR gaming, 8K streaming, video conferencing, and more to explore their full potential.

Let’s find out how they perform!

1. Best Mesh WiFi System: TP-Link Deco BW85

Here’s the world’s first WiFi 7 mesh router, TP-Link Deco BE85. It brings in state-of-the-art features that no device has seen yet. Some notable ones include two 10 Gig ethernet ports, a beefy processor, and 1GB RAM for an unmatched performance.

Compared to previous-gen 6E mesh systems, it brings in an additional 320 MHz channel, more throughput capacity, and a better port setup.

Speeds & Performance

The Deco BE85 is BE22000 rated, which translates to 22 Gbps of aggregated speed capacity. It features a tri-band setup, where each band has a speed share of:

6 GHz: 11520 Mbps

5 GHz: 8640 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 1376 Mbps

I’ve used it for a month as a primary mesh network paired with the AT&T Fiber 5 Gbps plan, and the experience was phenomenal. It’s one of the best WiFi systems I’ve tested so far. Don’t take my word for it, see it for yourself:

When I hooked up via Ethernet to a PS5 gaming console, the maximum speed for up and down fared at 4.96 Gbps and 4.88 Gbps, respectively. That’s a staple for a wired connection.

But even for a wireless connection, the speed output was crazy good. At 30 feet distance, the respective up and down speeds soared to 4.82 Gbps and 3.5 Gbps, while the values slightly dropped to 3.46 Gbps and 2.94 Gbps at 60 feet.

Now, all it comes down to the performance, where I played Overwatch on my PS5 for about an hour, with four 4K streams running in the background. With 8ms ping and 107 FPS, games never lagged. Also, built-in QoS helps prioritize gaming traffic.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

Barring top-tier speeds, Deco BE85 hasn’t improved much in terms of coverage when compared to top-tier mesh WiFi systems, as its theoretical cap stands at 5,500 Sq Ft for a two-unit system.

However, its eight high-gain antennas are ingrained with powerful beamforming tech and pave the path for signals to travel long distances. Regarding numbers, the area covered was about 5,200 Sq Ft. The patented TP-Link mesh tech ensures stable signals in nooks, and I could stream 4K movies even in the garage.

Added to it, the MU-MIMO and OFDMA ensure signals aren’t spread everywhere and concentrated towards the connected devices. Thanks to these, I could connect over 124 clients simultaneously.

Security Features

TP-Link does a decent job by offering the HomeShield Basic security suite. It packs features like WPA3 encryption for password and data security, a guest network to provide temporary access to a device, access control, and auto-firmware updates. Besides, using it app, you can add and remove any device if required.

Conclusion

Overall, TP-Link’s Deco BE85 turned out to be a beast of a mesh router with Wi-Fi 7 standard. The speeds (wireless or wired) are crazy. The security features are also decent. But all of it comes at a premium price.

If you want to learn more, check out the full review of the Deco BE85.

2. Best Standalone WiFi 7 Router: Netgear RS700

• Wireless Frequency: Tri-Band
• WiFi Range: Up to 3,500 Sq Ft
• Ports: 1 x 10 Gig WAN + 1 x 10 Gig-E LAN + 4 x Gig-E LAN + 1 x USB 3.0
• Number of Devices Supported: 100
• Processor: 2.6 GHz Quad-Core
• RAM & Flash Memory: 1 GB & 512 MB
• App Support: Yes

Netgear Nighthawk RS700 is a traditional wireless router that stays just shy of the top spot. To start, its 2.6 GHz processor is beefier than the BE85. Besides, its two 10 Gig ports, massive throughput, and powerful hardware deliver a steep performance.

Speeds & Performance

The tri-band setup of Nighthawk RS700 comes at a combined throughput capacity of 19 Gbps, where the band-wise speeds are as follows:

6 GHz: 12000 Mbps

5 GHz: 6000 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 1000 Mbps

Despite tagging a bit lower theoretical throughput value, RS700 is ideal for the highest plans available, i.e., 10 Gbps. I, however, used it with the same 5 Gbps plan from AT&T Fiber, and the obtained speeds were excellent.

The wired connections with 10 Gbps Ethernet ports were excellent, with speeds recording at 4.95 Gbps down and 4.76 Gbps up. It makes way for your no-nonsense gaming and streaming activities.

Besides, over wireless connections, the 30-feet test raked maximum speeds of 4.81 Gbps and 3.48 Gbps respectively for downloads and uploads, respectively.

Upon moving my testing device to 50 feet generated around 2.87 Gbps and 1.74 Gbps of respective speeds. Although it stayed toe-to-toe with WiFi 7 mesh in near-band speeds, values dipped down in long-range tests as expected.

Nevertheless, the wireless speeds were still good enough, as I could browse the web, stream videos on YouTube (1080p), and make video calls.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

Being a traditional WiFi router with no mesh support, its 3,500 Sq Ft of stipulated coverage stands tall against routers with long range around. And there are eight high-performance antennas with amplifiers that just fell short of covering my 3,700 Sq Ft mansion-style house.

To put it in numbers, the real-world range is around 3,100-3,200 Sq Ft, ideal for most large homes and offices. Besides, the device adds in MU-MIMO and OFDMA tech to stabilize the signals and make way for up to 81 stable connections at once.

Security Features

Security-wise, the Nighthawk RS700 stands alongside the top recommendation with features like WPA3, VPN, guest network, access control, and auto-firmware update. Also, users have access to its premium Netgear Armor 2.0 suite for added protection.

Conclusion

All in all, the Nighthawk RS700 is an excellent 802.11be router. It boasts top-of-the-line specs and performance. Besides, its powerful processor ensures a lag-free and seamless network experience.

3. Best for Gaming: ASUS RT-BE96U

• Wireless Frequency: Tri-Band
• WiFi Range: Up to 3,500 Sq Ft
• Ports: 1 x 10 Gig LAN/WAN + 1 x 1 Gig RJ-45 LAN/WAN + 3 x Gig-E LAN + 1 x USB 3.2 + 1 x USB 2.0
• Number of Devices Supported: 100
• Processor: 2.6 GHz Quad-Core
• RAM & Flash Memory: 2 GB & 256 MB
• App Support: Yes

If you’re a professional gamer looking for a high-speed router featuring WiFi 7 standard, Asus has got you covered. The RT-BE96U has all, and probably more, one would expect from a router used for gaming.

The highlighting ones include dual 10 Gbps ports, a 2.6 GHz processor, a beefy 2GB RAM, and a solid WiFi range.

Speeds & Performance

Pre-conceived as a “total package”, the RT-BE96U is BE19000 rated, translating to an aggregated speed of 19 Gbps, where the respective band has a speed share of:

6 GHz: 11529 Mbps

5 GHz: 5764 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 1376 Mbps

Such speeds pave the way for the highest speed plans available till now. I paired my staple AT&T Fiber 5 Gig plan and measured the output on my gaming PC and a PS5 console at varying distances.

At 30 feet, the respective download and upload speeds averaged 4.78 Gbps and 3.38 Gbps, while spacing the devices by 40 feet dropped the speeds to 2.81 Gbps and 1.71 Gbps. I don’t need to mention what activities are executable with the available speeds, but what I can say is that BE96U is a holy grail for gamers.

Its two 10Gig ports, 3 one Gbps ports with Link Aggregation, a beefy 2.6GHz processor paired with 2GB RAM, and a built-in QoS means most games run at their highest frame rates and graphics.

The real-world gaming performance was unmatched, with ping value averaged at 7ms and frames per second reaching 116.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

Just like the Netgear router, the RT-BE96U is all set to transmit signals throughout a large space. Thanks to its 3,000 Sq Ft range and eight high-powered antennas, coupled with beamforming support.

do an excellent job of weaving signals through thick walls and covering a 2,800 Sq Ft space with ease.

It further pairs with MU-MIMO and OFDMA to support up to 80 connections on a single bandwidth at once. These include bandwidth-hogging devices like laptops, gaming consoles, computers, smartphones, and others.

Security Features

The security of Asus BE96U is “the best” of the lot, with the integration of lifetime-free AiProtection Pro powered by Tenda Micro.

It detects and blocks any malicious websites or infected devices, conducts weekly thorough scans, and lets you create separate profiles for the users. Besides, features like WPA3, VPN, guest network, and access control add icing on the top.

Conclusion

If you’re searching for a gaming-friendly router that comes with WiFi 7, nothing is better than the ASUS RT-BE96U. It has plenty of features exclusive for handling gaming on multiple devices at its highest quality.

Besides, its free-to-use security comes as the best and most reliable in terms of securing the sensitive data you’re dealing with.

4. Most Affordable: TP-Link Archer BE800

Following the footsteps of Deco BE85, TP-Link brings a bit cheaper offering to the party, Archer BE800. On the outside, it boasts a new industrial design with a 2.4-inch big dot monochrome display is something the industry hasn’t seen.

Alongside the two 10 Gbps Ethernet ports indicate its true capability. While on the inside, a powerful chipset with a Gig RAM and a massive throughput capacity keeps it well ahead of most routers out there.

Speeds & Performance

Throughput-wise, Archer BE800 boasts numbers similar to my previous pick, and the speed division is as follows:

6 GHz: 11520 Mbps

5 GHz: 5760 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 1376 Mbps

Paired with the 5 Gbps AT&T connection, my MacBook Pro witnessed 4.76 Gbps and 3.36 Gbps for downloads and uploads when testing the speed at 30 feet.

The respective speeds moved to 2.36 Gbps and 1.51 Gbps when the Mac was 50 feet away from the router. After a week of using it as a primary setup, the TP-Link router turned out fast, reliable and offered excellent wireless performance.

It passed my informal saturation test with flying colors as it fed data to my MacBook Pro to stream 4K videos, my OnePlus 11 streamed online music and PS5 played online games. All these tasks were handled flawlessly.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

As per the manufacturer, the BE800 with eight antennas comes as a decent router with a stipulated range of 3,000 Sq Ft. That’s great, and when installed in my Nashville’s 2,500 Sq Ft test lab, the signals covered every nook. And as per WiFi analyzer apps, signal strength was balanced throughout.

The router was, however, decent when it came to device-handling ability. With a theoretical cap of 100, it stays clear of most multi device routers out there. Nevertheless, I could connect over 78 devices with gaming, streaming, video conferencing, and more.

Security Features

Security-wise, however, I can praise BE800 for the features it offers with its built-in HomeShield Basic software. It encrypts the shared data, keeps a check on any malicious websites, lets you remove any unwanted devices, and provides temporary access to any new device.

It might not be as high-end as my previous pick, but it surely gets the job done.

Conclusion

TP-Link BE800 is a good budget WiFi 7 router on the market with some state-of-the-art features to deliver a top-notch performance. Its range is less than my top picks, but it still is long enough for any three-bedroom apartment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

With evolving technology and a fast-paced world, networking companies have brought in the new Wi-Fi 7-compatible routers in the market.

But if you’re investing big in these, you must understand how they fare in real life. I hope my detailed reviews helped you make a decision, and if not, allow me to share my final suggestions for specific needs:

• If you want the beast of a router that manages top scores in almost every department, then opt for TP-Link BE22000.
• If you have a gaming setup and need a router that mows through available and most upcoming online games, then the Asus BE96U is the best you have got.
• And finally, if you need the cheapest Wi-Fi 7 router, go for the TP-Link BE800.

With that, comes an end to my guide. Will see you in another such guide. Till then, goodbye and take care!