Recently, the Wi-Fi Alliance has officially approved Wi-Fi 7, also known as 802.11be, paving the way for blazing fast speeds of almost 5.8 Gigabits per second (Gbps) in our homes and offices. While Intel claims that a typical Wi-Fi 7 laptop could potentially reach these speeds, my experience with benchmarking networks leads me to believe that real-world speeds may be closer to 4Gbps. Still, this is a significant improvement over Wi-Fi 6E, which I’ve seen max out at 1.5Gbps.
So, what sets Wi-Fi 7 apart? The new standard introduces several features that contribute to its speed and performance, including increased channel bandwidth, 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), Multi-Link Operation (MLO), improved latency, and MU-MIMO enhancement. These advancements allow for faster data transmission, higher data capacity, better connection stability, and reduced latency, making it ideal for applications like online gaming and video conferencing.
Despite its cutting-edge technology, Wi-Fi 7 remains backward compatible with previous Wi-Fi standards, but older devices may not fully benefit from its new features. To fully leverage the capabilities of Wi-Fi 7, users will need compatible routers and devices that support the new standard.
In addition to providing faster speeds for high-definition content streaming and smart home devices, Wi-Fi 7 is poised to revolutionize connectivity in businesses, enabling seamless video conferencing and efficient cloud-based applications. While the new standard offers significant advancements, it also poses challenges, such as limitations in long-range connections due to the use of shorter wavelengths in the 6GHz spectrum.
Wi-Fi 7 routers are already available on the market, such as the Eero Max 7, Netgear’s Orbi 970 Series, and the Netgear Nighthawk Tri-Band WiFi 7 Router, though they come with a hefty price tag. Despite the availability of Wi-Fi 7 devices, it may be wise for consumers to wait until more devices support the new standard and prices become more affordable.
Overall, Wi-Fi 7 represents a significant leap forward in wireless technology, offering enhanced speed, bandwidth, and stability. While early adopters may benefit from bleeding-edge speed, most users may want to wait for wider device support and price reductions before making the switch to Wi-Fi 7.