TP-Link has announced that it is launching several Wi-Fi 7 products, claiming to be the “world’s first” provider to do so.
Company revealed (opens in a new tab)of the new product line at the product launch in November 2022. The upgrade includes the flagship Archer line routersand the Archer GE800, which the company has chosen for network gaming but admits it could be useful for network storage (US) configurations due to the low latency that is made possible by the Wi-Fi 7 specification.
However, the new access point products in the Omada line will be of most interest to small businesses and enterprise customers, offering “higher throughput, lower latency and less interference” in a variety of business settings.
WiFi Capabilities 7
While the cost and availability of Omada’s products is currently unknown, the pricing of the Archer and Deco consumer router mesh Wi-Fi of products available for pre-order on December 31, 2022, give an indication of how much businesses can pay.
The Archer BE900 router is priced at $699.99, the DecoBE85 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 System is $999.99, and the Deco BE95 Quad-Band Wi-Fi 7 System is $1,199.99.
TP-Link may want to bring Wi-Fi 7 to as many devices as possible, including use cases with multi-gigabit Ethernet, fiber, DSL and mobile access, but it’s unlikely to revolutionize the way we use the internet.
However, promises of reduced latency and increased speeds have also been delivered with Wi-Fi 6, and with these prices in the midst of a recession, companies may want to ask if an upgrade is absolutely necessary.
While Wi-Fi 7 would make gigabit speeds easier to access, some enterprises may already have access to them, while consumers are constrained by the infrastructure and plans offered by ISPs.
Companies already using TP-Link products use the Omada software platform, which integrates access points, switches and routers, providing IT administrators with centralized cloud management.