TP-Link Launches Blazing-Fast Archer GE800 Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router With Dual 10G Ports
TP-Link's new Archer BE800 router looks like something you'd see flying around in a Star Wars movie, which is fitting, considering that this is a Wi-Fi 7 model capable of lightspeed data transfers over both wired and wireless connectiong. Regarding the former, TP-Link equipped the BE800 with a pair of 10Gbps LAN ports, plus four 2.5Gbps LAN ports for good measure.
Most routers in the wild right now sport 1Gbps LAN ports, though more recently there's been a push to offer up faster wired connections, usually in the form of a 2.5Gbps port. For example, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Wi-Fi 6 router that I reviewed several years ago and still use as my daily driver sports four 1Gbps LAN ports and a single 2.5Gbps LAN port.
Not everyone can take advantage of a 10Gbps LAN port, let alone two of them, but for those who can it's a boon to have them. It also provides a bit of future-proofing, so much as such a thing is possible in the fast-moving world of tech.
On the wireless front, the BE800 is a tri-band model that's rated to deliver up to 11,520Mbps over the 6GHz band, up to 5,760Mbps over the 5GHz band, and up to 1,376Mbps over the 2.4GHz band. This enables TP-Link to advertised the BE800 as a 19,000Mbps model, which is a rounded-up summation of all three bands. Of course, you can't combine the bands into a single wireless connection, but pitching the cumulative total is standard practice these days.
"The Archer GE800 is the ultimate choice for power-players seeking to elevate their gaming experience with revolutionary Wi-Fi 7 technology. With advanced capabilities like reduced latency and enhanced stability, Wi-Fi 7 creates a superior gaming environment for a more responsive and immersive experience. Offering Wi-Fi speeds of up to 19Gbps across three bands and 12 streams, supported by dual 10Gbps and quad 2.5Gbps wired ports, every device receives unparalleled bandwidth," TP-Link flexes in its marketing pitch.
It's worth noting that this is one of the first Wi-Fi 7 certified routers on the market. Interestingly, the final ratification of Wi-Fi 7 (otherwise known as 802.11be) has not yet arrived (it's expected by the end of the year), but the Wi-Fi Alliance is giving its blessing to some early models with its Wi-Fi 7 Certification program to fast-track consumer adoption.
Wi-Fi 7 triples the theoretical speed capacity compared to Wi-Fi 6/6E. It also increases the number of spatial streams to 16 and introduces Multi-Link Operation (MLO) support to increase throughput, decrease latency, and ultimately enable more reliable connections.
The downside is cost, as early Wi-Fi 7 models are on the pricey side. So it goes with TP-Link's Archer BE800, which is available for $599.99 on Amazon.
