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Top Five Best Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 Routers: The Latest for Those with Simple Needs or the Budget-Minded

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The head says it. This post includes a list of the current best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh systems. They are hardware without the 6GHz band.

If you want a router with all three bands, this list of the top “traditional” Wi-Fi 7 routers is a better choice.

Dong’s note: I first published this list on Dec 12, 2024, and last updated it on March 22, 2025.

ASUS RT-BE86U vs. RT-BE88U
The ASUS RT-BE86U and RT-BE88U are two Wi-Fi 7 routers that represent long lineages of dual-band hardware.

Five best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers: The real-world tested list

Why dual-band, you might ask?

Apart from “why not?”, the truth is that the 6GHz band is complicated, not universally or consistently available, has a short range, and is the source of many connection issues.

How the 6GHz band is regulated around the world

The 6GHz band has a total width of 1200 MHz, ranging from 5.925 MHz to 7.125 MHz, and is divided into 59 channels of 20 MHz each. These channels are grouped to create “sub-bands,” which also vary from one region to another.

In the U.S., the FCC has designated four sub-bands across the entire 6GHz spectrum, including UNII-5, UNII-6, UNII-7, and UNII-8, for Wi-Fi use, though portions of the band may be reserved for other applications.

The E.U. Commission allows only the UNII-5 equivalent part of the frequency for Wi-Fi use, which is 480 MHz in width from 5925 MHz to 6425 MHz. Some other parts of the world are somewhere in between with the UNII-5 portion adopted and the rest being considered. In the rest, this band may not even avaible for Wi-Fi at all.

Generally, Wi-Fi 6E needs a 160MHz channel to deliver the best performance, and Wi-Fi 7 requires double that, 320MHz. Due to spectrum availability and other reasons, real-world hardware tends to use narrower channels in most cases.

Overall, the use of the 6GHz frequency is complicated and is the main reason a Wi-Fi broadcaster made for one region might not work in another.

6GHz band adoption around the world
The current 6GHz band adoption around the world, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance.

The table below shows its current adoption worldwide. The “Considering” portion is generally slated to be finalized eventually, though that varies from one region to another.

CountryAdopted Spectrum
United States5925-7125 MHz
(entire band including UNII5, UNII-6, UNII-7, and UNII-8)
Albania5945-6425 MHz (UNII-5)
Andorra5945-6425 MHz
Argentina5925-7125 MHz
Australia5925-6425 MHz
Austria5945-6425 MHz
Azerbaijan5925-6425 MHz
Bahrain5925-6425 MHz
Bangladesh5925-6425 MHz
Belarus5945-6425 MHz
5945-6425 MHz
Belgium5945-6425 MHz
Bosnia and Herzegovina5945-6425 MHz
Brazil5925-7125 MHz
Bulgaria5945-6425 MHz
Burkina Faso5945-6425 MHz
Canada5925-7125 MHz
Chile5925-6425 MHz
Colombia5925-7125 MHz
Costa Rica5925-7125 MHz
Croatia5945-6425 MHz
Cyprus5945-6425 MHz
Czech Republic5945-6425 MHz
Denmark5945-6425 MHz
Dominican Republic5925-7125 MHz
Egypt5925-6425 MHz
El Salvador5925-7125 MHz
Estonia5945-6425 MHz
European Union5945-6425 MHz
Faroe Islands5945-6425 MHz
Finland5945-6425 MHz
France5945-6425 MHz
Georgia5945-6425 MHz
Germany5945-6425 MHz
Gibraltar5945-6425 MHz
Greece5945-6425 MHz
Guatemala5925-7125 MHz
Honduras5925-7125 MHz
Hong Kong5925-6425 MHz
Hungary5925-6425 MHz
Iceland5945-6425 MHz
India5945-6425 MHz
Ireland5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
Isle of Man5945-6425 MHz
Italy5945-6425 MHz
Japan5925-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
Jordan5925-6425 MHz
Kazakhstan5925-7125 MHz
Kenya5925-6425 MHz
Latvia5925-6425 MHz
Liechtenstein5945-6425 MHz
Lithuania5945-6425 MHz
Luxembourg5945-6425 MHz
Macao5945-6425 MHz
Macedonia5945-6425 MHz
Malaysia5925-6425 MHz
Malta5925-6425 MHz
Mauritius5925-6425 MHz
Mexico5925-6425 MHz
Moldova5925-6425 MHz
Monaco5945-6425 MHz
Montenegro5945-6425 MHz
Morocco5925-6425 MHz
Namibia5925-6425 MHz
Netherlands5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
New Zealand5925-6425 MHz
Norway5945-6425 MHz
Pakistan5945-6425 MHz
Paraguay5925-6425 MHz
Peru5925-7125 MHz
Philippines5925-7125 MHz
Poland5925-7125 MHz
Portugal5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
Qatar5925-6425 MHz
Romania5925-6425 MHz
Russian Federation5925-6425 MHz
San Marino5925-6425 MHz
Saudi Arabia5925-7125 MHz
Singapore5925-6425 MHz
Slovakia5925-6425 MHz
Slovenia5925-6425 MHz
South Africa5925-6425 MHz
South Korea5925-7125 MHz
Spain5945-6425 MHz
Sweden5945-6425 MHz
Switzerland5945-6425 MHz
Thailand5925-6425 MHz
Togo5925-6425 MHz
Tunisia5925-6425 MHz
Turkey5925-6425 MHz
Ukraine5925-6425 MHz
United Arab Emirates5925-6425 MHz
United Kingdom5945-6425 MHz
Holy See (Vatican City State)5945-6425 MHz
Vietnam5945-6425 MHz
Countries with 6GHz band for Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7.

Additionally, Wi-Fi 7 has improvements in all bands, and the MLO feature can be available without the 6GHz.

So, choosing dual-band Wi-Fi 7 means you can enjoy many benefits of the standard without the headache it might cause or the premium costs.

This list is sorted in the recommended order, with the best routers at the top—the numbers indicate the ranking.

By the way, you can use multiple units of all routers below, except for those from NETGEAR, to build an equally straightforward Wi-Fi system, preferably via wired backhauling to extend the coverage.

Top 5 best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers

Asus RT BE86UTP Link Archer BE230 BE3600 Wi Fi 7 RouterAsus RT BE88U Wi Fi 7 Router Ports out ofNetgear Nighthawk RS200 routerThe Netgear Nighthawk RS100
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Top dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers on Amazon!

1. ASUS RT-BE86U

ASUS RT-BE86U BE6800 Wi-Fi 7 Router Front
Best dual-band Wi-Fi 7: The ASUS RT-BE86U.

The RT-BE86U is ASUS’s second dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router, following the RT-BE88U below. It offers an excellent combination of performance, features, and cost. The practical and nostalgic design can also be a bonus for long-time fans of ASUS.

Like all ASUS routers, the RT-BE86U features AiMesh, and a set of two or more units will give you a true 10Gbps wired network. It’s currently also one of the top routers to have as a mini NAS server.

ASUS RT-BE86U's Rating

8.6 out of 10
ASUS RT-BE86U
Performance
9 out of 10
Features
9 out of 10
Design and Setup
8 out of 10
Value
8.5 out of 10

Pros

Top-tier dual-band Wi-Fi with MLO support and excellent real-world performance

Tons of valuable features, including AiMesh 2.0, Gaming, Guest Network Pro, and VLAN

One 10Gbps and four 2.5Gbps flexible network ports with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation support

Universal setting backup and restoration; open source firmware; fanless design

Relatively compact design, comparatively affordable

Cons

No 6GHz band; no 2nd 10Gbps port

Not wall-mount-ready


2. TP-Link Archer BE230 (BE3600)

The TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600 Router is being tested
Best dual-band Wi-Fi 7: The TP-Link Archer BE230.

The main reason the TP-Link Archer BE230 made it to this list is the fact it’s incredibly affordable. At $99, it makes Wi-Fi 7 a commodity. In return, it’s a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router with modest Wi-Fi specs. Still, with two 2.5Gbps ports, it’s an excellent router for many.

TP-Link Archer BE230 (BE3600)'s Rating

8.4 out of 10
TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Router
Performance
8 out of 10
Features
8 out of 10
Design
8 out of 10
Value
9.5 out of 10

Pros

Excellent performance for the specs; super affordable

Wi-Fi 7 and Multi-Gig support; robust web user interface with a good set of network features and Wi-Fi settings

Useful (optional) mobile app; EasyMesh-ready; compact and practical design

Cons

No 10Gbps ports or Dual-WAN; modest Wi-Fi 7 specs

Online protection and advanced parental controls require subscriptions


3. ASUS RT-BE88U

ASUS RT-BE88U Wi-Fi 7 Router Left Angle
Best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers: The ASUS RT-BE88U.

The ASUS RT-BE88U is notable for two reasons. First, it’s a top-tier Wi-Fi 7 machine without a 6GHz band. Second, it has 10 network ports, the highest number among home routers, of which six are multi-Gigabit.

Like the RT-BE86U above, it’s part of a long-standing lineage that will keep some ASUS fans happy.

ASUS RT-BE88U's Rating

8.4 out of 10
ASUS RT-BE88U Wi-Fi 7 Router Ports out of box
Performance
8.5 out of 10
Features
9 out of 10
Design and Setup
8 out of 10
Value
8 out of 10

Pros

Top-tier Wi-Fi 7 for 2.4GHz and 5GHz band with 4K QAM and MLO support; excellent performance

Tons of valuable features, including AiMesh 2.0, Gaming, Guest Network, Pro, and VLAN

Ten built-in network ports, six of which are Multi-Gig ports and SFP+ with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation support

Universal setting backup and restoration; open source firmware; fanless design

Comparatively affordable

Cons

No 6GHz band; no 2nd 10GBASE-T port

Not wall-mount-ready


4. NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200 front
Best dual-band Wi-Fi 7: The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200.

The Nighthawk RS200 is NETGEAR’s first dual-band Wi-Fi 7 standalone router. It comes with top-tier hardware and has excellent performance of its specs. Like all NETGEAR Nighthawk, though, it has a comparatively limited feature set.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200's Rating

7.8 out of 10
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200 router
Performance
7.5 out of 10
Features
7 out of 10
Design and Ease of Use
8.5 out of 10
Value
8 out of 10

Pros

Fast and reliable Wi-Fi for the specs; two 2.5Gbps ports with excellent wired performance

Robust web interface with (optional) complimentary mobile app

Practical, fan-less, aesthetically pleasing design; runs cool and quiet; comparatively low power consumption; friendly pricing

Cons

No 6GHz band or 10Gbps ports, only two 2.5Gbps ports; no standard Remote Management via Dynamic DNS; limited built-in free features

Disjointed web user interface and mobile app; online protection and Parental Controls require the Nighthawk mobile app and premium subscriptions


5. NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100

The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100 in action
Best dual-band Wi-Fi 7: The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100.

The Nighthawk RS100 is the second dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router from NETGEAR. Unlike the RS200 above, though, it’s the bare minimum and is the only one on this list that has only one Multi-Gig port, the 2.5Gbps WAN, making it a Gigabit router in most cases. In return, it’s reliable and affordable among the NETGEAR options.

Note: The Nighthawk RS100 has two variants, the RS70 and the RS90. Both are similar, with slightly lesser hardware specs.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100's Rating

6.8 out of 10
The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100
Performance
7 out of 10
Features
6 out of 10
Design and Ease of Use
8 out of 10
Value
6 out of 10

Pros

Compact, fanless design with low power consumption

Robust web interface with (optional) complimentary mobile app

Reliable performance

Cons

Bare minimum dual-band Wi-Fi 7 specs with a single 2.5Gbps port and matching modest real-world performance; no USB port

Minimum free features, no web-based remote management, disjointed web user interface vs. mobile app; comparatively expensive

Online protection requires the Nighthawk app and a premium subscription


The final thoughts

Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 is the safe approach to the latest standard. It allows users worldwide to enjoy the latest without any complications,, and in most cases, dual-band is enough. If you have sub-Gigabit bandwidth needs, any of the routers above will do you a solid.

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