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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. Other parts of the world is somewhere in between with the UNII-5 portion adopted and the rest being considered.

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.

countries enabling wifi in 6ghz
The status of the 6GHz for Wi-Fi around the world

The table below shows its current adoption worldwide. The “Considering” portion is generally slated to be finalized by late 2025, though that varies from one region to another.

CountryStatusSpectrum
United StatesAdopted5925-7125 MHz
(entire band including UNII5, UNII-6, UNII-7, and UNII-8)
AndorraAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz (UNII-5)
6425-7125 MHz (UNII-6, UNII-7, UNII-8)
ArgentinaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
AustraliaAdopted
Considering
5925-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
AustriaAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
BahrainAdopted5925-6425 MHz
BelgiumAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
BrazilAdopted5925-7125 MHz
CEPTAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
CanadaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
ChileAdopted5925-6425 MHz
ColombiaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
Costa RicaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
Dominican RepublicAdopted5925-7125 MHz
EgyptConsidering5925-6425 MHz
El SalvadorAdopted5925-7125 MHz
European UnionAdopted5945-6425 MHz
Faroe IslandsAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
FranceAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
GermanyAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
GibraltarAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
GuatemalaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
HondurasAdopted5925-7125 MHz
Hong KongAdopted
Considering
5925-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
IcelandAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
IrelandAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
Isle of ManAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
JapanAdopted
Considering
5925-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
JordanAdopted5925-6425 MHz
KenyaAdopted5925-6425 MHz
LiechtensteinAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
LuxembourgAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
MalaysiaAdopted5925-6425 MHz
MauritiusAdopted5925-6425 MHz
MexicoAdopted5925-6425 MHz
MonacoAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
MoroccoAdopted5925-6425 MHz
NamibiaAdopted5925-6425 MHz
NetherlandsAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
New ZealandAdopted5925-6425 MHz
NorwayAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
OmanConsidering5925-6425 MHz
PeruAdopted5925-7125 MHz
PortugalAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
QatarAdopted
Considering
5925-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
Russian FederationAdopted5925-6425 MHz
Saudi ArabiaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
SingaporeAdopted5925-6425 MHz
South AfricaAdopted5925-6425 MHz
South KoreaAdopted5925-7125 MHz
SpainAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
SwitzerlandAdopted
Considering
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
ThailandAdopted5925-6425 MHz
TogoAdopted5925-6425 MHz
TunisiaConsidering5925-6425 MHz
TurkeyAdopted5925-6425 MHz
United Arab EmiratesAdopted5925-6425 MHz
United KingdomAdopted
Considering 
5945-6425 MHz
6425-7125 MHz
VietnamAdopted5925-6425
Countries with 6GHz band for Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 as of early 2025.

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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Buy this product

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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