NETGEAR RBE973S Orbi 970 Series Review (vs. TP-Link Deco BE85): A Tiring Mixed Bag of Complicated Wi-Fi, Real Multi-Gigabit, and a Major Sticker Shock

Jan 18, 2024

13 Min Read

NETGEAR Orbi 970 Series (RBE973S) includes a router and two satellites

First available in late September 2023, the Orbi 970 Series, NETGEAR’s first Wi-Fi 7 mesh system, proved complicated to test. For one, it’s stupidly expensive. A 3-pack (model RBE973S) that includes a router (RBE971) and two satellites (RBE970) retails for $2299.99. Alternatively, you can pick a 2-pack (RBE972) for $1699.99, …

TP-Link Deco BE85 BE22000 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System Review: A Real Multi-Gigabit Solution for a Large Home

Dong Ngo

Jan 16, 2024

12 Min Read

87 Comments

TP-Link Deco BE85 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System is a 3 pack

The TP-Link Deco BE85 is the first Wi-Fi 7 mesh system on the market, and consists of multiple identical mesh-enabled routers. At the retail price of $1,299.99 for a 3-pack (or $400 less for a 2-pack)—the street price varies and often includes discounts—the TP-Link Deco BE85 is an excellent buy …

MSI Enters the Wi-Fi 7 Race with Roamii Mesh Lineup and the RadiX BE22000 Turbo Gaming Router That Moves

Dong Ngo

Jan 9, 2024

4 Min Read

2 Comments

After the two first Wi-Fi 6 and 6E routers in decades, the Radix AX6600 and RadiX AXE6600, at the heels of the Wi-Fi Alliance’s official launch of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 program, Micro-Star International just announced its intention to stay in the home networking space in a big way. The Taiwanese …

TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 Portfolio Gets Gaming, PoE, Outdoor Hardware, Adapters, and Tiered HomeShield Pro

Dong Ngo

Jan 9, 2024

6 Min Read

2 Comments

There’s no doubt that the TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 hardware collection is already the biggest on the market. And that’s about to get even more extensive. At CES 2024, the networking company unveiled a long list of additional Wi-Fi 7 devices to complete its portfolio, including a gaming router, more affordable …

Zyxel WBE660S PoE++ Access Point Review: A Promising 1st Wi-Fi 7 Upgrade

Dong Ngo

Dec 5, 2023

8 Min Read

19 Comments

If you have a home network—with a dated Wi-Fi standard or no Wi-Fi at all—and want to upgrade it straight to Wi-Fi 7, the Zyxel WBE660S BE22000 Wi-Fi 7 Triple-Radio NebulaFlex Pro Access Point would be right up your alley. This first Wi-Fi 7 access point on the market has …

ASUS RT-BE96U Review: An Exciting AiMesh Router with Real Wi-Fi 7

Dong Ngo

Nov 23, 2023

12 Min Read

68 Comments

The RT-BE96U is ASUS’s first Wi-Fi 7 router but far from the first of its type. Yet, it turned out to be the most exciting among its peers in my experience. It has the most to offer, including a real Wi-Fi 7 experience, though, like the rest, still lacks some …

ARRIS SURFboard G54 Review: A Practical Wi-Fi 7 Cable Gateway Stunted by Ill-Conceived Firmware

Dong Ngo

Nov 9, 2023

13 Min Read

17 Comments

The ARRIS SURFboard G54 Wi-Fi 7 Cable Gateway

The ARRIS SURFboard G54, unveiled in January and available in mid-October, is a convenient way for Cable Internet subscribers to experience Wi-Fi 7. It’s CommScope’s first device to support the latest Wi-Fi standard. Even if you don’t have any Wi-Fi 7 clients yet, which you likely don’t, the new retail …