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If you’re looking to improve your Wi-Fi but on a budget, TP-Link is generally a good brand to consider. That is, if you’re not concerned about the potential hardware ban in the US, which has ceased to be a hot topic since the beginning of the year.
Below are the top five affordable TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 hardware options—routers and mesh systems—that are affordable yet not cheap. Pick one, and chances are you won’t be disappointed with its cost-over-performance ratio.
Affordable TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 hardware options: Today’s list
These routers and mesh systems are all on sale at lower costs than their original suggested retail price. The list is sorted by pricing, with the lowest on top.
Top 5 affordable TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 broadcasters
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| Name | TP-Link Archer BE230 (BE3600)’s Rating | TP-Link Deco BE25 (Deco BE5000)’s Rating | TP-Link Archer BE550/Archer BE9300’s Rating | TP-Link Archer GE650’s PRELIMINARY Assessment | TP-Link Deco BE63’s PRELIMINARY Assessment |
| Price | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rating | |||||
| Description | |||||
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| Buy this product |
1. Archer BE230 (BE3600)
For less than $100 (after discounts), this standard router is by far the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 router to date. Still, with all 2.5Gbps ports and dual-band Wi-Fi 7, it has enough power to deliver Gigabit broadband (even faster) in full. Need extra coverage? Get a few units and link them together via EasyMesh, preferably via wired backhauling.
TP-Link Archer BE230 (BE3600)'s Rating
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
2. Deco BE25 (BE5000)
The Deco BE25 is one of the first dual-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems on the market. With decent Wi-Fi specs and two 2.5Gbps ports per unit, it has enough to deliver fast broadband in a large home, again, preferably via wired backhauling. The compact mesh router is available in 3-pack, 2-pack, or a single router, making it suitable for any budget-minded situation.
TP-Link Deco BE25 (Deco BE5000)'s Rating
Pros
Reliable Wi-Fi performance; dual 2.5Gbps port with excellent wired backhauling
Super affordable for Wi-Fi 7 hardware; standard set of free networking and features
Compact, eye-catching, fanless design; easy to use
Cons
Short range, minimum Wi-Fi 7 specs with matching performance
Security+ and advanced Parental Controls require subscriptions.
TP-Link login account and mobile app required; no web-based management
3. Archer BE550 (BE9300)
The Archer BE550 (or BE9300 in some variants) is a lesser version of the Archer BE800. Still, as a tri-band router with five 2.5Gbps ports, it has everything to deliver multi-Gigabit performance. Like the Archer BE230 above, you can also get multiple units to form an EasyMesh system.
TP-Link Archer BE550/Archer BE9300's Rating
Pros
Wi-Fi 7 and Multi-Gig support; competitively priced
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; mid-tier Wi-Fi 7 specs and real-world performance; comparatively short-range
Online protection and advanced parental controls require subscriptions
4. Archer GE650 (BE11000)
The Archer GE650 is a lesser version of the gigantic Archer GE800. It’s TP-Link’s second true gaming router. With tri-band Wi-Fi 7, two 5 Gbps, and three 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig ports, it has everything for a multi-Gigabit home network. The support for EasyMesh is always a bonus.
TP-Link Archer GE650's PRELIMINARY Assessment
Pros
Two 5GBASE-T, three 2.5GBASE-T ports, and Wi-Fi 7 in a compact, fanless, cool-looking design
Robust web user interface with a generous set of free network features and Wi-Fi settings, including MLO and gaming-related functions
Competitively priced, useful (optional) mobile app, EasyMesh-ready
Cons
No 10Gbps ports, mid-tier Wi-Fi 7 specs
Online protection and advanced parental controls require subscriptions
Not wall-mount-ready
5. Deco BE63 (BE10000)
The Deco BE63 is the less expensive version of the Deco BE85 and proved to be the just-right hardware in terms of cost-over-specs ratio. For $450 for a 3-pack or $320 for a 2-pack, it’s one of the most affordable tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems you can find.
TP-Link Deco BE63's PRELIMINARY Assessment
Pros
Four 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig ports, multi-Gigabit wired backhauling out of the box
Wi-Fi 7 support, backward compatible with existing clients; excellent overall real-world performance;
Easy to use; fanless
Cons
No 10Gbps ports or SFP+ support; mid-tier Wi-Fi 7 specs
Vendor-connected mobile app required; HomeShield Pro costs extra
The final thoughts
None of the hardware options mentioned above is the best on the market. (Check out this ultimate collection for that!) However, if you’re on a budget, any of them will get the job done, likely more than your expectations considering their costs.
TP-Link does not work with the latest Comcast Gateways because the latter do not support IEEE 905.1 protocol.
All routers works with all gateways as long as they use the same type of network cables and BASE-T ports which they do, James.
Their mesh system will noit get an ip address. Nor will the mesh network work. I tried it.{…}
Try again, James. Or maybe get a new gateway since the one you had might be defective. And no spam, please.