Zyxel Unveils Four New Sub-$100 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 7 Access Points

Zyxel today introduces four new business Wi-Fi access points to its existing Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, including the NWA90BE PRO BE6500 4-Stream WiFi 7 Dual-Radio NebulaFlex Access Point (model NWA90BE PRO), the NWA50BE PRO BE6500 4-Stream WiFi 7 Dual-Radio NebulaFlex Access Point (NWA50BE PRO), and their non-PRO variants.

These new APs are pretty different from Zyxel’s previous Tri-band models. The first thing to note is that all of them are dual-band, or “dual-radio,” as Zyxel puts it. The second is that two of them, the PRO versions, actually have the 6GHz option. And finally, all of these are practically the same. How come?

Let’s find out more!

Zyxel’s four new dual-band Wi-Fi 7 access points: Largely the same

As mentioned, these new access points include two main models, the NWA90BE and NWA50BE, each with its PRO version.

Both PRO versions have something the non-PROs don’t: They come with the 6GHz option. However, they are still dual-band hardware because users can pick either the 6GHz band or the 5GHz band at a time, in addition to the 2.4GHz band. On the other hand, the non-PRO versions are limited to 2.4GHz and 5GHz. They are more straightforward dual-band hardware.

The 5GHz/6GHz selectable notion is not new, and in real-world usage, the 6GHz band is likely not often used, as in most cases, the 5GHz band is more frequently needed. While having the option is always a plus, practically speaking, the PRO versions don’t offer a significant advantage.

The table below shows the hardware specs of the new access points. Apart from the 6GHz notion of the PRO models, they are essentially the same hardware and all share identical design and physical shape. In fact, they are so similar that you will not be able to tell any of them apart, and personally, it was initially hard for me to figure out why there were four models and not two.

Zyxel dual-band Wi-Fi 7 access points: Hardware specifications

	NWA90BE PRO	NWA50BE PRO	NWA90BE	NWA50BE
Wi-Fi Standards	Dual-band BE6500		Dual-band BE5100
Broadcasting Power	US (2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz): 26/25/22dBm  EU (2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz): 20/25/22dBm		US (2.4GHz/5GHz): 26/25dBm  EU (2.4GHz/5GHz): 20/25dBm
6 GHz Speeds (channel width)	2×2 BE: Up to 5764 Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) Selectable with the 5GHz band		None
5 GHz Speeds (channel width)	2×2 BE: Up to 4324 Mbps (20/40/80/160/240MHz) Selectable with the 6GHz band		2×2 BE: Up to 4324 Mbps (20/40/80/160/240MHz)
2.4 GH Speeds (channel with)	2×2 BE: Up to 688 Mbps (20/40MHz)
Number of SSIDs	8 (single or multiple bands)
Multi-Link Operation (MLO)	Yes	Yes
Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC)	No	No
Operating Mode	Standalone, NebulaFlex cloud controller
Roaming Standard	Pre-authentication, PMK caching, and 802.11r/k/v
Backward Compatibility	802.11/axe/ax/ac/n/g/a/b
Power over Ethernet (PoE)	802.11at (PoE+)
Max Power Draw	16W
Injector Included	No
DC input	DC 12 V
Adapter Included	Yes
Multi-Gig port	1 x 2.5GBASE-T PoE+ (uplink) 1 x 2.5GBASE-T
Gigabit Port	none
Wireless Security Methods	WEP/WPA/WPA2/WPA3
Authentication	Wi-Fi Password, Captive Portal, WPA3-Enterprise, 802.1x, RADIUS	Wi-Fi Password	Captive Portal, WPA3-Enterprise, 802.1x, RADIUS	Wi-Fi Password
Access Management	L2-isolation/MAC filtering/Rogue AP detection
Mobile App	Zyxel Nebula
Dimensions (W x D x H)	5.91 x 5.91 x 1.38 in (150 x 150 x 35 mm)
Weight	.91 lbs (412 g)
Processing Power	Quad-core Qualcomm chipsets
Operating Environment	Temperature 0°C to 50°C / 32°F to 122°F Humidity 10% to 95% (non-condensing)
Release Date	September 29, 2025
US Launch Price (Check street prices!)	$99.99	$89.99		$79.99

Practically the same hardware with slight differences in firmware

As shown in the table, there are essentially two series, including NWA90BE and NWA50BE, each with a PRO version.

And there aren’t indeed many differences between them. Aside from the identical physical shape, if you pick the RO or non-PRO versions, they are virtually the same in hardware specs. All of them can work either as standalone standard access points or part of Zyxel’s NebulaFlex system, and share virtually the same feature set and hardware characteristics.

Zyxel is quite ambiguous about how to differentiate these new access points. There’s no extra detail other than this marketing language:

“The NWA90BE PRO and NWA90BE are designed for businesses such as cafes, hotels, clinics, and shops that offer guest WiFi access. They have robust security features, including RADIUS Authentication and a Captive Portal, enabling businesses to manage guest connectivity and secure the login experience.

The NWA50BE PRO and NWA50BE are ideal for small businesses and SOHO users seeking a cost-effective, high-performance upgrade. Ideal for home offices, compact workspaces, and residential use.”

After digging a bit deeper, though, I realized that the only meaning difference is in the firmware. These APs are targeted at different user demographics, with the NWA90BE series having a bit more in terms of authentication methods that meet enterprise-class requirements, whereas the NWA50BE series is slightly less sophisticated.

For home and small business users, you can use these four access points interchangeably, and likely with the same real-world experience. In this case, it’s perfectly fine to get confused between them because they are all quite affordable, with little difference in pricing.

Pricing and availability

Zyxel states that the NWA90BE and NWA50BE, as well as their PRO version, are now available at the suggested retail prices of $89.99 and $79.99, respectively, each with an additional $10 for the PRO version. As usual, their street prices will vary.

At these friendly price points, these dual-band access points are safe purchases for those who need modest Wi-Fi 7 bandwdith. So, check them out today!