Wi-Fi has become an integral part of our daily lives, powering our devices and keeping us connected to the world around us. As tech continues to develop, so too does the evolution of Wi-Fi. The latest iteration, Wi-Fi 7, also known as IEEE 802.11be, is set to redefine the standards of Wi-Fi. So, how fast is Wi-Fi 7, and when can we start using it? Let’s find out.
What is Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7, also known as IEEE 802.11be, offers improvements over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. It works on the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands and supports wider bandwidth. Wi-Fi 7 routers can handle 16 simultaneous streams, compared to 8 in Wi-Fi 6E.
As a result, Wi-Fi 7 provides higher throughput, bandwidth, and transmission rates over Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 7 is not yet supposed to be used by the average consumer like you and I but for power users with multiple devices connected simultaneously.
- Channel Size: Wi-Fi 7 has a bandwidth of 320MHz, doubling the network’s throughput (160MHz on Wi-Fi 6).
- Modulation: The 4096-QAM modulation translates to 20% faster transmission speeds.
- 16×16 MIMO: The MU-MIMO technology, or Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output, now supports up to 16 simultaneous streams, a massive upgrade over the eight simultaneous streams on Wi-Fi 6.
- Multi-Link Operation: Multi-Link Operation or MLO (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz) ensures that you can continue using the Wi-Fi even when there is an obstruction between the device and the router or if you’re far away from the router where the 6GHz band cannot reach.
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Wi-Fi 7 Speed Comparison
Wi-Fi 7 offers theoretical speeds of up to 46 Gbps, but actual speeds depend on the router and network conditions. Nevertheless, this is 4.8x faster than the theoretical speeds of Wi-Fi 6E.
If we go by Intel’s claims, laptops with Wi-Fi 7 support can achieve speeds up to 5.8 Gbps in real-world usage. This is approximately 2.4 times faster than what Wi-Fi 6E can achieve at its peak (on a laptop).
Wi-Fi 7 Compatible Phones in India
While most top Android phones support Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 support is currently limited. Flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, iQOO Neo9 Pro, Vivo X100, Vivo X100 Pro, and iQOO 12 are some of the phones that support Wi-Fi 7. Wi-Fi 7 may also benefit older devices with its wider bandwidth and multi-link support.
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Wi-Fi 7 Routers in India
Currently, a very limited selection of Wi-Fi 7 routers is available globally, including in India. At the time of writing, TP-Link is the only major OEM actively selling Wi-Fi 7 routers.
That said, buying a Wi-Fi 7 router in India may not be the most practical choice, as most ISPs in the country typically offer internet speeds capped at 1 Gbps. This speed limitation falls far short of what Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are capable of, let alone the capabilities of Wi-Fi 7.
Furthermore, Wi-Fi 7 routers can be quite expensive. The TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 router is priced at INR 42,999 for the tri-band version and INR 52,000 for the quad-band version, which is multiple times more expensive than a regular dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router.
1. TP-Link Archer BE900 Quad-Band BE24000 WiFi 7 Router
- Speed – 24.4 Gbps
- Ports – 2x 10G + 4x 2.5G + 1x 1G
- Antennas – 12
- Features – VPN, Easy Mesh, 4×4 MU-MIMO
- I/O – 2x USB
2. TP-Link Archer BE800 Tri-Band BE19000 WiFi 7 Router
- Speed – 19 Gbps
- Ports – 2x 10G + 4x 2.5G
- Antennas – 8
- Features – VPN, Easy Mesh, 4×4 MU-MIMO
- I/O – 1x USB 3.0
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Final Words
Wi-Fi 7 is sure to impress you with its speed and low latency. However, it is not yet widely available, making it hard for consumers to get their hands on it. Plus, Wi-Fi 7 phones and routers are also not very common. Despite these current limitations, we can expect the technology to become more accessible in the future. What are your thoughts on Wi-Fi 7’s potential? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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