Following my recent review of the EnGenius ECW520 WiFi 7 access point, I wanted to delve deeper into the current market landscape.
The advent of WiFi 7 has brought about a surge in networking hardware prices, exemplified by the Netgear Orbi RBE973 quad-band mesh system, retailing at a hefty £2200 for a three-pack.
Unifi was among the pioneers in introducing a WiFi 7 access point with the Ubiquiti Unifi U7 Pro, priced at a modest $180/£171 upon launch. While this model faced some criticism for its 2x2x2 MIMO design instead of the 4×2 utilized in the U6 Pro, I found the slight price increase justified due to the addition of a third radio for 6GHz.
Since then, the market has seen a proliferation of WiFi 7 access point options, with Unifi alone offering an impressive range of 13 models catering to diverse needs from home users to large enterprises.
Amidst this plethora of choices, selecting the right access point can be daunting, with key distinguishing features including:
– Dual Band vs Tri Band: Dual band sacrifices the ultra-fast 6GHz network but still delivers significant performance gains on the 5GHz network.
– MIMO Design: Offering options with 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 streams, where more streams equate to higher capacity for the access point.
– 2.5GbE or 10GbE: Most WiFi 7 APs feature at least 2.5GbE, which is suitable for most scenarios. However, with the advent of 6GHz and 320MHz channel width, higher capacity demands can saturate this, necessitating consideration for higher speed Ethernet ports.
– Channel Width: While less critical, some brands limit the 5GHz channel width to 80MHz, while others like Unifi allow up to 240MHz, enabling higher speeds but posing practical challenges with multiple access points.
The article then delves into a detailed breakdown of various WiFi 7 access points from leading brands including Ubiquiti Unifi, Zyxel Nebula, TP-Link Omada, and EnGenius, highlighting key specifications, performance insights, and pricing details.
It concludes by providing a brief overview of the author’s background, expertise, and the site’s accolades, along with a disclaimer regarding affiliate links.
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