With the amount of time we’re spending watching videos, scrolling TikTok, and streaming live TV these days, it’s more important than ever to get the right wireless router for your home. If you’ve been shopping for a wireless router lately, you’ve likely seen the newest internet tech standard: Wi-Fi 7. But does that mean you need to drop extra cash to get a Wi-Fi 7 router?
Don’t press “Check out” on that shopping cart just yet! Let’s answer your biggest questions about if Wi-Fi 7 is worth the extra money.
What is Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7 is the most current wireless tech standard for Wi-Fi routers. Wi-Fi terms like Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 6 refer to the wireless hardware within a router that lets it connect your household to the internet.
Devices like smartphones and laptops use the same technology for their wireless antennas. You’ll get the fastest download speeds when you match a Wi-Fi 7 phone with a Wi-Fi 7 router, although backward compatibility means you can mix and match most Wi-Fi devices.
What can Wi-Fi 7 do?
Every Wi-Fi generation features a bevy of technical improvements designed to keep your home internet running smoothly, and Wi-Fi 7’s updates are no exception.
Wi-Fi 7’s big features include the following upgrades:
- 320MHz channel support for additional throughput
- Multi-Link Operation (MLO) for faster traffic management and lower latency
- 4K QAM for faster transmission rates
In plain English, Wi-Fi 7’s updates help your internet connection stay upright. For instance, Wi-Fi 7’s 320MHz channel feature doubles Wi-Fi 6’s 160MHz channel support to increase the amount of the data your router can transfer, and it’s a must-have for multi-gig internet households. Similarly, upgrades like MLO and 4K QAM let your router split network traffic across multiple channels and move data more efficiently.
Considering the number of devices on most home networks, routers act like traffic controllers and ensure that everyone can get a smooth connection, whether you’re streaming a football game or uploading files for work. Wi-Fi 7 will also be helpful if you regularly transfer large files across your home network.
Is Wi-Fi 7 faster than Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 7 offers much better performance than Wi-Fi 6, with a maximum theoretical speed of 23 Gbps compared to Wi-Fi 6’s 9.7 Gbps ceiling.
Of course, this comes with the usual disclaimers: On-paper throughput speeds are much different than real-life internet speeds, and you won’t be hitting 23 Gbps download speeds in your home soon. But as multi-gig internet and fiber internet become more commonplace, Wi-Fi 7’s expanded bandwidth provides some futureproofing insurance for households who need the most from their home internet.
Will Wi-Fi 7 work with my devices?
Wi-Fi 7, as with other Wi-Fi standards, is backward compatible with older Wi-Fi technology. If you have a Wi-Fi 7 router, you can still connect older Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 devices to the internet. However, they won’t benefit from Wi-Fi 7’s faster speeds.
Should I get a Wi-Fi 7 router?
Router upgrades are like upgrading light bulbs in your house—they’re helpful if it’s been a year or two and a game-changer if it’s been more than a few years.
If your household still has a functional Wi-Fi 6 router and Wi-Fi 6 devices, feel free to hold onto them. Wi-Fi 7 router availability and pricing are still in the early adopter stage, and if you don’t have a Wi-Fi 7 laptop or TV, you’ll be spending money on bandwidth you won’t use.
But if you’re already invested in Wi-Fi 7 hardware, shopping for a new router, or planning to upgrade your other devices, we’d say spring for a Wi-Fi 7 router. By upgrading now, you’ll benefit from faster internet performance and have peace of mind once Wi-Fi 7 becomes more commonplace.
Visit our fastest wireless router guide to learn more about buying a Wi-Fi router.
