TP-Link launches $600 Archer GE800, its first Wi-Fi 7 gaming router

[zohaibahd]

Highly anticipated: Wi-Fi 7 routers don't come cheap right now, but the advantages could make them worth it for power users. The obvious key benefits include increased speed and bandwidth, thanks to wider 320MHz channels and the ability to combine multiple bands simultaneously using multi-link operation. They also maintain low-latency performance, making them perfect for cloud gaming and AR/VR applications.

Announced way back in 2022 and teased at CES over the past two years, TP-Link's Archer GE800 tri-band gaming router is now available for $599.99, with a $100 discount for early adopters. TP-Link claims the Archer GE800 can deliver 11,520 Mbps on the 6 GHz band, 5,760 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, and 1,376 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.

Of course, you'll need Wi-Fi 7-enabled devices to take advantage of the router's advanced features. Only newer models like the Lenovo Legion 7i or Razer Blade 16 laptops offer support for it at the moment. None of the current crop of consoles do.

Of course, you'll need Wi-Fi 7-enabled devices to take advantage of the router's exotic features. Only newer devices like the latest Lenovo Legion 7i/9i or Razer Blade 16 laptops offer support for it at the moment. None of the current crop of consoles do.

The GE800 also offers plenty of high-bandwidth wired connectivity. It includes two 10Gbps ethernet ports and four 2.5Gbps ports, with one port dedicated to prioritizing game console traffic to minimize jitter, lag, and ping. There's also a USB 3.0 port for setting up an FTP, media, or Samba server.

TP-Link has packed in plenty of security smarts, too, with real-time protection for IoT devices, network scanning to quarantine infected gadgets, and blocking of malicious sites out of the box. There's even built-in antivirus protection from TP-Link HomeShield to defend against online threats.

Design-wise, the GE800 bucks the trend of routers with spider-like antenna arrays sticking out every which way. Instead, TP-Link has gone for a somewhat more understated, futuristic aesthetic that roughly resembles TIE fighters from Star Wars. The antennas are neatly tucked away inside the relatively compact chassis, which still manages to feature sleek multicolor illumination for a touch of gaming flair.

Mesh networking is also onboard, expanding that coverage by combining the GE800 with TP-Link's EasyMesh Wi-Fi 6 and 7 routers and extenders.

While the $599 price is steep, it's the going rate for flagship Wi-Fi 7 routers right now. Early adopters can also shave $100 off as part of a limited-time launch promotion.

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TP-Link launches $600 Archer GE800, its first Wi-Fi 7 gaming router

 

[NumberNine]

When all else fails, just glue three routers together.

 

[BobHome]

All right! Now I can watch my cat videos even faster!

And... and... sleek multicolor illumination, too? Oh, Wow!!!

 

[d5aqoep]

Just never buy TP-Link. They can EOL their top end routers just few days after their release.

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

Looks like a botched design of the Empire's Lambda-Class T-4a shuttle.

 

[ferrellsl]

"The Wi-Fi 7 router to go for if visible antennas are not your thing". Seriously? They're visible and they're enormous. They're both larger than the router itself. Must be a sponsored article to have such a blatant lie right at the top of the story.

 

[brucek]

Eww, only $599? I'd never use a home router that costs less than $750. I like the RGB lighting, though, it probably needs more of it.

 

[daffy duck]

So $1000 in Australia no doubt. BTW I just bought a 6 port switch that has 4 x 2.5Gbs and 2 x 10Gbs ports for about $100US and both my PC and router and NAS all support 2.5Gbe and the 10Gbs is for future proofing.

 

[human7]

Looks like a botched design of the Empire's Lambda-Class T-4a shuttle.

Was my thought, too! My second thought is they should have made the base higher so they could put a little ramp on it with action figures of the Emperor and his royal guards on it.

 

[amghwk]

Of course, you'll need Wi-Fi 7-enabled devices to take advantage of the router's advanced features. Only newer models like the Lenovo Legion 7i or Razer Blade 16 laptops offer support for it at the moment. None of the current crop of consoles do.

^repeated twice.

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

Was my thought, too! My second thought is they should have made the base higher so they could put a little ramp on it with action figures of the Emperor and his royal guards on it.

Maybe one day someone might make routers look like models and that would be cool.

 

[Burty117]

I recently got my hands on an Asus GT-BE98, WiFi 7 MLO, has anyone here played with it yet? Because I'm not massively impressed with how inflexible it is on the Asus, also probably why UniFi are taking their sweet time to get the MLO firmware out.

You turn MLO on, it takes control of all radios, then you add "profiles" that are SSID's. problem is, if you have older kit, that doesn't support WPA3 / WPA2 with protected frames, then you can't connect.

I'd like to be able to have a main SSID that is MLO for the majority of my devices, then anything that doesn't work, another SSID on just 5GHz or something, then a separate IoT network.

I think this is do'able with Asus, I was able to get a separate IoT network and SSID without MLO controlling it through their "Guest Network Pro" interface but if I try to add anything more, MLO takes over.