TL;DR
- Wi-Fi 7 offers speeds up to 4x faster than Wi-Fi 6E, with theoretical speeds up to 46 Gbps and latency as low as 1 millisecond, ideal for 8K streaming, gaming, and AR/VR.
- Wi-Fi 7 supports 320 MHz channels (vs. 160 MHz in Wi-Fi 6E) and MLO, which allows devices to use multiple bands simultaneously for faster, more stable connections.
- Wi-Fi 7 improves performance in crowded environments, reducing interference from overlapping networks and supporting more devices simultaneously.
- While Wi-Fi 7 devices are still rolling out, upgrading now ensures compatibility with the latest technology, especially if you need faster speeds or have a crowded network.
Wi-Fi 7 is the latest wireless networking standard, bringing major advancements over previous versions. It offers faster speeds, lower latency, and improved capacity.
While many people have only recently adopted Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 is now available, promising better overall performance.
The first wave of Wi-Fi 7 routers was expensive, but more affordable options are starting to appear. Many flagship devices, including the latest Galaxy S25 devices from Samsung and laptops, now support Wi-Fi 7.
If you are looking to upgrade your home network, Wi-Fi 7 is worth considering.
What Is Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7, officially known as IEEE 802.11be, is the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology. It builds on the improvements of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, offering speeds up to four times faster.
Wi-Fi 7 also introduces new features to reduce latency, increase capacity, and improve stability and efficiency.
Like previous standards, Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible. But to fully benefit from its new features, you’ll need Wi-Fi 7-compatible devices, including routers, smartphones, laptops, and more.
What Benefits Does Wi-Fi 7 Bring?
Wi-Fi 7 is designed to handle more connections and maintain reliable low-latency performance. This makes it ideal for high-quality video streaming, cloud gaming, and AR/VR applications.
It also addresses congestion and interference, which is especially useful in areas with many devices or overlapping networks.
Wi-Fi 7 vs. Wi-Fi 6E: How Do The Two Compare?
Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E both use the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands. However, Wi-Fi 7 introduces several upgrades that enhance performance.
1} Wider Channels
One of the most significant changes is the introduction of wider channels. Each frequency band is divided into channels that transmit data. The 2.4 GHz band has 11 channels, each 20 MHz wide.
The 5 GHz band offers 45 channels that can be combined to create 40 MHz or 80 MHz channels. The 6 GHz band, introduced with Wi-Fi 6E, supports 60 channels with widths up to 160 MHz.
Wi-Fi 7 expands this further, supporting channels as wide as 320 MHz. Wider channels allow more data to be transmitted at once, significantly increasing speed and capacity.
2) Multi-Link Operation (MLO)
Multi-Link Operation (MLO) is another key improvement. Previous Wi-Fi standards connected devices using a single band at a time.
Even a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router connects each device on a single band, choosing between 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz.
Wi-Fi 7 changes this by allowing devices to use multiple frequency bands at the same time. MLO enables a single device to establish connections across two or more channels on different bands simultaneously.
This increases speed and ensures a more stable connection by allowing the router to switch to the best available channel when interference is detected.
3) Higher QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation)
Wi-Fi 7 also introduces 4K-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation). QAM is a technology used to transmit data over radio waves.
Higher QAM levels increase data capacity, but they also require a stronger signal. Wi-Fi 6 introduced 1,024-QAM, which provided a 25% data rate increase over Wi-Fi 5’s 256-QAM.
Wi-Fi 7 raises this further to 4K-QAM, resulting in a 20% increase in peak performance. While this improvement boosts overall efficiency, the impact will depend on factors such as signal strength, background noise, and interference.
Should You Upgrade to Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7 routers and devices have been rolling out since early 2023, and adoption is increasing. While you won’t experience the full benefits unless your devices support Wi-Fi 7, upgrading to a Wi-Fi 7 router may still be a good option.
Wi-Fi 7 routers are backward compatible, meaning they will work with older devices while offering future-proofing for new ones.
If you are considering an upgrade and are looking at Wi-Fi 6E routers, it may make more sense to invest in Wi-Fi 7 instead. The latest flagship smartphones and laptops from brands such as Apple, Google, and Samsung already support Wi-Fi 7.
Chipmakers including Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, and MediaTek are producing Wi-Fi 7-compatible chipsets. The Wi-Fi Alliance estimates that over 233 million Wi-Fi 7 devices will enter the market this year.
For users with demanding network needs, such as gamers, content creators, or those working with high-resolution video, Wi-Fi 7 provides a noticeable improvement in performance.
However, for general web browsing and casual streaming, Wi-Fi 6E may still be sufficient.
