Wi-Fi 7's Higher Speeds and New Features
Learn about the new Wi-Fi 7 standard and its potential to deliver faster speeds and more stable connections.
Wi-Fi 7 Certification and Benefits
The Wi-Fi Alliance has now started certifying Wi-Fi 7 devices, which offer higher throughput, linked wireless bands for better stability, and reduced latency. Compared to previous standards, Wi-Fi 7 devices can use double the channel bandwidth, resulting in faster speeds.
One key feature of Wi-Fi 7 is Multi-Link Operation, allowing devices to bond a connection across 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz connections. This enables greater speed and more reliable connections when moving in and out of range of different frequency bands.
Wi-Fi 7 also introduces Multi-Resource-Unit Puncturing, which allows unused parts of higher-speed channels to be utilized. This improves efficiency and performance, especially when compared to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which cannot share the richest parts of their spectrum.
The Potential Speeds of Wi-Fi 7
Under ideal conditions, a Wi-Fi 7 device could achieve a 5.8Gbps connection. However, the maximum theoretical throughput of Wi-Fi 7 is approximately 36Gbps. While consumer-level devices and routers may not fully utilize the new 16x16 MU-MIMO capabilities, the higher ceiling of Wi-Fi 7 should still lead to better overall experiences.
Manufacturers have already begun touting devices pending Wi-Fi 7 certification. For example, the TP-Link Archer BE800 is a standout router with a futuristic design, priced at $600. Additionally, Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra, equipped with the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 chip, can support Wi-Fi 7 once enabled through a software update.
The Future of Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 6E devices faced shortages due to component supply issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the landscape for Wi-Fi 7 is expected to be different, as it offers compelling upgrade incentives over previous generations. Now, the focus shifts to broadband service providers to catch up with the capabilities of Wi-Fi 7.
