TP-Link Archer BE3600 is the first Wi-Fi 7 router under $100

As with any new generation of technology, the prices of Wi-Fi 7-compatible routers are still considered prohibitive for many people. TP-Link, however, may be one of the first manufacturers to burst the bubble, bringing the Archer BE3600 for under $100.

It’s not much less, though. The product can be found at WalMart for $99 at the time of this post. According to the folks at HotHardware, it appears that the North American megastore has some kind of exclusivity agreement for the Archer BE3600, at least in the US.

Furthermore, as you might expect, the model doesn’t offer all the potential we can expect from Wi-Fi 7. It’s limited to two bands, with the promise of speeds of up to 2,882Mbps on 5GHz and up to 688Mbps on 2.4GHz. In other words, no 6GHz for those who choose to save money.

By comparison, TP-Link itself showed off new Wi-Fi 7 routers at CES 2024 that promise speeds of up to 19Gbps. For much higher prices, of course. The Archer BE9300, for example, is also available at WalMart, promising up to 9.2Gbps for $249.

Wi-Fi 7 brings new features to compatible devices

However, speed is not the only attraction of the new generation of Wi-Fi. The network has a feature called Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which promises better management of multiple devices connected on multiple bands, to avoid congestion. This way, the internet can have improvements in latency and stability in general, something that interested parties can already find in cheaper routers.

But there’s no point in rushing to buy a new router if the devices that will connect to it don’t support Wi-Fi 7. Support should be gradually adopted over the next few years – so much so that even Microsoft is still working to bring the feature to Windows 11.

The Wi-Fi Alliance is hopeful that the new standard will be adopted quickly, however. It expects more than 233 million compatible devices to be available by the end of 2024, with the number expected to surpass 2 billion by 2028. Read more here.