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Every Wi-Fi generation tends to have a slow start, with devices released before the specification is complete, expensive routers for early adopters, and driver issues often take a while to sort out. Even then, I was a big believer in Wi-Fi and was excited to see what Wi-Fi 7 would bring. But reality has hit hard, and I’m not entirely sure most people need Wi-Fi 7.
That’s not to say it doesn’t have its place, or that smartphones and laptops should come with Wi-Fi 6E instead. It’s here now, and until Wi-Fi 8 arrives, devices should come with the latest wireless connectivity standards, especially to drive adoption across the board. It’s just that the roll-out of Wi-Fi 7 has been a bit of a mess, with a handful of companies partially to blame. Some of the mess is also a mismatch with the (admittedly good) parts of Wi-Fi 7 that don’t match the real-world implementation, and it’s time to set the record straight.
Wi-Fi 7 promises faster speeds, lower latency, and more efficient bandwidth use across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. It builds on the 6GHz band that Wi-Fi 6E introduced, allowing the right equipment to use 320MHz-wide channels on the 6GHz spectrum, double the 160MHz that Wi-Fi 6E allows. Theoretically, that’s up to 5.8Gbps of bandwidth for devices like laptops, gaming consoles, phones, and anything else with Wi-Fi 7 chips.
As with earlier Wi-Fi versions, Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible with client devices with an older version of Wi-Fi, enabling them to connect at maximum speeds. And all Wi-Fi 7 clients can connect to routers or APs that use Wi-Fi 6E or earlier, by dropping to the slower protocol. Except, connecting Wi-Fi 5 or earlier devices to Wi-Fi 7 access points can be an issue, both because Wi-Fi 7 APs require at least WPA2 for security (WPA3 for the 6GHz band), and clients might need new drivers to be able to connect at all.
Wi-Fi 7 complements wired connections—it doesn’t replace them
Even the best Wi-Fi 7 routers aren’t intended to replace your cable runs; they’re supposed to work in synergy. You only have to look at the ports on Wi-Fi 7 routers or access points to know this, because they’re all using Multi-Gig with 2.5GBase-T or 5GBase-T ports alongside 10GBase-T ports. That makes sense when you think about the theoretical speeds of Wi-Fi 7, as only 10GBase-T or SFP+ can realistically feed a Wi-Fi 7 AP.
Wi-Fi 7 makes more efficient use of wireless spectrum to offer incredible speeds and better latency compared to even Wi-Fi 6E.
Wi-Fi 7 adapters and clients are complicating things
And worldwide regulatory bodies are also at play
Wi-Fi 7’s super speed is theoretical and requires 4×4 stream compatibility to reach 11.6Gbps of bandwidth on a 320MHz channel width on the 6GHz band. Wi-Fi 7 also has a new trick that allows it to support twice that number of partial streams, bringing the bandwidth delivery to over 40Gbps when using 4K-QAM.
That’s fine for the broadcaster end, like the router or AP, but not a single client device has come out with more than 2×2 stream compatibility, and it’s not likely that anything faster will come out. As far as I know, the only client devices that used to have 3×3 capability were some MacBook Pro models, but they’re all 2×2 nowadays. Most will connect at 160MHz at best, and that’s fine, but it’s worth knowing ahead of time; otherwise, you’ll likely be disappointed.
You’re not guaranteed the 6GHz band will work
Not every country regulates wireless signals the same way, and regulatory approval for the 6GHz band is still being developed in many areas. The Wi-Fi Alliance has an interactive map you can play with, and it’s easy to see where the 6GHz band isn’t available. What’s less easy to see is which parts of the 6GHz band are used and where.
The 6GHz band has a 1,200MHz width from 5,925MHz to 7,125MHz and is split into 59 channels of 20MHz each. Then those channels are grouped into four sub-bands, numbered UNII-5 through UNII-8 (the lower four sub-bands are below the 6GHz range and used for 5GHz, amateur radio, and other uses). Only two of those sub-bands have enough width for the 320MHz that Wi-Fi 7 needs for the best performance, and not every country that allows the 6GHz band to be used has approved the same sub-bands.
The result is that you can’t buy Wi-Fi 7 equipment in one country and assume it will work in another, and large sections of the world don’t allow the 6GHz band at all. Even in the countries that have approved the 6GHz band, some network equipment is being sold as Wi-Fi 7 with only dual-band radios in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz ranges, further complicating any decisions.
And adapter compatibility issues abound
Adding a Wi-Fi 7 adapter to your PC has been difficult, but the situation is improving as new adapters are available. PC users had one choice to begin with, Intel, and even then, it was tricky finding an adapter that worked because none of the Intel adapters worked on AMD motherboards, even the ones that were supposed to be PCIe compatible.
Adapters from Qualcomm and MediaTek took some time to be ready and arrive in stores, so buying a new motherboard or laptop with an existing compatible adapter installed was often easier if you really couldn’t wait. Intel’s early Wi-Fi 7 drivers only worked on Windows 11 preview, and support for Wi-Fi 7 did not arrive in public builds until October 2024. Linux support is also spotty, depending on the chipset, distribution, and other factors.
Okay, you want your computer to have wireless connectivity but which adapter do you need?
Temper your expectations
Real-world speeds will rarely measure up
Because of the reality of 2×2 client devices, Wi-Fi 7 won’t reach the theoretical speeds. We might see some 4×4 client devices eventually, but remember that Wi-Fi 7 is mostly in mobile devices currently, and the more antennas, the more power is drawn. Realistically, if at all, it’ll be a while before more than 2×2 is available, so real-world speeds will be lower.
As with all wireless connectivity, the exact amount depends on conditions, but a 2×2 client at 320MHz could get 5.8Gbps, a 2×2 160MHz client around 2.9Gbps, and a 2×2 80MHz client would be around 1.45Gbps (all assuming perfect signal). Gigabit speeds over the air are nothing to sniff at, making wireless connectivity more responsive overall.
It’s also okay that routers and APs could still have 4×4 streams capability. This means the broadcast end can handle more 2×2 clients at high speeds, which makes every compatible device in your home connect faster.
Wi-Fi 7 is a catch-all term that doesn’t always reflect your experience
While it seems I’ve highlighted more issues than not, it’s only part of the picture. Wi-Fi 7 has been adopted faster than earlier Wi-FI standards, with more routers, access points, and clients available. It’s spurred network manufacturers to start phasing out Gigabit ports in favor of Multi-Gig, and Wi-Fi 7 is designed to improve every area of wireless connectivity. It’s just not there yet, and won’t be for many years as Wi-Fi 5 devices age out and get replaced by newer ones. Until then, you can save money and get most of the benefits by upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6E router or mesh kit.
