What is Wi-Fi 7? A complete guide to features, benefits, and compatibility

If you’ve recently shopped for a new wireless router or mesh Wi-Fi system, you’ve probably noticed a new technology being promoted by all manufacturers: Wi-Fi 7. It’s being marketed as the next big thing in wireless connectivity, with promises of lightning-fast speeds and ultra-reliable connections. But what exactly is Wi-Fi 7, and does it actually deliver meaningful improvements? Is it truly all about benefits and revolutionizing our Wi-Fi networks? After testing several Wi-Fi 7 routers and thoroughly researching this standard, I wanted to cut through the marketing jargon and technical specifications to give you a practical understanding of what Wi-Fi 7 brings and how it compares to older standards. Here’s what you should know about Wi-Fi 7:

NOTE: To write this article, I have spent a lot of time doing research. I’ve used many sources and materials from Wikipedia, Intel, Qualcomm, TP-Link, ASUS, Netgear, and others.

What is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 or 802.11be is a wireless networking standard developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance, packing all the advantages of its predecessors (Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E) and expanding them with new features and improvements. Wi-Fi 7 offers improved operation on the 6 GHz frequency band introduced by Wi-Fi 6E, higher throughput and lower latency than previous standards, and increased network capacity for handling many more devices. The Wi-Fi 7 standard was drafted in March 2021, and its technical specifications were finalized in January 2024.

Wi-Fi 7 has a certification program managed by Wi-Fi Alliance

Image source: Wi-Fi Alliance

The key features of Wi-Fi 7

While the Wi-Fi 7 standard introduces a large number of changes compared to previous standards, the following features are key and allow it to deliver an improved Wi-Fi experience:

Wi-Fi 7 introduces 4096-QAM

Image source: ASUS

• 4K QAM (4096-QAM) Modulation – Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) is a technique that encodes digital information into symbols for wireless transmission. While Wi-Fi 6 supports up to 1024-QAM, which can carry 10 bits of data per symbol, Wi-Fi 7 takes it further with 4096-QAM, which carries 12 bits of data per symbol. Wi-Fi 7 allows devices to encode 20% more data using 4096-QAM and carrying 12 bits of data per symbol. Therefore, Wi-Fi 7 can deliver up to 20% higher throughput than Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, resulting in faster downloads and uploads.
• 320 MHz channel bandwidth – Wi-Fi 7 doubles the maximum channel bandwidth from 160 MHz (offered by Wi-Fi 6) to 320 MHz. This means that the wireless channels of a Wi-Fi 7 network are wider and allow twice as much data to be transmitted simultaneously.
• Multiple resource units (Multi-RU) – RU standards for Resource Unit. Each RU represents a portion of the Wi-Fi channel used by the devices you’ve connected to the network. When using a Wi-Fi 6 network, which introduced the RU concept, each device received one RU to use for data transmission. Wi-Fi 7 improves this technical feature by allocating multiple RUs (if available) to a single device, which means faster data transmission.
• Multi-Link Operation (MLO) – allows devices to connect to multiple frequency bands simultaneously, instead of just one. For example, with Wi-Fi 6, each device uses a specific band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz in the case of Wi-Fi 6E) and remains connected to that band on a particular channel. Therefore, each device benefits from one connection link. With Wi-Fi 7, a device can connect across two or more channels on different bands at once. For example, it can connect simultaneously to two bands (5 GHz and 6 GHz), on two separate channels, each connection receiving its own link. If one of the two bands gets congested, Wi-Fi 7 also supports automatic switching. For example, the device can get switched automatically with MLO to 2.4 GHz and 6 GHz and stop using the 5 GHz band because it has become congested. Therefore, data can be sent and received over multiple channels at once, leading to faster speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connections. In short, MLO helps Wi-Fi 7 provide a better and faster internet experience by simultaneously using multiple connections (or links).

While the Wi-Fi 7 includes even more features and technical improvements over its predecessors, I prefer to keep this list shorter and focus on the most important aspects. To ensure you have a good overview of this standard, let’s see how it compares to previous standards widely used in today’s wireless networks.

What is the difference between Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7?

In the table below, I summarized some of the most important differences between the wireless networking standards used today:

Wi-Fi 7 vs Wi-Fi 6E vs Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 5 vs Wi-Fi 4

TIP: For those who don’t know what MU-MIMO represents, I highly recommend this article: What is MU-MIMO in WiFi? If you don’t have time to read the entire article, MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) is a technology that allows wireless routers and access points to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously, rather than one at a time. This means that instead of waiting for their turn to send or receive data, devices can access the network at the same time, improving overall speed and efficiency. When you see a Wi-Fi router offering 2×2 MIMO on a specific band, you can simultaneously connect a maximum of two clients, each getting their own data stream, or you can connect one client using two data streams.

Returning to the data in the table above, please remember that these numbers are theoretical maximum values you can get only in special laboratory settings. Things are quite different in real life:

• While the Wi-Fi 4 standard could use a maximum of 4×4 MIMO, most wireless routers offered 2×2 MIMO (the more expensive ones) and 1×1 MIMO (cheaper ones). Many modern routers continue to provide 2×2 MIMO. This is especially true for entry-level routers, including Wi-Fi 7 routers. Some mid-range routers offer 3×3 MIMO, while only some of the most expensive ones offer 4×4 MIMO or 8×8 MIMO.
• While the Wi-Fi 5 standard allowed for 160 MHz channel bandwidth, most consumer Wi-Fi 5 routers stopped at a maximum of 80 MHz. This is true also for some Wi-Fi 6 routers. However, there are models that offer 160 MHz channel bandwidth. You should carefully check their specifications before buying them to ensure you get the best experience.
• Wi-Fi 7 routers can offer 320 MHz channel bandwidth, but only on the 6 GHz band. If you buy a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router, you won’t have a 6 GHz band available, so the maximum you get is 160 MHz channel bandwidth on the 5 GHz frequency band and 40 MHz on the 2.4 GHz band.
• While the Wi-Fi 6 standard introduced WPA3 password encryption for improved security, this standard didn’t enforce it as mandatory. It was optional, and users could choose to enable it if they had compatible devices. In contrast, when using the 6 GHz band on Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 networks, WPA3 password encryption is automatically enabled in Strict mode, meaning that users can’t opt to use an older password encryption standard like WPA2. Luckily, this shouldn’t be an issue, as newer devices compatible with Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 work with WPA3. Another positive is that this WPA3 encryption enforcement is not applied to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band to avoid connection issues for older devices.

What are the benefits of Wi-Fi 7?

People and businesses switching to the Wi-Fi 7 standard should be able to enjoy the following benefits:

• More bandwidth and higher speeds – depending on the router or mesh Wi-Fi system you’re using, as well as the devices connected to the network, you should enjoy additional bandwidth and higher speeds for transferring data. However, the numbers vendors share are theoretical maximums, which don’t apply to real life. I highly recommend you read in-depth reviews for Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh Wi-Fi systems before purchasing them to better understand their actual performance benefits and real-life speeds.
• Lower latency – While researching this article, I noticed that all networking equipment vendors highlight this as an important benefit of Wi-Fi 7. Some manufacturers, like Intel, claim that their Wi-Fi 7 equipment can provide 60% lower average latency than Wi-Fi 6. This is a bold claim, and lower latency benefits industrial settings where it leads to more efficient operations. Lower latency also improves video conferencing, virtual reality experiences, and online gaming.
• Increased network capacity – Wi-Fi 7 networks can better handle more connected devices fighting for the available bandwidth. This standard should provide real value in industrial settings with a lot of automation and in smart homes that are fully equipped with sensors and all kinds of specialized IoT devices.
• Better performance in dense environments – the additional 6 GHz band used by the Wi-Fi 7 standard can be of great value in busy environments, with many devices and congested networks. Wi-Fi 7 also uses other technologies like those described earlier in this article, which enhance the network efficiency and ensure more reliable data transmission.
• More routers and mesh Wi-Fi systems can use ultra-fast internet connections up to 10 Gbps – while I’m in the early stages of testing Wi-Fi 7 routers and other networking devices, one positive trend that I’ve already noticed is that we now have an increasing number of networking devices capable of using ultra-fast internet connections of 2.5 Gbps or even 10 Gbps. Previously, only premium Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E routers could do this. Thanks to Wi-Fi 7, the barrier of entry has lowered, and more affordable devices can handle such internet connections. Even affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers should be able to use 2.5 Gbps internet connections without problems.

What are the downsides of Wi-Fi 7?

Just like every other technology, Wi-Fi 7 is not all about benefits. There are also some drawbacks to this technology. Some of the most important are the following:

• The upgrade cost – when the Wi-Fi 7 standard was first introduced to the market, the first generation of Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh Wi-Fi systems came with a premium price tag. Luckily, things have improved in recent months and will continue to do so. Today, people can buy entry-level routers like the TP-Link Archer BE230 that I reviewed recently or excellent mid-range models like the ASUS RT-BE92U.
• Compatibility – while most devices can connect to a Wi-Fi 7 network even if they don’t support this standard, Wi-Fi 7’s full potential is only realized with compatible devices. Although Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible with previous standards, older devices won’t benefit from its more advanced features. Compatibility is also an issue when dealing with laptops. Older models like those with Windows 10 aren’t compatible with Wi-Fi 7. If you want to use this standard, you must buy a new Windows 11 laptop with a Wi-Fi 7 wireless network card. Another issue is that Apple didn’t include Wi-Fi 7 support with its latest Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro models with M4 series chips, sticking with the Wi-Fi 6E protocol instead. Luckily, iPhone 16 users do get access to Wi-Fi 7.
• Shorter range for the 6 GHz band – while the 6 GHz band used by the Wi-Fi 7 standard offers higher bandwidth, faster speed, and lower latency, it can’t bypass the laws of physics. As a result, the wireless signals on the 6 GHz band also decrease faster along their propagation paths, especially through obstacles. As a result, the 6 GHz band has a shorter range than the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands.

Is Wi-Fi 7 compatible with older devices?

The great news is that Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh Wi-Fis are backward compatible. You can connect to a Wi-Fi 7 network from older devices that don’t support this standard. However, they won’t be making wireless transfers using Wi-Fi 7, but an older one, depending on the device and the standards it was designed to work with. For example, an older Windows 10 laptop with a Wi-Fi 6 network card will use the older Wi-Fi 6 standard when connecting to a Wi-Fi 7 router. Similarly, a smart plug, surveillance camera, or some other IoT device in your home, which was manufactured many years ago to work using the dated Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) standard, is going to connect to the network through Wi-Fi 4 instead of Wi-Fi 7. However, only Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices will be able to connect to a Wi-Fi 7 network on the 6 GHz band, because only these two standards can use this band. Older devices are stuck using the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

If you want to take advantage of the new features and performance promised by the Wi-Fi 7 standard, you must upgrade your devices. Therefore, it’s not enough to simply buy a Wi-Fi 7 router or mesh Wi-Fi system, but you should also buy laptops with Wi-Fi 7, smartphones, smart TVs, and other compatible gadgets.

Is Wi-Fi 7 faster than 5G?

In its promotional materials about Wi-Fi 7, Intel has named their implementation of this technology Intel Wi-Fi 7 (5 Gig), which confused some people and had them asking if Wi-Fi 7 is faster than 5G. What Intel wanted to transmit with this association between terms is that a typical Wi-Fi 7 laptop could reach a potential maximum speed of 5.8 Gbps. This is an outstanding speed, but also a theoretical one. I’ve tested several laptops and Wi-Fi 7 routers, and have yet to achieve 5.8 Gbps through Wi-Fi.

Intel says that Wi-Fi 7 is 5 Gig

Image source: Intel

However, some people (especially those in business environments) are asking themselves how Wi-Fi 7 compares to 5G mobile networks. Which of the two is faster? The maximum theoretical speed achieved by Wi-Fi 7 is 46 Gbps, which is a lot higher than the 10 Gbps offered by 5G networks. However, Wi-Fi 7 and 5G are technologies built for different purposes, so speed shouldn’t be the main comparison criterion.

Who may benefit from Wi-Fi 7?

Transitions to a new Wi-Fi networking standard tend to be slow and costly. Therefore, I expect this to be a long process, similar to the adoption of Wi-Fi 6. However, there are some areas where adopting Wi-Fi 7 sooner rather than later will provide some tangible benefits:

• Businesses with large industrial spaces and many robots and IoT devices that require low latency Wi-Fi connectivity.
• Healthcare facilities that require fast, low latency Wi-Fi connectivity for telemedicine, and large networks of connected medical devices.
• High-density areas like airports, train stations, shopping malls, or university campuses, where Wi-Fi network congestion is an ongoing problem.
• Large smart homes with many simultaneously connected devices that require fast and stable Wi-Fi connections.
• Homes and businesses that want to upgrade to ultra-fast 2.5 Gbps or 10 Gbps internet connections and take full advantage of the additional speed and bandwidth made available by them.

Regarding activities that can benefit greatly from using Wi-Fi 7, the list includes 8K video streaming, immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, interactive telemedicine, and cloud computing.

What do you think about Wi-Fi 7?

While Wi-Fi 7 certainly brings impressive technical advancements, most people and businesses probably don’t need to rush and upgrade their networks just yet. However, if you’re already planning an upgrade or struggling with bandwidth and connectivity issues in a network full of devices (and expecting more in the future), then Wi-Fi 7 is worth considering sooner rather than later. As with most technical decisions, it comes down to your specific needs, budget, and whether the real-world benefits are tangible enough – not just what the impressive Wi-Fi 7 spec sheet promises. Before you close this article, I want your opinion about Wi-Fi 7. Do you like what it has to offer? Are you planning to upgrade or do you prefer to wait? Comment using the options below and let me know.