- TP-Link Archer TBE550E expansion card | $69 at Amazon (save $31)
- TP-Link Archer BE9700 router | $190 at Best Buy (save $60)
- TP-Link Deco BE67 mesh (3-pack) | $500 at Best Buy ($200)
- We're curating the best deals this Black Friday on PC gaming products we love
Enter stage left, TP-Link and its Archer BE9700 and Deco BE67/68 routers. Combined with the Wi-Fi 7 module built into my Arrow Lake motherboard, both products easily let my rig hit a sustained download speed of 1.1 Gbps in Steam. Yes, a wired network would be snappier in terms of latencies, but it's unfortunately not possible to do so in my home.
So if you're in a similar boat (i.e. have a great Internet connection but a feeble wireless network), then don't worry, as the Black Friday sales have got just the things you need to enter the world of Wi-Fi heaven.
Black Friday Wi-Fi 7 networking deals
You might already have a Wi-Fi 7 wireless router and a really fast Internet connection, but unless your gaming PC sports a Wi-Fi 7 module, you might not be getting the full potential from your network. That's because one of the best features of Wi-Fi 7 is MLO, or Multi-Link Operation.
When both the router and Wi-Fi card are configured to use this, the two devices will use all available bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) to transfer data around. In the case of the TBE550E, MLO permits a maximum transfer speed of 6452 Mbps.
You won't really get that unless the router and card's antennae are within a few feet of each other, but it does mean that you should be able to sustain a perfectly decent speed, even when they're noticeably separated.
On paper, the TP-Link Archer BE600 should be a blistering fast Wi-Fi 7 router (well, router+switch+WAP but who wants to write that out all the time?), but as I found in my tests and review of it, the performance wasn't quite as good as you'd imagine. That doesn't mean it's a bad router. In fact, it's actually very good.
Yes, the looks aren't exactly discreet or stylish, and it uses quite a bit of power (40 W) when Wi-Fi-ing away, but what makes the Archer BE600 so good is the combination of its features, speed, ease-of-use, and price tag. In the case of the latter, it was $200 at the time of its review, but then it went up to $250, and now it's back down to the old price again.
Black Friday schenanigans aside, if you're looking for a good all-round Wi-Fi 7 router that doesn't cost a fortune, then I strongly recommend you consider the Archer BE600. If you want better wireless performance, though, or just need to blast a 6 GHz band throughout your home, then maybe a mesh network is what you need.
The idea behind a mesh network is simple. Instead of having a single wireless access point in your home or office, you have multiple ones that work together to create a seamless network. And it really is seamless, as I discovered in my tests and review of the TP-Link Deco BE68.
If you've checked out the Amazon link above, it's worth noting that the Deco BE67 and BE68 are exactly the same product, just named differently because TP-Link has a retailing thing going on with Amazon (for the BE67) and Best Buy (for the BE68). Why they need to have different names is beyond me.
Anyway. The Deco BE68. Let's not beat around the bush here: It's a great mesh system at its normal $700. At $500, it's astonishingly good. You're getting three hubs for the money, making each one considerably cheaper than the Archer BE600. Sure, they don't sport as many LAN ports, but they're much better when it comes to Wi-Fi performance.
Not in terms of nearby individual band performance but in distant MLO mode. Multi-Link Operation is by far the best feature of Wi-Fi 7, though it's not the only great aspect of the Deco BE68.
Some users might not like the fact that you have to use a phone app to set up, configure and control the hubs, but the software is pretty comprehensive and simple to use. Admittedly, there are some tools that are hidden behind a paywall but that's rapidly becoming the norm with 'everyday' routers.
Other than the fact that I can now max out my Internet connection with every Steam download, I'm enjoying the fact that the Deco BE68 doesn't scream 'gaming router' with its looks. With the hubs sat discreetly on various shelves, I have a home filled with super-fast Wi-Fi, along with separate networks for guests and IoT devices.
👉Check out all of Amazon's Wi-Fi 7 networking deals👈
1. Best overall: TP-Link Archer GE800
2. Best mid-range: TP-Link Archer BE9700
3. Best budget: Asus TUF AX4200
4. Best mesh: TP-Link Deco BE68
5. Best budget mesh: TP-Link Deco BE25
6. Best for wired: Asus RT-BE88U
7. Best Wi-Fi 6E: TP-Link Archer AXE75
👉Check out our full gaming router guide👈
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