Even without Wi-Fi 6E, you’re still getting your money’s worth. | Image: TP-Link
TP-Link has launched a new competitively priced Wi-Fi 6 router that might make you think twice before upgrading to Wi-Fi 6E or even Wi-Fi 7. The Deco X55 Pro is a whole-home Wi-Fi 6 mesh router system that’s available in a three-pack now on Amazon and the TP-Link webstore at an initial discounted launch price of $239.99 (if you use the 20DECOX55PRO promo code). Once this promotional offer ends on July 31st, the Deco X55 Pro will switch to its standard $299.99 price.
Each node of the three-pack mesh router comes with two 2.5 gigabit ethernet ports, and TP-Link advertises the Deco X55 Pro’s Wi-Fi 6 capabilities can deliver up to 3Gbps of wireless speed and that it features an “AI-driven” mesh system that’s designed to automatically switch between network sources for a better connection.
Image: TP-Link
You get a total of six 2.5 gigabit ethernet ports for the trio, which is handy if you have a large family with a lot of wired devices.
TP-Link claims the mesh router trio covers up to 6,500 square feet, which should be a large enough Wi-Fi net to blanket most homes, helping to eliminate weak signals and dead zones in areas where less robust systems may struggle to permeate — such as bathrooms, garages, and basements. It can also support over 150 devices, according to TP-Link, more than some pricier Wi-Fi systems like the Eero Pro 6E’s advertised 100-plus devices.
This is a dual-band Wi-Fi system, meaning it only supports the usual single 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands. You’ll have a hard time finding a tri-band system available at a similar price, though — for example, the Wi-Fi 6-enabled Eero Pro 6 provides an additional 5GHz band, but that’ll still cost you $399 despite the product being almost three years old. If you wanted to explore Wi-Fi 6E, then the TP-Link Deco XE75 tri-band system is also available for $299, though that’s for two rather than a three-pack of base stations. It’ll give you a 6GHz band to play with, but the Deco XE75 duo doesn’t have as large of a range as this Deco X55 Pro triple-pack, and there still aren’t many 6GHz-compatible devices out there yet.