TP-Link unveiled two new Wi-Fi routers today that take on the latest 802.11ax wireless standard. The new models are referred to as Archer AX6000 and AX11000. The AX6000 focuses on supporting more devices simultaneously while the AX11000 offers the fastest connection speeds. This means that you should have a general idea of which type of performance you are looking for before handing over your hard earned cash.
Mesh vs. Single APs
For quite a while, mesh routers have been the touted as the best option for most homes. With eero, Netgear, Linksys, and even Google making them, there are certainly no shortages when it comes to options to pick from. The reason to go with mesh is typically to avoid dead spots in your home since they let you place multiple access points throughout it.
While this is certainly a great experience for many, there are some home and office layouts that work well with a single access point. If you are in a space like that, then one of TP-Link’s new routers may give you significant performance boosts that are simply unavailable in mesh offerings at the moment.
802.11ax vs. 802.11ac
A big reason the current mesh offerings will likely be obliterated in head-to-head testing is simply because none of them support the latest wireless standard, 802.11ax. Instead they support the more common, 802.11ac. 802.11ax technology offers more capacity and efficiency, enabling more devices to be connected with faster speed than 802.11ac is capable of.
“The Archer AX6000 and Archer AX11000 are two of our most exciting routers to date,” said Louis Liu, CEO at TP-Link USA. “These next-generation, state-of-the routers offer the fastest and most powerful WiFi experience available today, making them the ideal routers for customers that want more from their routers.”
AX6000 vs. AX11000
When it comes to speed, the Archer AX6000 is pretty darn fast. It will support wireless speeds up to 1148 Mbps on its 2.4 GHz band and 4804 Mbps on 5 GHz. Where it really shines is capacity; the AX6000 provides up to 4x the amount of connected devices when compared to 802.11ac competitors, making it a great option for smart homes with lots of gear floating around.
While the AX11000 will certainly support plenty of devices, it really shines when it comes to overall throughput. The 2.4 GHz band supports speeds up to 1148 Mbps (just like the AX6000) and 4804 Mbps on each of its two 5 GHz bands. This means it can theoretically support up to 10756 Mbps at one time, making it a future proof option to pick up for your home or office.
Pricing & Availability
Neither the TP-Link Archer AX6000 or AX11000 are available to pick up in stores yet, but the AX6000 can be pre-ordered at Amazon for $349.99. Orders are expected to begin shipping on December 21, 2018. On the other hand, the TP-Link Archer AX11000 will be priced at $449.99 and will not begin shipping until late January 2019. At the time of publishing, there is not a pre-order listing for the AX11000, but we expect it to appear within the next few weeks or so.
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