If you thought your Wi-Fi speeds were fast, well, think again. Because Wi-Fi 7 is here and it’s turning the heat up on those speedometers of old. With all the talk surrounding its Multi-Link Operation, the 320MHz of max channel bandwidth, unprecedented speeds compared with previous generations, and how much of a leap it all is, let’s consider exactly what it all means for the general user and why every new device you get should be Wi-Fi 7 capable.
Wi-Fi 7 is here (and certified)!
We’d be remiss if we didn’t highlight exactly what makes Wi-Fi 7 different from previous generations.
Wi-Fi 7 marks the debut of a special Multi-Link Operation (or MLO) technology, one which will allow compatible devices to spread the connection to two or all three of the available bands – 2.4 GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz.
Earlier, a device could only be on a single band, which limited how quickly it could get data packets in and out. But going forward, if you have a Wi-Fi 7-capable device, you can expect all three bands to be concurrently available to it, thereby increasing not only the speeds but also connection stability.
Though there are a few Wi-Fi 7 devices that have been around since 2023, they weren’t exactly certified (and guaranteed) to work. However, the Wi-Fi Alliance recently announced during the Consumer Electronics Show 2024 that Wi-Fi 7 Certified products will hit the market soon, marking the official arrival of Wi-Fi 7.
3 Reasons why your next device should be Wi-Fi 7 capable
Although there aren’t many devices capable of handling Wi-Fi 7, that is all about to change this year. Expect the latest gadgets, smartphones, and laptops to get standardized to Wi-Fi 7. Sure, these products may have a steeper price than their counterparts of old, but their benefits in the long term will more than justify their costs. Here’s why:
1. Insanely fast (and stable) connections
Wi-Fi 7 has the biggest jump in internet speeds when comparing theoretical maximum speeds between generations. Here’s what the speed jumps look like across generations:
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Max Speed | 6.9 Gbps | 9.6 Gbps | 9.6 Gbps | 46 Gbps |
That last cell ought to make your eyes roll back in your skull, for it begs the question – how fast is fast? Apparently, as fast as you can get, for which you will have to get devices that are Wi-Fi 7 certified. The 320 MHz of bandwidth, which is another major jump from the 160 MHz of earlier generations, provides twice the throughput compared to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which further enables ultra-fast speeds.
But speed alone matters very little if the connection is unstable and tenuous. Fortunately, the MLO technology we talked of before takes care of that. Having multi-band connectivity allows for better reliability, especially when one is in a crowded location like the airport, a cafe, or a stadium. Your organization could soon deploy Wi-Fi 7 too, so that’s yet another reason to keep up with the times.
2. Lower latency (for gaming, streaming, and cloud computing)
Regardless of your needs, or the needs of your household, faster internet speeds, combined with lower latencies, have become indispensable. Be it online gaming, streaming shows and movies in 4k (and 8k), hosting Zoom calls, or cloud computing, everyone expects reduced latency for their tasks, and for all that and more, Wi-Fi 7 is the pinnacle of wireless technology.
As we transition to more and more AI-enabled technologies, and data packages get bigger and heavier, your older devices will invariably feel the choke in the times to come. Sure, Wi-Fi 6 will still hold sway for some time. But if seamless internet connectivity is your priority (and you don’t want to feel the bottleneck), your future devices should be Wi-Fi 7 certified.
3. Future-proofing your devices
The confluence of disparate technologies often paves the way for new changes and advancements that have hitherto been on the horizon. From advanced AI technologies to better wireless VR and AR, there’s much that Wi-Fi 7 can enable. In such turbulent times, where information is king, regardless of whether you’re an independent creator or a collaborator, it is prudent to keep your devices ready to access the world reliably, speedily, and efficiently.
As the list of Wi-Fi 7 capable devices grows, and the new standard is more widely utilized, we may yet see further industry disruptions before things settle down. Even if you don’t get a Wi-Fi 7 router anytime soon, do at least make sure that your next devices are Wi-Fi 7 capable, for, though it may not seem like the case right now, in the times to come, the difference between Wi-Fi 6 and 7 will be that of night and day. We hope you stay in the light. Until next time!
