TP-Link announces Wi-Fi 8 routers Archer 8 Ultra and Deco 8 Ultra

TP-Link has announced the upcoming release of its first Wi-Fi 8 products, including the Archer 8 Ultra router and the Deco 8 Ultra mesh system. Pre-orders are scheduled to begin on September 30.

Unlike previous standard updates that focused on increasing peak data rates, the Wi-Fi 8 standard aims to improve reliability in dense environments. The technology is designed to manage high concentrations of devices, such as those found in smart homes, by addressing interference, roaming issues, and quality of service (QoS) to ensure stable connections for numerous low-bandwidth objects.

The Archer 8 Ultra features a Broadcom chip, 18 internal antennas, and a 10 Gbit/s port, offering a cumulative Wi-Fi speed of 19 Gbit/s. The Deco 8 Ultra mesh system utilizes Qualcomm hardware, providing up to 22 Gbit/s cumulative speed and coverage for over 200 devices. While these devices offer high theoretical speeds, they share the same maximum data rates and frequency bands as Wi-Fi 7, focusing instead on stability through a proprietary ‘Wi-Fi 8 Stability Engine’.