What Is Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7, also referred to as 802.11be, is the latest in wireless networking protocols that are established and maintained by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi 7 offers a theoretical maximum speed of 46 Gbps; however, most gamers will experience speeds of approximately 5.8 Gbps.1
It’s important to note that numerous factors influence your actual wireless speed, including the bandwidth allocated by your internet service provider (ISP) plan, usage of the proper Wi-Fi equipment, network congestion from other devices, and physical interference from walls in your home or gaming space.
The Benefits of Wi-Fi 7 for Gaming
Wi-Fi 7 is built to handle larger game files and downloads and more wireless devices connected to your home network. With Wi-Fi 7, you can stream, chat, cast, play, look up guides, and watch video on demand simultaneously while minimizing lag and maintaining fast, stable, and high-performance gaming.
By upgrading to Wi-Fi 7, you can benefit from:
- Advanced performance: In addition to delivering powerful connections greater than 5 Gbps (based on environment, equipment, and other conditions), Wi-Fi 7 provides access to new high-speed channels in both 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands.2
- Multichannel reliability: With simultaneous multi-link operation, Wi-Fi 7 can continuously optimize your connection to multiple channels at the same time or by switching to noncongested channels dynamically.
- Robust security: Wi-Fi 7 integrates the latest WPA3 security protocols, which provide stronger encryption (256-bit AES vs. 128-bit AES with WPA2) and a more secure authentication method, to help keep your data and devices safe from unauthorized access.
In practical terms, Wi-Fi 7 delivers wired-like responsiveness while also enabling greater range for gigabit speeds throughout your home. You’ll be able to transmit large files in seconds instead of minutes, support 8K video streaming, and have multiple people connect, watch, or play on your network simultaneously without a huge hit to your gaming latency.
Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 7 delivers a dramatic leap in performance from the previous generation Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) standard. With Wi-Fi 7, you can achieve approximate wireless speeds of 5.8 Gbps, compared to just 2.4 Gbps with Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 7 can also deliver approximately 60 percent lower latencies compared to Wi-Fi 6.3 Whereas Wi-Fi 6 brought wireless connections closer to parity with wired connections, Wi-Fi 7 can exceed the performance of wired Ethernet speeds.
The reason Wi-Fi 7 is faster is because it delivers access to the wider 320 MHz bandwidth channel in the 6 GHz band, while Wi-Fi 6 is limited to just the 5 GHz band. While Wi-Fi 6E introduced access to 6 GHz in 2021, it can only access the 160 MHz channel within that band.
Wi-Fi 7 also carries forward many of the same great features available in Wi-Fi 6, such as WPA3 security and beamforming, in which a Wi-Fi router transmits data directionally toward a connected device rather than broadcasting a signal in all directions.
How to Enable Wi-Fi 7 for Gaming
Looking to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7? There are a few essentials you’ll need to consider:
- Router: The most important upgrade you’ll need is a Wi-Fi 7‒enabled router. This ensures the ISP signal coming into your home can broadcast at Wi-Fi 7 speeds in the 6 GHz band.
- Devices: Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible with prior generations, so your smartphone, smart TV, and gaming consoles can connect to your Wi-Fi 7‒enabled router without a problem. For future purchases, look for Wi-Fi 7 compatibility so you’re getting the most from your wireless connection.
- Gaming Desktop or Gaming Laptop: Make sure your gaming computer has the latest processor that supports Wi-Fi 7 along with a compatible motherboard. This will help ensure that many of the components you need are already included. If your processor or motherboard doesn’t have Wi-Fi 7 built in, you can install a Wi-Fi 7 add-in card in either the M.2 or PCIe expansion slot of your motherboard.
Is Wi-Fi 7 Faster than Ethernet?
Yes, Wi-Fi 7 can be faster than Ethernet. Wired Ethernet in your home typically uses cables that max out at speeds of 1 Gbps. However, your home Ethernet speed will also be determined by your ISP plan. In the US, cable-based ISPs usually offer performance of 1 to 2 Gbps, while fiber-based ISPs can offer performance up to 8 Gbps. An Ethernet cable can potentially bottleneck a faster ISP connection.
Because Wi-Fi 7 can support approximate speeds of 5.8 Gbps, it is generally faster than wired Ethernet in your home. However, factors such as network congestion and physical obstructions can lessen your signal strength. Wi-Fi 7 can help ensure you’re getting the fastest connectivity from your ISP plan.
Considerations for Not Adopting Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 7 is a viable upgrade path if you’re looking to maintain fast internet speeds and low gaming latency when playing your favorite online games. Wi-Fi 7 can also help keep your ping low and your connection stable when other devices on your network are doing internet-heavy tasks such as streaming 4K movies. Or you may just want to future-proof your gaming configuration as newer technology releases.
Adopting Wi-Fi 7 earlier can have advantages too. Because most devices still use Wi-Fi 5 and 6, newer Wi-Fi 7‒enabled PCs and devices will enjoy near-exclusive access to the 6 GHz band for best-in-class connectivity.