I’ve tested a lot of Wi-Fi routers over the years, and they’re pretty much always better than the one you’d get from your ISP. They rarely differ from each other in ways that any non-tech-obsessed person would notice. So how do you pick the right one? For me, it often comes down to pricing, form factor, and the actual user experience of managing my network.
Price-wise, the $550 TP-Link Deco BE77 Wi-Fi 7 mesh router system sits in the same zone as the Eero Pro 7 and the Netgear Orbi 770. It offers features neither of those devices has, thanks to its port selection, software options, and lower subscription pricing. In my testing over the last couple of weeks, the Deco BE77 was often faster than the Eero Pro 7 I checked it against. It’s tempting to call it a better mesh system. But of course, there are other things to consider. In day-to-day use, the Deco BE77 was essentially indistinguishable from the Eero Pro 7. At the same time, the TP-Link router’s gargantuan size makes it a distracting presence when it sits in the same spot as the Eero. It was also a pain to get everything back on the network after I set it up, and I had to troubleshoot some odd software quirks while configuring things. But once I got through all of that, it proved to be an excellent mesh system that’s worth your while if you’re looking for speed and reliability in one. 4 TP-Link Deco BE77 A powerful, featureful, and stable mesh router system with very chunky hardware. Pros Very fast Wi-Fi Stable connectivity Solid advanced options Doubles as a smart home hub Tiered subscriptions could save you money Cons Big, chunky routers Fiddly transition from my previous network Subscriptions get pricey if trying to match Eero Plus A big router with a decent port selection TP-Link sent me a two-pack of Deco BE77s. Each one is a big Wi-Fi canister, just shy of eight inches tall and five inches wide. That’s almost an inch taller than the Eero Pro 7, but also two inches narrower than the Eero’s oblong footprint at its widest. The Deco BE77’s beefy, cylindrical form factor makes it harder to hide if you’re the type who prefers to do so. I never recommend tucking your router behind furniture for the best Wi-Fi performance, but we all have our priorities.
