Gamers and technologists who want to stay on the bleeding edge of new technology must ensure that the tools supplying their internet connection are capable of high performance and have the best features. Fortunately, TP-Link has released the latest device in their gaming router collection, the TP-Link Archer GE800. This ultra-fast router exceeds the capabilities of most Australian home internet connections but also maintains a highly stable and reliable connection, something that many other fast routers fail to do. The TP-Link Archer GE800 also provides the latest technology, such as Wi-Fi 7, making it future-proof and ready for the foreseeable future.
Design and Features
The TP-Link Archer GE800 has a simple modern design, moving away from visible individual antennas but also looking like a TIE Fighter from Star Wars. This change results in a design with fewer physical bits and pieces hanging from it like other routers but still maintains strong performance, especially on the 5GHz band. The router’s impressive build quality, using high-quality plastic and a premium metallic finish, is impressive. However, it’s quite large and heavy due to the extensive heatsink needed to dissipate the heat generated by the high-performance CPU and Wi-Fi 7 radio, making it a sizable device that will occupy a large space.
A gaming product wouldn’t be complete without RGB lighting, and the Archer GE800 includes vibrant, customizable RGB lights through the TP-Link Tether app. You can disable the lights if you prefer a more subdued look. However, a downside is that they removed the physical LED status indicators, so you must rely on the app for this information.
The Qualcomm Network Pro 1220 Platform powers the TP-Link Archer GE800, featuring a 2.2GHz Quad-Core processor and 2GB RAM. This high-performance CPU, built on the advanced ARM A73 architecture, ensures better performance and efficiency. The router includes an active cooling fan strategically placed between the antennas to manage heat. Heating is one of the leading causes of router performance issues, so it is nice to see the effort put into keeping the device cool.
Regarding connectivity, the Archer GE800 features dual 10G Ethernet WAN/LAN ports and a single SFP+ port, ideal for power users seeking faster performance or bypassing the ISP’s fiber modem if supported. Additionally, it has four LAN ports supporting up to 2.5G Ethernet and a USB 3.0 port for network file sharing. The Wi-Fi connection supports a Tri-Band with capabilities across 6 GHz, 5GHz and 2.4GHz.
Performance and User Experience
The TP-Link Archer GE800’s Wi-Fi performance is outstanding, offering fast and reliable connections. During testing, the 6GHz Wi-Fi 7 network delivered speeds as fast as my Australian NBN connection could with ease and high stability. While the internet speeds easily capped out, the interesting test was connecting to devices within my home network. I could do so with minimal latency and a good solid connection when using PlayStation Remote Play from various parts of my home.
However, the 6GHz network’s signal strength is weaker than that of the 5GHz network, making the latter essential for broader coverage. The Archer GE800 supports the new Wi-Fi 7 multi-link operation (MLO) feature, allowing devices to connect to all three bands simultaneously for seamless switching without interruptions. However, when devices such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X don’t support the newer Wi-Fi 7 technology, you will find few devices in the current generation capable of using that new uplifted performance.
The 5GHz network also performs excellently, even with older Wi-Fi 6 devices, showing improvements in range and speed compared to previous TP-Link routers. This backward compatibility ensures that older devices benefit from the new router’s capabilities. I found that the connection stayed highly reliable and consistent throughout its use, which is something that some high-performance devices have issues with. If you are competitively gaming, you will want a highly reliable connection, which the GE800 provides.
Integration and Configuration
Setting up the Archer GE800 is straightforward, especially using the TP-Link Tether app, which offers a user-friendly interface and comprehensive control over the router’s features. The Tether app includes a gaming quad acceleration feature, combining QoS prioritization and a gamers’ private network (similar to a VPN) for improved routing.
The app can detect active games and optimize the network for performance, providing real-time data on game data usage and playtime. Additionally, the WTFast feature helps route gaming traffic through a specialized VPN tunnel for lower latency, which is beneficial for those gaming on foreign servers that might have unwanted latency. I found this functionality to work without issue, and I could keep reliable, fast connections while playing games. It was also interesting to see how it recognized what I was playing and how it could optimize. You can also pay a subscription fee for an advanced parental control feature called Homeshield Pro. This functionality gives you control over the system’s parental controls.
Value for Money
The TP-Link GE800 is undoubtedly one of the most capable gaming routers available today. It offers all the new technology and functionality to give you the best networking experience possible, particularly for online gaming.
However, suppose you reside in Australia or other countries where internet connections aren’t typically faster than 1GBps. In that case, you probably won’t get a thrill from this device’s maximum performance capabilities. Additionally, only newly released devices are starting to support Wi-Fi 7, so you may not yet have something to leverage the new functionality. At AU$ $1,199, it may be an expensive stretch, considering most users cannot use most of the functionality.
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