Why you possibly can belief TechRadar
We spend hours testing each services or products we evaluation, so that you could be certain you’re shopping for one of the best. Find out more about how we test.
Eero 7: One-Minute Overview
The Amazon-owned Eero received off to an early begin within the Wi-Fi 7 market when it launched the high-end – and moderately costly – Eero Max 7 in 2023. That was adopted by the Eero Professional 7 earlier this 12 months, and now Eero has launched its most reasonably priced Wi-Fi 7 mesh system within the type of the Eero 7.
However, like quite a lot of ‘reasonably priced’ Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh programs which were launched in latest months, the Eero 7 has to make one necessary compromise in an effort to preserve the worth down. Which means that it lacks assist for the high-performance 6.0GHz frequency band and limits itself to fundamental dual-band Wi-Fi 7 that simply makes use of the older 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands.
That compromise signifies that the Eero 7 isn’t as quick as its tri-band Wi-Fi 7 rivals that additionally assist the 6.0GHz band. Nevertheless, it’s value remembering that the Wi-Fi 7 customary doesn’t simply deal with velocity. It’s additionally designed to supply higher reliability when connecting to plenty of completely different gadgets, akin to sensible lights and audio system that you will have in your house, in addition to your private computer systems and cell gadgets.
So whereas the Eero 7 might not be the quickest mesh system round, it nonetheless gives an reasonably priced mesh Wi-Fi system for individuals who have to dependable Wi-Fi that may attain into each nook of their residence.
Value & Availability
- How a lot does it value? $349.99 / £349.99
- When is it obtainable? Now
- The place are you able to get it? Out there within the US and UK
Eero states that every Eero 7 mesh router can cowl an space of two,000sq.ft, and we like the truth that it lets you purchase one, two or three Eero 7 items as required. This lets you select the choice that fits you finest, and in addition gives extra aggressive pricing for the two-pack and three-pack choices.
You may as well combine and match completely different Eero fashions, maybe shopping for a single Eero 7 as a low-cost add-on for an current Eero mesh system.
Costs begin at £169.99/$169.99 for a single Eero 7, or £279.99/$279.99 for a two-pack mesh system. Nevertheless, we examined the three-pack possibility, which prices £349.99/$349.99.
That’s actually rather a lot cheaper than the Eero Professional or Max, which value £699.99/$699.99 and a whopping £1699.99/$1699.99 respectively for a three-pack – though, in fact, their tri-band Wi-Fi is rather a lot sooner than that of the dual-band Eero 7.
The Eero 7 is at the moment obtainable within the US and UK, however – as typically appears to be the case – Australia has to attend for the newest Wi-Fi 7 merchandise to reach. Nevertheless, the Eero Max 7 has lately gone on sale in Australia, so hopefully the Eero 7 and Professional 7 will quickly be obtainable as properly.
Worth: 4 / 5
Eero 7: Design
- Compact (and durable) design
- Two 2.5Gb Ethernet ports
- Powered through USB-C
In contrast to the bigger Professional and Max fashions, the Eero 7 sticks with the now-familiar white plastic and curvy space-pod design that the corporate has used for a number of years. The Eero 7 fashions are barely bigger than their predecessors, however they’re nonetheless pretty compact, standing simply 64.1mm excessive, and 130mm huge and deep, so it’s simple to put the routers on any handy shelf or worktop once you’re setting the system up.
They’re fairly solidly constructed too – I really dropped one whereas unpacking the field, nevertheless it labored with no issues as quickly as I plugged within the energy provide.
Every router has two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports on the again, and these are ‘auto-sensing’ ports, which signifies that they can be utilized both to hook up with your current broadband router or modem, or to supply a wired community connection for gadgets akin to a gaming PC or console.
Every router additionally has a USB-C port on the again, though that is used for the mains energy provide, moderately than connecting a shared community drive.
A lot of the Eero’s rivals present extra Ethernet ports, however that in all probability received’t be an issue for many residence customers, and we like the truth that the Eero’s 2.5Gb ports assist high-speed broadband connections. Nevertheless, we’re somewhat sad with Eero’s description of the routers’ efficiency.
The Eero 7 is quoted as having a ‘BE5000 velocity score’, which many individuals may interpret as that means a Wi-Fi velocity of 5000Mbps (or 5.0Gbps). In truth, a more in-depth take a look at the tech specs for Eero 7 reveals that the dual-band routers solely assist a much more modest Wi-Fi velocity of 1.8Gbps.
To be honest, that’s nonetheless greater than quick sufficient for many home broadband connections, however we are able to’t assist considering that Eero is overhyping the velocity a bit.
Design: 4 / 5
Eero 7: Options
- Nicely-designed app
- Fast set-up
- Restricted parental controls
Picture 1 of 2
The Eero 7 is actually properly designed, however the low worth of this dual-band mesh system does imply that it’s somewhat sparse on options.
Getting began is pretty easy – though poor documentation does imply that we observed one potential hiccup. There’s no handbook supplied with the Eero 7, and the Eero app (for iOS/Android) begins by telling you to attach an Eero ‘gateway’ – with out explaining what the time period ‘gateway’ really means.
In truth, the ‘gateway’ is just the primary Eero router that you simply connect with your current broadband modem or router utilizing an Ethernet cable (included within the field), and any of the Eero routers can act because the gateway.
As soon as that’s out of the best way, organising the brand new Eero 7 mesh community is a chunk of cake.
You’ll have to activate Bluetooth in your cell system, and the Eero app then makes use of Bluetooth to hook up with the Eero routers and hyperlink them collectively to create your new mesh community.
It provides recommendations on the place to find every router, and may even run a check to verify the energy of the Wi-Fi sign as you place the routers in numerous spots round your property.
To maintain issues easy, the Eero app combines the two.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequencies right into a single community, and in addition gives an choice to create a visitor community if required.
Nevertheless, extra options, akin to parental controls and content material filters, VPN and malware safety, do require a further Eero+ subscription. There’s a two-month free trial obtainable for the Eero+ service, however after that it prices £9.99/$9.99 per 30 days or £99.99/$99.99 per 12 months (and renews robotically on the finish of the trial interval, so be careful for that).
So whereas the Eero 7 gives spectacular ease of use, there are rival routers and mesh programs that present a wider vary of options with out charging for a further subscription.
Options: 3 / 5
Eero 7: Efficiency
- Good Wi-Fi vary and protection
- 1.8Gbps Wi-Fi 7
- Twin-band solely (2.4GHz/5.0GHz)
With no assist for the 6.0GHz frequency band, the Eero 7 clearly can’t match the efficiency of a few of its costlier tri-band rivals. Even so, its 1.8Gbps Wi-Fi velocity is greater than quick sufficient to work with most home broadband companies, and it didn’t have any bother coping with an annoying wi-fi deadspot that we’ve got in our constructing.
Our getting older workplace router falls properly wanting the utmost 150Mbps supplied by our workplace broadband connection, usually falling to 120Mbps even for gadgets which are close by in the identical room. Our outdated router additionally struggles to succeed in an workplace situated behind the constructing, leaving us with a Wi-Fi deadspot the place we’ve got to depend on a set of PowerLine adaptors to supply a wired connection as an alternative.
The Eero handled each eventualities admirably, instantly bumping our Wi-Fi velocity proper as much as 150Mbs for gadgets in the identical room when working the Ookla Velocity Take a look at, and in addition for giant file downloads from Steam. It wasn’t bothered by our workplace deadspot both, effortlessly sustaining that 150Mbs velocity as we picked up our laptop computer and walked alongside the hall to that again workplace. There’s little question that the low value of the Eero 7 signifies that its options and efficiency are pretty fundamental – however at the very least it will get the fundamentals proper, offering respectable efficiency and welcome ease of use for residence customers who merely need to improve an older router that also has Wi-Fi 5 or 6.
Efficiency: 3 / 5
Do you have to purchase the Eero 7?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth: |
It might not be notably quick, however the Eero 7 could be very competitively priced, particularly for bigger properties that want a two-pack or three-pack mesh system. |
4 / 5 |
|
Design: |
The curvy design of the Eero 7 routers is sort of eye-catching, nevertheless it additionally signifies that they’re compact and straightforward to put in handy spots round your property. |
4 / 5 |
|
Options: |
The Eeero app will get you began shortly and simply, nevertheless it’s pretty fundamental and requires a further subscription for parental controls and different options. |
3 / 5 |
|
Efficiency: |
The shortage of assist for the 6.0GHz band signifies that the Eero solely gives modest efficiency – nevertheless it ought to nonetheless be nice for many residence broadband connections. |
3 / 5 |
|
Common Ranking: |
It’s not notably quick, however the Eero 7 is a really reasonably priced mesh programs for bigger properties that want to spice up their wi-fi protection |
3.5 / 5 |
Additionally Take into account
If our Eero 7 evaluation has you contemplating different choices, listed below are a couple of good decisions.