WiFi 7 release window estimate, specs & predicted performance
We discuss projected WiFi 7 performance increases, specs, and attempt to answer the question 'When will WiFi 7 come out?'
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Wi-Fi 7 compatible tech, from laptops to tablets, are starting to be released, but when is the actual WiFi 7 release date when we’ll be able to utilise the capabilities of this new network technology? The short answer is there’s no definitive date yet, but based on what we do know we’ll be lucky to see it by the end of next year.
Read below for our more precise estimate, the information we’re basing it on, and everything we know about the specs and performance of Wi-Fi 7 over previous iterations.
WiFi 7 release date window estimate
The development of Wi-Fi 7 is done by the good people at the IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) who are a professional association of electrical and electronic engineers in the USA. Within this organisation, the IEEE P802.11 task group is responsible for the development of Wi-Fi tech, and on their website, we can see the current progress of the stages before the proper release.
At the time of writing, the final approval stages that were originally scheduled for May 2024 have now been pushed to December 2024, which means that the WiFi 7 release date is currently projected for December 2024 at the earliest, more likely it will fall at some point in Q1 2025.
If previous versions are any guide, it will probably be several months after this date even before Wi-Fi 7 reaches mass adoption.
WiFi 7 backwards compatibility
Wi-Fi 7 will be backwards compatible with previous versions of the tech (at least as far back as Wi-Fi 5). This means any device with a Wi-Fi 7 card that you buy now or later will still work with Wi-Fi 6E, 6, and 5 routers, and also that a Wi-Fi 7 router and web client will still provide internet connection to devices with older Wi-Fi cards/chips.
If you want to experience the technical improvements of Wi-Fi 7 however, you will need all the relevant Wi-Fi 7 tech.
WiFi 7 specs vs WiFi 6E vs WiFi 6 vs WiFi 5
The WiFi 7 specifications can be seen below, as compared to previous iterations. Key improvements include the doubling of the maximum channel size, which means twice as many data-transferring signals can pass over the same amount of time. In addition to this, the improved modulation (4K QAM compared to the 1K QAM of Wi-Fi 6E) means more data can be packed into each signal, further compounding these gains. In total this means a vastly increased Max Data rate of 46 Gbps.
Multi-RU Puncturing is another feature that will help to reduce congestion and therefore latency on your Wi-Fi connection when there are multiple people using it at once, competing for bandwidth. In layman’s terms, it allows breaking down of your data into multiple smaller packages (resource units) than can more easily fit through a data channel even if another user is using up most of the bandwidth. It means greater bandwidth efficiency as there is no (or at least less) unused bandwidth at any one moment and also less signal delay whilst competing transmissions ‘wait for their turn’.
Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 | |
IEEE standard | 802.11be | 802.11ax | 802.11ax | 802.11ac |
Max data rate | 46 Gbps | 9.6 Gbps | 9.6 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps |
Bands | 2.4GHz / 5GHz / 6GHz | 2.4GHz / 5GHz / 6GHz | 2.4GHz / 5GHz | 5GHz |
Channel size | up to 320MHz | 20, 40, 80, 80+80, 160MHz | 20, 40, 80, 80+80, 160MHz | 20, 40, 80, 80+80, 160MHz |
Modulation | 4096-QAM OFDMA (with extensions) | 1024-QAM sOFDMA | 1024-QAM OFDMA | 256-QAM OFDM |
MIMO | 16×16 UL/DL MU-MIMO | 8×8 UL/DL MU-MIMO | 8×8 UL/DL MU-MIMO | 4×4 MIMO DL MIMO |
Resource Units | Multi-RUs | RU | RU | n/a |
MAC | MLO | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Wi-Fi 7 performance
All the above improvements essentially mean (in the best case scenario) a Wi-Fi connection that can compete with some ethernet connections in terms of speed.
This means a massive reduction in Wi-Fi downloading times, the possibility of high quality 8K video streaming, massively improved Virtual Reality experiences via Wi-Fi, and much lower latency gaming via Wi-Fi connection.
Overall this will be the biggest increase in WiFi speed since Wi-Fi 5 was introduced back in 2013 (which brought a x10 increase approximately i.e. 1,000%). Wi-Fi 6 only increased speeds to x1.37 (an additional 37%), but Wi-Fi 7 promises an approximately x4.8 increase (480%).
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WiFi 7 release date FAQs
Is there going to be a Wi-Fi 7?
There is indeed going to be a Wi-Fi 7, but its release is a long way away yet. In fact, we’ll be lucky if we see it live by the end of 2024. Read within for the latest info.
That being said, you can buy Wi-Fi 7 compatible devices right now.
Is Wi-Fi 7 better than Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 7 marks a big improvement over Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E in terms of speed, download rate, and reduction in latency.
It promises to be the biggest generational improvement since the introduction of Wi-Fi 5 in 2013.
WiFi 7 release date & specs: Final word
We’ll be updating this page with all the latest WiFi 7 release date info as it comes out. In the meantime do check out our news page for all the latest in tech.