According to Gizmodo, the TP-Link Archer AXE75 tri-band WiFi 6E router has reached an all-time low price of $116 on Amazon, down from its usual $199 retail price. This router delivers combined speeds up to 5400 Mbps across three bands, including 2402 Mbps on the new 6 GHz band, 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz, and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. The device features a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor with 512 MB of memory and supports WPA3 security, VPN functions, and OneMesh compatibility for whole-home coverage. This price drop makes the WiFi 6E router cheaper than many basic WiFi 6 models while providing access to the interference-free 6 GHz spectrum. This dramatic price reduction signals a significant shift in the wireless networking market.
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The 6 GHz Spectrum Revolution
The significance of WiFi 6E extends far beyond simple speed improvements. The 6 GHz band represents the largest addition to the wireless spectrum in over two decades, offering 1200 MHz of completely clean airspace. Unlike the crowded 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands where legacy devices from baby monitors to microwave ovens create interference, the 6 GHz band operates in pristine conditions. This means your latest iPhone 15 or Samsung Galaxy device can communicate with your router without competing with your decade-old laptop or smart plug for bandwidth. The technical advantage isn’t just theoretical—it translates to consistently lower latency and more reliable connections for bandwidth-intensive applications like cloud gaming and 4K streaming.
Consumer Networking Market Disruption
At $116, TP-Link is effectively resetting price expectations for premium wireless technology. This price point traditionally belonged to basic WiFi 5 or entry-level WiFi 6 routers, not tri-band WiFi 6E models with enterprise-grade specifications. The aggressive pricing likely reflects both manufacturing efficiencies and strategic positioning ahead of WiFi 7’s eventual mainstream arrival. What’s particularly noteworthy is that this router now costs less than what many consumers pay their internet service provider in rental fees for inferior equipment over a year. This creates an interesting dynamic where consumers might question why they’re paying monthly for hardware that underperforms compared to affordable retail alternatives available on platforms like Amazon.
The Real-World Adoption Hurdles
While the technology and pricing are compelling, several practical considerations remain. The 6 GHz band’s shorter range means that homes larger than 1,500 square feet will likely require mesh extenders to fully benefit from the new spectrum. Additionally, the majority of consumer devices still don’t support WiFi 6E—though this is rapidly changing with recent flagship smartphones, laptops, and tablets. There’s also the technical complexity factor: many consumers struggle with basic router setup, and advanced features like VPN configuration may go unused. The performance benefits also depend heavily on your internet plan—if you’re paying for 100 Mbps service, a 5400 Mbps router provides limited practical advantage beyond better local network performance.
What This Means for Future Wireless Standards
This price breakthrough suggests we’re approaching an inflection point where WiFi 6E becomes the new mainstream standard rather than a premium option. Manufacturers appear to be accelerating the adoption cycle, possibly to clear inventory ahead of WiFi 7 products expected in 2024. The rapid price erosion also indicates that component costs for WiFi 6E hardware have decreased faster than anticipated, which bodes well for affordable mesh systems and integrated solutions. For consumers, this creates an unusual opportunity to future-proof their home networks at budget prices, though with the understanding that the full benefits will materialize gradually as they upgrade their connected devices to leverage the 6 GHz band.
