Review: TP-Link Deco BE85

TP-Link’s Deco BE85 is the first Wi-Fi 7 mesh system I have tested. These tri-band routers come in packs of two or three and promise new heights for the 6-GHz band, though they are also fully backward compatible. For folks with large properties craving the fastest possible speeds, the BE85 will be tempting. But paying top dollar for a system like this does not make sense for many people today.

Before we dig in, it is crucial to note that the Deco BE85 is pre-certified, so some Wi-Fi 7 features are missing and will be added later via firmware updates. The lack of Wi-Fi 7 devices also made testing this mesh difficult. We used the OnePlus 11 5G (7/10, WIRED Recommends), one of the only phones with Wi-Fi 7 support. After a couple of weeks, it is clear that the BE85 is a top performer, but there are caveats.

The TP-Link Deco BE85.

Photograph: TP-Link

Because the official Wi-Fi certification process can take a long time, new versions of Wi-Fi tend to take shape long before the specifics get nailed down. For a few years, manufacturers impatient to push new products have been releasing pre-certified routers and mesh systems. These routers typically offer some of the benefits of the next version but will receive firmware updates to add everything else after the certification process gets finalized. General rules for early adopters apply: You will pay a premium, and there will be bugs and kinks to work out.

You can read our breakdown of the benefits Wi-Fi 7 brings to get a deeper sense of what’s on offer here, but in brief, Wi-Fi 7 allows for wider channels (up to 320 MHz from the current high of 160 MHz), improved Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) for better peak performance, and Multi-Link Operation (MLO) to enable devices to connect on two bands simultaneously.

The Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) that will boost the range on the 6-GHz band is not available yet. Wi-Fi 6E introduced the 6-GHz band alongside the familiar 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands. While there’s no doubt that it allows for higher speeds and provides more bandwidth to ease congestion, the range of the 6-GHz band on the Wi-Fi 6E systems I have tested has been disappointingly short (the top speeds are only achievable within a few feet of the router). That’s why I suggested waiting for Wi-Fi 7 might be better for some folks than buying a Wi-Fi 6E system. But you may want to wait a bit longer before you bite.

The Wi-Fi 7 credentials of the TP-Link BE85 are immediately apparent when you slip these enormous routers from the box and glimpse the stylized seven on the front. Having tested several mesh systems from the Deco range, I can confidently say these are the biggest, but the white vase-like form is relatively unobtrusive. Each unit has four Ethernet ports, all auto-sensing WAN/LAN ports. There are two 10 Gbps ports (one is an SFP combo), two 2.5 Gbps ports, and a USB 3.0 port.

TP-Link makes things simple, with compatibility across its Deco range compatible, so you can always add units to an existing network. Straightforward setup using the Deco app on your phone takes a few minutes, but the web interface is limited. By default, you will have one SSID for the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, a separate SSID for the 6-GHz band (your network name with -6-GHz appended), and an optional SSID for MLO (with -MLO appended).

You can rename the 6-GHz SSID to have a single network, and devices should automatically join on the fastest possible option. There’s a quad-core processor inside with advanced algorithms and self-learning to manage seamless handover as you roam around. There isn’t an easy way to see what’s happening, but I have not noticed any issues with connectivity. The BE85 serves up stable, speedy Wi-Fi. Two routers proved capable of washing every nook of my two-floor, 1,600-square-foot home and backyard with an impressively strong signal. TP-Link says a three-pack will cover up to 9,600 square feet. The BE85 handled four video streams and three online gaming sessions without any latency issues or a hint of buffering.

TP-Link Deco BE85 router pack.

Photograph: TP-Link

I don’t want to get too deep into the weeds on technical testing because many of my usual tests did not work with this system. No matter how big some of these numbers are, they don’t always translate into tangible benefits. Suffice to say, the TP-Link Deco BE85 achieved some of the fastest speeds I have recorded on Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E devices. You can technically squeeze up to 3 Gbps speeds within 5 feet of the router, but most folks don’t have any Wi-Fi 7 devices capable of taking advantage. And even if you do, speedier downloads for large files may be the only real-world benefit you feel.

Because my internet connection is 1 Gbps, I could only see the higher speeds by testing between devices on my network. But there are reasons that a mesh system that exceeds your internet speed can still be worthwhile. You can have a much faster connection between the main router and nodes, buttery smooth connections for network-attached storage (NAS), and rapidly move files from one device on your network to another. The only other mesh systems that came close to matching the BE85 on file transfer speeds were Wi-Fi 6E systems like the Eero Pro 6E (7/10, WIRED Recommends).

For the best possible performance, you must connect the routers with an Ethernet cable. The multi-gig ports should enable the same top speeds from your main router and nodes. The TP-Link Deco BE85 can aggregate wired and wireless backhaul and use MLO to employ multiple bands, so even if you only rely on wireless backhaul, you can squeeze the most from your connection.

The USB port in the TP-Link Deco BE85 is perfect for an accessible backup or shared file drive. There’s also support for two guest networks (one for 2.4-GHz and 5-Ghz, and one for 6-GHz) and a handy IoT network on the 2.4-GHz band. The Deco app offers QoS to prioritize devices, you can set up a VPN, and you can turn the LED off, but it is designed to be accessible and may not satisfy power users.

The TP-Link app.

TP-Link via Simon Hill

What I don’t like about the Deco app for the BE85 is that you only get basic network security and limited parental controls. If you want to block malicious websites and intrusions or set a different schedule for your child for weekdays and weekends, you must pay for HomeShield Pro at $6 per month, or $55 for the year. No one wants another subscription, and if you fork out this kind of cash for a mesh, you shouldn’t have to pay more. Sadly, the subscription model is increasingly common for routers.

Each router has a large power adapter. It stands to reason that a larger router capable of boosting signal strength will use more power, but I was curious to see how much. I used one of Emporia’s smart plugs and discovered that the BE85 router in my living room drew 17 watts on average. That would cost maybe $25 or $30 for the year, or £45 with current UK prices. TP-Link states power consumption is 51 W maximum, so I assume power consumption may rise when the final certification and AFC rolls out.

While devices that support Wi-Fi 6E achieved some of the highest speeds I have seen when connected to the 6-GHz band, most of your devices are probably Wi-Fi 6. Testing my iPhone 14 Pro on the 5-GHz band, for example, the BE85 scored in the top five but was slower across the board than the Asus RT-AXE7800 (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s likely to be a couple of years before most phones, laptops, and other new gadgets support Wi-Fi 7.

Consider your household here. If you have a multi-gig internet connection serving loads of people with loads of devices, at least some of which support Wi-Fi 6E, the BE85 could offer an instant improvement. But the experience will be indistinguishable from something like the Deco XE200 for the foreseeable future. For a modest household like mine with a 1 Gbps connection, and probably for yours too, the BE85 is overkill.

Anyone with deep pockets craving the cutting-edge might want to spring for this. For large households already considering an expensive Wi-Fi 6E system, like Netgear’s overpriced RBKE960 series, the TP-Link Deco BE85 looks like a smart buy. But there’s always some risk with future-proofing. It’s tough to say when certification will be complete, when big manufacturers like Apple might adopt Wi-Fi 7, or how timely or smooth firmware updates will be.

Figure out what’s best for you with our How to Choose a Router guide, but most folks should check out our guides to the Best Wi-Fi Routers or Best Mesh Systems for a cheaper pick. If you're upgrading a router because you use your ISP's, $500 is enough. You don’t need to drop $1,500. By the time you own enough Wi-Fi 7 devices to take advantage, mesh systems like the BE85 will be far more affordable.