TP-Link Archer AX50/AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router Review

Next-Gen Gigabit Wireless AX Router

I don’t consider myself an authority on routers so I decided not to do a full review on this device even though I just purchased it for use in my own home. And so far I’m very impressed with the Archer AX50. In this article, I will give a brief synopsis of my experience using the AX50 and highlight its key features and then provide links to very thorough reviews of this impressive wireless router.

So what is Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 is the newest and fastest version of Wi-Fi. Its technical name is 802.11ax. By now, just about everyone whos familiar with Wi-Fi tech has heard of the current and most popular Wi-Fi 5 version which is better known as 802.11ac. 802.11ax will soon replace 802.11ac and become the dominant Wi-Fi standard. To learn more about Wi-Fi 6 click here.

To get the full benefit of a Wi-Fi 6 router, you will need devices that are compatible with Wi-Fi 6. But unfortunately, there are very few devices currently available to take advantage of Wi-Fi 6’s faster speeds and other performance upgrades it has over Wi-Fi 5. And to the best of my knowledge, the iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 support Wi-Fi 6. I assume the latest Galaxy high-end models should also have support for Wi-Fi 6.

Furthermore, and of my understanding, to experience a difference in performance you will also need very fast internet speeds of at least 1 Gbps, which brings me to my next point…My daughter has an iPhone 11 and I connected it to my network via the AX50. But since my internet speed tops out at just over 200Mbps, my daughter’s iPhone 11 didn’t show any increase in performance due to a lack of very high internet bandwidth. And from my understanding, the iPhone 11 can handle over 800Mbps of bandwidth.

Even though I can’t benefit from the faster speeds that Wi-Fi 6 has to offer in my current home setup, I can, nevertheless, still benefit from having the AX50 in my home based on its much better performance as a Wi-Fi 5 router when compared to the router I was previously using from my cable/internet provider. With my old router, I would have buffering issues with my streaming services on an almost daily basis. But now that problem has been eliminated thanks to the AX50.

I recently did a test to see how much of a network device load this router could handle, and I’m happy to stay the AX50 never missed a beat and I didn’t have any buffering or freeze-ups. This was awesome performance since I had up to 11 devices (clients) running at one time through the router.

At this point in time, I don’t know when or if I’ll be able to take advantage of all the advanced features the TP-Link Archer AX50/AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 router has to offer, but if that day ever comes, I’ll be future-proofed and ready.

Feature Highlights:

Archer AX50/AX3000 Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Router

Wi-Fi 6 Technology Featuring Intel: Wi-Fi 6 technology achieves up to 3x faster speeds, higher capacity and lower latency compared to the previous generation of Wi-Fi 5 while Intel’s dual-core CPU ensures your experience is smooth and buffer-free.

Next-Gen 3 Gbps Speeds: Reach incredible speeds up to 3 Gbps (2402 Mbps on 5 GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz band) for faster streaming and gaming like you have never experienced before.

Connect More Devices:  Simultaneously communicate more data to more devices using revolutionary OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology, letting you connect 40+ devices.

Minimize Lag for All Devices and Applications: Experience ultra-smooth entertainment whether you are streaming 4K videos, gaming online, or even video chatting with up to 75% reduced lag.

More Reliable Coverage: Achieve the strongest, most reliable WiFi coverage up to 2,000 sq. ft. with Archer AX50 as it focuses signal strength to your devices using Beamforming technology and 4 antennas.

HomeCare: Protect your family with a lifetime free subscription of TP-Link’s HomeCare featuring next-level antivirus, robust parental controls and QoS.

Increased Battery Life for Devices: Target Wake Time technology reduces your devices’ power consumption to extend battery life.

Easy Setup: Set up your router in minutes with the powerful TP-Link Tether App.

Backward Compatible: Archer AX50 supports all previous 802.11 standards and all WiFi devices.

Compatible with Amazon Alexa

Click here for router specs.

To learn more about the AX50 and its performance, check out these full reviews here and here.