TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600 WiFi 7 Review

As a router that distinguishes itself as a compelling budget model, we were pleased to see that the TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600 often goes on sale for even lower than its MSRP. At a discount, there's hardly an argument to be made against this competent contender. However, price is just one part of the equation — to see how this router actually measures up to the competition in terms of specs and key metrics, we judged it based on four standardized criteria.

5 GHz Throughput

The BE230 BE3600 has an incredible signal throughput near the router — enough to satisfy any professional or hardcore gamer. In our overall rankings, though, it falls below much of the competition due to a significant drop-off at a distance. If you're in need of a router that can supply incredible strength to everyone in a large home or office, other routers might be a better choice, but this product is ideal for those who need the extra “oomph” at close range.

To put numbers to the performance, we measured a very impressive 5 GHz average of 993 Mbps from the BE230 BE3600 within 10 ft. If you pay for gigabit speeds from your ISP, you can count on this router to enable you to capitalize on that plan. At 60 ft., though, the signal weakens to below 200 Mbps. While this is a significant drop in overall throughput, it still retains enough strength to support any activity for a handful of connected devices.

Multi-Device Efficiency

Another impressive quality of this affordable router is its ability to handle many devices on a single network. During our test to monitor multi-device efficiency, we push the bandwidth to the limit by streaming 4K videos to 5 devices simultaneously from 35 ft. In a house where several users are juggling their phones, PCs, and game consoles, the BE230 BE3600 is a capable choice.

During the multi-device test, the BE230 BE3600 was operating at 73% of its optimal 5 GHz performance at 35 ft. Supporting 5 devices that are attempting to load 4K video all at once will always take a toll, and there are certainly routers that can handle it even better, but there is no doubting that this one is still a powerhouse.

Range

The BE230 BE3600 demonstrated some definite strengths and weaknesses in our range tests. On one hand, it has an excellent single-user range. It was one of the few routers in our lineup that could support 1080p video streaming as far as 170 ft. from the router. With multiple people trying to connect at once, though, we noticed that the signal strength at 100 ft. falls to a barely usable 12 Mbps.

If you're the only person in your house who needs to get a signal from further than 100 ft., you'll be quite happy with the BE230 BE3600. It struggles to support multiple people beyond 100 ft., though, so consider putting together a mesh system if you truly need such broad coverage.

2.4 GHz Throughput

The modern norm in WiFi networking is to rely on a router's 5 GHz band more than the 2.4 GHz band, so we weigh 2.4 GHz performance lower than other metrics when reviewing routers. Even so, we would be remiss to not mention that the TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600's strongest attribute is its 2.4 GHz throughput. If you live or work in a place where using multiple bands is necessary for minimizing network congestion, you'll probably be grateful for how much you can accomplish over 2.4 GHz with this router.

Within 10 ft. of the router, we measured the throughput at just over 100 Mbps. This is enough to support up to four people watching 4K video or playing online games all at once, over just the 2.4 GHz band alone. The BE230 BE3600's 2.4 GHz signal is quite strong at a distance, too, maintaining an average of 71 Mbps at 35 ft. and 34 Mbps at 60 ft. This is definitely a highly recommended router for someone who needs the strongest 2.4 GHz signal possible.

Should You Buy the TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600 WiFi 7?

Even as a budget model, the BE230 BE3600 has great WiFi 7 features that you won't find even in the most premium WiFi 6 routers. This product is simply a great choice for getting into WiFi 7 for the first time, as well as giving you the best 2.4 GHz throughput in our entire lineup. It doesn't have the best 5 GHz throughput or multi-device efficiency, so power users might get more value from a higher-end model, but considering that the BE230 BE3600 often goes on sale for lower than its MSRP, it's a device that's absolutely worth buying in its own right.

What Other WiFi Router Should You Consider?

If you're shopping on a budget, the TP-Link Archer BE230 BE3600 isn't the only strong contender. The Asus RT-AX1800S Dual Band WiFi 6 is a great option that, despite being even more affordable and running on older WiFI 6 technology, absolutely holds its own and gets the job done just as well as many premium models. If you're willing to spring for something on the pricier end, our highest recommendation goes to Asus RT-BE58U BE3600 WiFi 7 for its stellar multi-device efficiency and impressive throughput.