Verdict
A considerably cheaper Wi-Fi 7 mesh system than we’ve seen before, the Eero 7 gets the price down by ditching the 6GHz network band. How much difference that makes depends on where you live: if you have lots of other Wi-Fi networks around you, this system won’t be that fast; if you live in a congestion-free area (or can place a satellite in one to expand an Eero system), this system can be very fast with Wi-Fi 7 clients. Overall, it's a solid system, but don't let the 7 in the name sway your decision.
Pros
- Well priced
- Backwards compatible
- Great app
- 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
Cons
- No 6GHz
- Speed massively depend on local interference
- No 10Gb Ethernet
Eero 7: Introduction
Wi-Fi 7 has proven to be incredible in terms of speeds, but it is also breathtakingly expensive to buy.
Despite some more mid-range systems coming to market, there has not really been a truly affordable system until now with the Eero 7 system.
To get the price down, Amazon has taken the covers off of the Eero 7, which was launched earlier this year alongside the new Eero Pro 7.
It was back in 2023 that Amazon first took Eero down the Wi-Fi 7 path with the staggeringly fast, but also staggeringly expensive, Eero Max 7.
Sitting below the Max 7 in the Eero hierarchy, but above the Eero Pro 6E and the Eero 6+, the new Wi-Fi 7 duo make multi-gigabit speeds more accessible and will future-proof your home network for years to come.
It’s the Eero 7 that we have on review here; which is $30 more than the 6E at $169.99 for a single unit, and it’s is a dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5GHz system, delivering wireless speeds up to 1.8Gbps and wired speeds up to 2.3Gbps if you use the 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports on the back.
However, it doesn’t have the 6GHz band, so it’s not capable of the fastest transfer speeds and works best in an area with little congestion.
But if that suits you, this is a nice mesh system, powered by one of the best apps in the business. Read on for our full review.
Setup and specs
The Eero Max 7 used much bigger satellites than other Eero systems, but the Eero 7 is back to the smaller size, similar to the Eero Pro 6. That makes them easier to place, and they blend in with the environment better.
There’s a choice to buy the system as a three-pack ($349.99), two-pack ($279.99) or individually to expand a current system ($169.99). That makes the Eero 7 a lot cheaper than other Wi-Fi 7 systems.
In a standalone system, one Eero 7 device must act as the gateway, connecting to the internet; the other devices are satellites.
There’s also the option to connect the Eero 7 to any existing Eero system, although doing so with an older-standard version will limit speed and reduce the channel bandwidth available. I’d only use this with other Eero 7 or Wi-Fi 7 systems.
Each satellite has two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports on the rear. That’s a neat, free upgrade to network speeds, particularly as the standard will run over standard Cat 5E cabling.
In addition to wired devices, you can connect Eero 7 devices together using a 2.5 Gigabit (wired backhaul) instead of a wireless backhaul.
Given that there is no dedicated channel for inter-satellite connection, a wired backhaul can be a good way to improve performance, as well as provide the option to place a satellite at a greater range, such as in an outbuilding.
Each Eero 7 device uses Wi-Fi 7, but only uses the 2.4GHz (2×2) and 5GHz (2×2) bands; there’s no support for the 6GHz band, which has less range but offers much faster throughputs.
On paper, then, the Eero 7 doesn’t seem that different to the Eero 6+. But Wi-Fi 7 does offer some advantages over Wi-Fi 6, even on dual band.
That includes wider radio bands (up to 240MHz, compared to 160MHz on the Eero 6+), and support for 4K QAM, which effectively means that the system can transfer 20% more data.
Of course, all of these features rely on less congested radio space, which is harder to guarantee with 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Both bands can be used at the same time with Wi-Fi 7 clients, increasing the maximum possible speed that a device can utilise.
Overall, the Eero 7 has a maximum throughput of 1.8Gbit/s, compared to the 1Gbit/s that the Eero 6+ offers. That’s a considerable on-paper advantage, although real throughputs, as discussed below do vary.
Features
The Eero 7 operates in the same way as any other Eero device, controlled via the cloud using the Eero app.
It’s a genuinely brilliant system that’s easy to use and control, with a clear screen showing the status of the network and a list of all connected devices.
For free, you can create profiles for each person in the house, and assign their devices to them, scheduling when they can and can’t access the internet. For more you need Eero Plus ($99.99/£99.99 annually).
With this subscription, you get proper web filtering, including the option to block specific sites and applications, such as Snapchat or Roblox, and subscriptions to Malwarebytes, 1Password and a VPN.
You also get internet backup features, which allow you to designate a second Wi-Fi network as a backup in case your primary connection goes down.
This could be a Wi-Fi hotspot, 5G router, or a neighbour’s network. And, to prevent swamping a low-speed connection, you can even pick which devices are allowed to use it. Overall, Eero Plus is well worth the fee, particularly if you have children in the house.
Smart home users get Zigbee and Thread built-in, controllable via connecting the system to your Alexa.
Additionally, Alexa integration is available, providing voice control. This still works better in the US than in the UK, offering voice control over individual devices, profiles, and allowing the Guest network to be toggled on and off. In the UK, I could pause a profile and that was all.
The app doesn’t offer much in the way of advanced controls, such as setting your own network channel.
Rather, the system takes care of everything for you. I’ve not particularly had an issue with this, but if you do want to see what the system is doing and adjust it manually, this isn’t the mesh system for you.
Performance
The primary advantage of Wi-Fi 7 is its use of the 6GHz band, which offers less congestion and faster speeds at close range. Without this, the Eero 7’s performance is very dependent on local interference.
I tested using OpenSpeedTest, with an iPhone 16 Pro acting as the client. In the same room as the Eero 7, I got throughputs of 600.05Mbit/sec, which is good but not that much faster than the 561.75Mbit/sec that the Eero 6+ achieved under the same conditions.
Moving to the first floor in my home, the Eero 7 dropped to 361.45Mbit/sec and, on the second floor, speeds were 218.70Mbit/sec. That’s better than the Eero 6+, but not by a huge amount, and the speeds are way behind what the Eero Max 7 achieved.
However, living in a terraced house in London, there are many networks nearby, all interfering with the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.
I relocated an Eero 7 satellite to my garden office, where there is significantly less interference. Here, I saw throughputs of 1297.55Mbit/s – a chunk behind the Eero 7 Max but much faster than any Wi-Fi 6 system that I’ve tested.
This highlights the issue of not having 6GHz: speeds are only good if there is relatively little interference around you.
Final thoughts
Attractively priced, the Eero 7 is fast when there’s no interference, but not as quick when there’s a lot. If you live out in the country with few wireless networks around you, this is a cheap and reliable mesh system; for most of us, it doesn’t offer much more than a Wi-Fi 6 system and it’s better to buy one of these or spend more on a Wi-Fi 7 system with 6GHz networking.
However, if you do have an Eero 7 Max system, and just need a cheap node to bolt on to improve coverage in one part of your home where you don’t need maximum speeds, the Eero 7 could suit.
How we test
When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.
Home Wi-Fi devices play a key part in controlling, a smart home ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony.
Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart controller compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.
Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.
Read our guide to how we test to learn more.
Eero 7: Specifications
| Model | Eero 7 |
| Coverage | Up to 2,000 sq. ft. |
| Dimensions | 130 x 64.1mm |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) |
| Number of radios | 2 (dual-band) |
| Speed rating | BE5000 |
| Maximum speeds | Up to 2.3 Gbps wired, up to 1.8 Gbps wireless |
| Radio frequencies | 2.4 GHz: 2×2 5 GHz: 2×2 |
| Ethernet | Two auto-sensing 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 USB-C port |
