After the success of its WiFi 5 product through its debut, the Deco M5, as the WiFi 6 standard emerged at that time, TP-Link introduced the Deco X20 and X60. Currently, the WiFi 7 standard is available, and TP-Link is utilizing this latest WiFi standard into their products, from entry-level products such as the Deco BE23 and BE25 to high-end products. Are those legacy wifi6 products still worth buying?
In this article:
TP-Link Deco AX3000
Deco x60 is the second wifi 6 products after its successful with its wifi6 debut, deco x20 ax1800. X20 successfully competed with similar products on the market such as Netgear mk62. X60 is twice as much bandwidth as X20, and how those legacy products compete amid the emerging of wifi 7 products on the market?
Currently there are few Deco ax3000 models on the market including:
- X60 – the first tplink series in ax3000
- X55 – the second series in ax3000
- X50 POE – Powerline backhaul
What makes them set apart?
Deco x60 vs Deco x55
Both deco x60 and x55 are designed with the same ax3000 network segment, dual band delivering bandwidth up to 867Mbps @5GHz and 400Mbps @2.4GHz. The x60 uses 4x internal antennas, while the x55 only uses two internal dual band antennas with AI-driven mesh technology. All the latest Deco series currently come with the same AI Mesh technology.
Ethernet Ports
All previous deco series ranging from deco m5, m9 plus, x20, x25 (new series of deco ax1800), x60, and x90, come with only two 1G Ethernet ports. However, the newer x55 model comes with three 1G ports. all the Ethernet ports feature WAN/LAN auto sensing. This means all unit can be interchangeable, can work either as router or satellite node.
With three Ethernet ports, you can configure wired backhaul using star backhaul topology for three node mesh without adding a switch. Deco x60 with 3-pack, you need to add a non-managed switch for star backhaul topology. Unless, you need to configure them using daisy chain wired backhaul topology.
The other thing you also need to know is that these two series can either work as mesh wifi router (default mode) or wireless access point mode. You can change from the ‘Change operation mode’ menu and select Access Point radio button. In this case, your modem in home is not a native modem but modem gateway either wired or wireless gateway such as Motorola mg8702 or Asus cmax600.
As a best practice, if you have to use this deco x60 to work as wireless Access Point in business wireless network, it’s better not to use deco products, but use native wifi AP device that is designed to work as wireless AP such as tplink Omada series.
Deco Comparison table
See more details on the following comparison table below.
Table 1. tplink deco x60 vs deco x55
| Deco ax3000 | Tplink deco x60 | Tplink deco x55 |
| Simultaneous dual band ax3000 (867Mbps + 400Mbps) | Yes | Yes |
| Internal antennas | 4x internal antennas with beamforming | 2x internal antennas with beamforming and AI-driven mesh |
| Number of data streams | 6 streams | 4 streams |
| Ethernet Ports | 2x Gigabit WAN/ LAN ports | 3x Gigabit WAN/ LAN ports |
| Network security: Malicious Site Checker Port Intrusion Prevention Infected Device Isolation | Yes: Antivirus with the addition of notification and log | Yes, Home-Shield security with real-time IoT protection; DDoS attack prevention; Home network scanner. |
| Guest network each radio band | Yes | Yes |
| Quality of services | QoS by Device and Application | QoS by device |
| Router mode or AP mode | Yes | Yes |
| 1GHz dual core CPU | Yes | Yes |
| Dimension: 4.33 × 4.33 × 4.99 in / (110 × 110 × 114 mm) | Yes | Yes |
Deco x60 vs BE23
The latest wifi-7 standard has been around, and most vendors introduce their products leveraging this new wifi standard. TP-link introduced deco be23 and be25 for its low end wifi7 products, and other ones in middle to high end products. With this wifi7 products emerging, are deco x60 and other similar products still worth buying?
They are still worth, off course. With the new technology, mostly the products leveraging this wifi standard come with higher price tag. If the high speed demand is not an urgent case, you still can use legacy products with budget friendly.
Let’s take new deco be23 that comes with current wifi7 standards, and compare it with the legacy x60 series and see how they set apart.
Faster capacity
Deco be23 and be25 is the lower end deco products leveraging wifi7 standards. Be23 and be25 come equipped with 2.5G auto sensing WAN/LAN ports. They can support internet speed up to 2G, easily connect to current high speed DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem that come with 2.5G ports.
With your current connected devices with legacy wifi6, they can support for sure, since the new wifi standards are designed to be backward compatible with previous one. However, when you upgrade all your connected devices to be wifi7 compliant, you get the best speed possible wifi7 can deliver.
Currently there are few models of USB wifi7 adapters on the market such as TP-Link Archer TBE401UH, or you may consider budget friendly BrosTrend BE6500.
Table 2 Deco x60 vs be23
| Deco series | Deco X60 | Deco BE23 |
| Wifi segment | Dual band AX3000 wifi 6 | Dual band be3600 wifi 7 |
| Signal rates | 867 Mbps @5GHz 400Mbps @2.4GHz | 2882 Mbps @5GHz 688 Mbps @2.4GHz |
| Antennas | 4x internal antennas with beamforming | 4x high performance internal antennas |
| Coverage | 6,000 sq ft (3-pack) | 6,500 sq ft (3-pack) |
| Ethernet Ports | 2x 1G WAN/ LAN ports | 2x 2.5Gbps |
| Processor | 1GHz dual core CPU | Quad core processor |
| Price | $139.99 (3-pack) | $249.99 (3-pack) |
There are still legacy products on the market that are still worth of purchasing such as Orbi rbk750 which is comparable with deco x60.
Deco X60 vs Orbi Rbk750
Deco x60 and Orbi rbk750 don’t work at the same network segment, however the work at slightly different network segment. X60 is a dual band ax3000, while rbk750 is a tri-band ax4200. Orbi uses one of its 5GHz bands as dedicated backhaul link between the nodes. On the other hand deco uses wifi backhaul shared with other connected devices. There always bandwidth allocation for wifi backhaul, even though you use ired backhaul.
Deco doesn’t specifically specify which radio band is used as the wifi backhaul link between nodes, however TP-link uses APS (Adaptive Path Selection) which means that the connection between these nodes adapts to the needs via which radio band is best available when it comes to connecting between nodes for best backhaul link.
Ethernet Ports
Unlike deco units which are interchangeable in nature, Orbi is not. Orbi units distinct which one is router, and which one is satellite unit. Orbi routers come with WAN port, but the Orbi satellites don’t. So, if the Orbi router fails, you cannot switch it with the other satellite node to work as the router. With Deco, you can do that, they come with Ethernet ports that feature WAN/LAN auto sensing.
See also Asus vs eero 7 wifi7 products, dual WAN support versus eero with built-in Zigbee.
Internet speed
Deco x60 supports internet speed up to 1G, so does Orbi. However with Orbi, if you require multi-gig internet speed, you can aggregate WAN port with another Ethernet port #1 to connect to cable modem that supports dual Gigabit port and feature aggregation link. You may consider Netgear CM2100 which supports aggregation link.
Currently, the wifi7 products support Multi-gig internet speed at list 2.5Gbps. Orbi 370 series, the new entry level wifi7 products comes with 2.5Gbps WAN port, so does new Deco be23 and be25. See also Orbi 370 vs Deco be25 entry level wifi7 products, you may see the prices are cheaper than legacy products.
Table 2 Deco X60 vs Orbi AX4200
| Model | TP Link Deco X60 (3-packs) | Orbi RBK752 (2 pack) |
| Wifi technology | Dual band AX3000 6 streams | Tri-band AX4200 |
| Wifi speeds | 2402Mbps @ 5GHz 574Mbps @ 2.4GHz | 2400Mbps @ 5GHz band 1 1200Mbps @ 5GHz band 2 1,200Mbps @ 2.4GHz |
| Antennas | 4x internal antennas each unit | Six (6) high performance internal antennas with high-powered amplifiers |
| Range coverage | 7,000 sq ft | 5,000 sq ft |
| Ethernet Port | 2 LAN/WAN Gigabit Ethernet Ports | Router: 1x 1 Gigabit WAN port Link aggregation using WAN port and a Gigabit Ethernet port (2Gbps) 3x Gigabit LAN ports For satellite: 2x Gigabit LAN ports |
| Backhaul | wifi and Optional wired Ethernet backhaul | Up to 2,400Mbps @5GHz dedicated link between router to satellite Optional wired backhaul |
| Wifi features | MU-MIMO, Auto path selection, self-healing, AP steering, Band steering, Beamforming | Implicit & Explicit Beamforming for 2.4GHz & 5GHz bands, MU-MIMO, |
| Modes | Mesh router / Access Point modes | Mesh router |
| Processor | Quad core processor | Quad core 1.4GHz CPU with 512MB NAND Flash and 1GB RAM |
| Price | $139.99 (3-pack) | $306.00 /3-pack |
The price list may different with current one. Click the product’s link below to see the current price and see best deal on Amazon.
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Related products
For standalone routers, you may like to consider Asus BE3600 vs Netgear RS100 vs Archer, the standalone routers leveraging wifi7 standards. Or you may also consider higher speed of GL Inet Flint 3 vs Netgear vs Archer, standalone routers for middle range wifi7 network.