Wi-Fi routers compared: 12 models at Currys in November 2026, with manufacturer specs
Prices from Currys on 4 November, specifications from TP-Link, ASUS, Netgear, devolo and Acer, and the places where the retailer's listing gets it wrong.
By Andrew Ingleton · Published
Currys' routers category is a good snapshot of what is actually on UK shelves, so we used a copy of its listing saved on 4 November 2026 for the prices (first 20 of 39 items; Black Friday prices will move before 27 November) and then checked every model's specifications against the manufacturers' own pages: TP-Link UK, ASUS, Netgear, devolo, and Acer's spec sheet. Where the manufacturer and the retailer disagree, we say so. We have not tested any of these routers, and 'speeds' are the theoretical link rates the makers quote, not what you will get through a wall.
Wi-Fi 7 routers
| Router | Currys price | Bands and rates (maker) | Wired ports (maker) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link Archer BE230 | £87.99 | Dual-band BE3600: 5GHz 2,882Mbps, 2.4GHz 688Mbps | 1×2.5G WAN, 1×2.5G LAN, 3×1G LAN, USB 3.0 | Currys' bullet 'AX 3000 Wi-Fi 6' is wrong: TP-Link lists Wi-Fi 7. 4 external antennas |
| Netgear RS100 | £129.99 | Dual-band BE3600 (2×2 on each band) | 1×2.5G internet, 4×1G LAN | Up to 50 devices per Netgear; optional Armor subscription (Bitdefender); needs a separate modem or ONT |
| devolo WiFi 7 BE6500 | £112.00 | Up to 6.5Gbps; 2.4+5GHz preconfigured or 2.4+6GHz; 320MHz channels on 6GHz; MLO | 1×2.5G WAN, 3×1G LAN | Ethernet router for fibre ONT or cable modem, not for DSL/VDSL; mesh kits available; devolo states a 3-year warranty. Currys sells code 07296, devolo's page shows 07295: a UK variant may differ |
| ASUS RT-BE92U | £169.00 | Tri-band BE9700: 6GHz 5,764Mbps, 5GHz 2,882Mbps, 2.4GHz 1,032Mbps | 1×10G, 1×2.5G, 3×2.5G LAN, USB 3.2 | Currys says BE9200; ASUS says BE9700. 4 antennas; WireGuard, OpenVPN and AiMesh; AiProtection included |
| TP-Link Archer BE550 | £189.00 | Tri-band: 6GHz 5,760Mbps, 5GHz 2,880Mbps, 2.4GHz 688Mbps (9,328Mbps combined; TP-Link calls it BE9300) | 1×2.5G WAN, 4×2.5G LAN, USB 3.0 | Currys says BE9500. 6 internal antennas; HomeShield free Basic plan, paid Pro plan |
| Netgear Nighthawk RS500 | £399.00 | Tri-band BE12000 (up to 12Gbps); up to 120 devices, 3,000 sq ft | 2.5G ports (count not stated on the page we read) | Currys lists 'BE1200' and 'Ethernet only': Netgear's page says BE12000 and a Wi-Fi router, so both look like listing errors. The Netgear page we read is the US one ($379.99), so UK details may differ |
Wi-Fi 6 and 6E routers
| Router | Currys price | Bands and rates (maker) | Wired ports (maker) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link Archer AX12 | £42.99 | Dual-band AX1500: 5GHz 1,201Mbps, 2.4GHz 300Mbps | 1×1G WAN, 3×1G LAN | Entry level; 4 fixed antennas |
| TP-Link Archer AX58 | £62.99 | Dual-band AX3000: 5GHz 2,402Mbps, 2.4GHz 574Mbps | 1×1G WAN, 4×1G LAN | USB not mentioned on the page; HomeShield features listed |
| Acer Predator Connect W6x | £59.97 | Dual-band AX6000 (4×4 MU-MIMO; no per-band rates given) | 1×2.5G WAN, 4×1G LAN, USB 3.0 | Spec sheet lists 1GB RAM, 256MB flash and 6 antennas; aimed at gamers. AX6000 is the maker's headline figure, not a tri-band rating |
| TP-Link Archer AX55 Pro | £69.97 | Dual-band AX3000: 5GHz 2,402Mbps, 2.4GHz 574Mbps | 1×2.5G WAN/LAN, 1×1G WAN/LAN, 3×1G LAN, USB 3.0 | TP-Link's UK page labels it 'End of Life': check firmware support before buying |
| TP-Link Archer AXE75 | £122.00 | Tri-band AXE5400: 6GHz 2,402Mbps, 5GHz 2,402Mbps, 2.4GHz 574Mbps | 1×1G WAN, 4×1G LAN, USB 3.0 | Cheapest 6GHz router here; 6 fixed antennas |
| TP-Link Archer VX1800v (modem router) | £114.99 | Dual-band AX1800: 5GHz 1,201Mbps, 2.4GHz 574Mbps | 1×1G WAN/LAN, 3×1G LAN, USB 2.0, RJ11 DSL and FXS phone port | Built-in VDSL2/ADSL2+ modem, plus an Ethernet WAN mode and USB 3G/4G backup. Useful on a copper line, not for full fibre |
Warranty periods in the manufacturers' pages were not stated for the TP-Link, ASUS, Netgear or Acer models we read. The three-year and two-year guarantees you see on Currys are Currys' own listing details.
Mobile broadband and satellite (retailer listing only)
| Product | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mercusys MB112-4G | 4G router, N300, single-band | £26.97 |
| Mercusys MT110 | 4G/5G SIM router, single-band | £37.99 |
| TP-Link M7010 | 4G LTE pocket Wi-Fi | £47.99 |
| TP-Link M7350 | 4G LTE pocket Wi-Fi, single-band | £69.99 |
| TP-Link Archer MR200 | 4G router, AC750 | £81.99 |
| TP-Link Archer NX200 | 5G router, AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 | £244.00 |
| Starlink Mini kit | Satellite, dual-band | £179.00 |
| Starlink Standard kit (new gen) | Satellite, tri-band | £299.00 |
What the specifications tell you
- Most Wi-Fi 6 routers here are cheaper than the Wi-Fi 7 ones, and for fibre up to a gigabit that is enough. The AX58 at £62.99 has the same 5GHz rate as the AX55 Pro. The AX55 Pro's extra is its 2.5G port, but it is marked End of Life.
- Gigabit LAN ports cap a wired connection at 1Gbps. If you have a faster line, or a NAS or Home Assistant box you want to reach at 2.5Gbps, check the port column: several models have a 2.5G WAN or single LAN port (BE230, AX55 Pro, RS100, devolo, Acer), but only the BE550 and the ASUS list four or more multi-gig LAN ports.
- Tri-band is the 6GHz band. It is the real benefit of the AXE75, BE550, RS500 and ASUS. The dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers use Wi-Fi 7 features on 5GHz or switch to 6GHz at the expense of 5GHz (devolo).
- Check your line. Most of these need a modem or an ONT. The devolo is explicitly not for DSL/VDSL; only the VX1800v has a built-in VDSL modem.
- Security features differ. ASUS includes WireGuard and OpenVPN and AiProtection. TP-Link's HomeShield has a free basic tier and a paid Pro tier. Netgear's Armor is an optional subscription. Prefer a router whose maker still updates it.
Security checklist, whichever you buy
- Change the admin password and the default Wi-Fi name and password on day one.
- Turn on automatic firmware updates, and turn off WPS and remote administration.
- Put smart-home devices on a guest or IoT network.
- Replace routers that no longer get updates.
If you want more control than a consumer router, see our firewall appliance comparison. We will add mesh systems and refresh prices closer to Black Friday.
