TP-Link’s Deco mesh Wi-Fi system is my favorite Nest Wifi Pro alternative

2 weeks ago 2

Wi-Fi routers are supposed to fade into the background, but they often can’t help but stand out with designs that don’t fit well in the home. Google’s systems have been a great option for a good-looking, but still capable mesh Wi-Fi system, but the latest Nest Wifi Pro is also pretty pricey. Over the past few months, I’ve been testing the TP-Link Deco which is a semi-stylish, very capable, and much more affordable alternative to Google’s Nest Wifi Pro.

“At a glance” is 9to5Google’s mini-review format where we offer quick insights on a product that our team has spent time using, just in a bite-size article that focuses on our favorite parts or the most important things to know.

The TP-Link Deco XE70 Pro (AXE4900) is a Wi-Fi 6E mesh router system that works similarly to Nest Wifi Pro at its core. The system can be used with one, two, or three points and extend coverage over your whole home with or without a wired connection in the additional spaces. But, of course, there are hundreds of options that do that same thing, so why would someone go with Nest Wifi Pro or this system from TP-Link?

As a customer of the Nest Wifi Pro, there were a few key points of appeal for me. Design, the app, and the price.

Google’s routers have all been designed to not be as flashy or attention-drawing as others. A classic router with its huge antennas can look great in a gaming battle station, but it doesn’t necessarily fit in your living room. TP-Link took a similar route with its Deco series, and XE70 Pro does a good job in having a design that’s clean and subtle, while not compromising on performance. The Wi-Fi 6E setup on these system has been providing my home with rock-solid connections for the past few months, matching or arguably beating Google’s Nest Wifi Pro in many ways. Speeds prior to my home’s recent gigabit upgrade were comparable to Nest, and the boost from my new ISP unlocked even faster speeds. I’m easily pulling the majority of what the ISP promises for my plan, both over ethernet and Wi-Fi.

The hardware itself has roughly the same footprint as Nest Wifi Pro, but it is taller (as pictured above).

Like Nest Wifi Pro, TP-Link’s system isn’t just giving you a router and some mesh points, but multiple functional routers that can be paired together. This comes with the benefit of being able to run the system with an ethernet backbone, which I’ve done, and which provides a whole lot of stability on the whole. A benefit of TP-Link over Google is also that you’ve got more than one ethernet out port on each machine – super helpful for connecting TVs or computers at your various destination points.

Another key point for me was in the app. Google manages everything through the Home app which is very convenient since that’s where the rest of my smart home is, but I’ve occasionally frustrated when a specific feature is hard to find, given a “simplified” name, or just not there at all.

TP-Link’s Deco app isn’t quite as nice as the Home app, but it’s very well done as a result of being focused specifically on Wi-Fi. The app opens to show you you current network status front and center, including a live look at network activity, while listing your connected clients below and even being able to split out select smart home devices from TP-Link’s other lineups. I found that the last bit there was pretty unreliable, though, constantly reporting my switches to be offline even though they weren’t. At the top you’ll also quickly be able to access Wi-Fi settings and your Guest Network, while tabs at the bottom provide access to some security options, parental controls, and deeper settings. It’s all very well done, and my favorite part by far is the ability to just search for the feature or function you need. Instead of digging through menus while you’re trying to follow a tutorial, you can just search for it, a huge win in my book! There are still things I think Google did better, such as making it way more obvious where to perform a speed test, but the Deco app is a great experience.

And, finally, there’s the price.

Wi-Fi 6E systems have come down in price since they first started hitting the market, but TP-Link really has a sweet deal going here. Where Google’s Nest Wifi Pro runs $199 for a single unit, $299 for two, and $399 for three, TP-Link Deco XE70 Pro is $349 for a trio, and often heavily discounted. At the time I’m posting this, you can easily score the three-pack for just $260 through Amazon. That’s the lowest price that’s shown up thus far, but it’s a no-brainer to me, and it’s pretty common that you’ll find the system for under $300 pretty frequently.