The new TP-Link Archer GE400 combines WiFi 7 and dual 2.5 GbE ports in a router designed for gaming

TP-Link completes its gaming family with the Archer GE400a dual-band router that lands with a very specific promise: that the jump to WiFi 7 is noticeable in stability and latency, even if the budget is contained. Its fit is clear within the brand’s catalog: at the top is the GE800 as a demonstration of strength, in the center the GE650 as a balanced option and, now, the GE400 as a gateway.

What really changes with WiFi 7

The first thing to understand is what really changes when going from a good WiFi 6 to WiFi 7 in a gaming scenario. It’s not just a matter of more raw speed; The key point is consistency. With WiFi 7, multilink operation comes into play, that MLO that allows the device to maintain simultaneous links at 2.4 and 5 GHz to distribute traffic and cushion the peaks that occur when someone at home starts a download or another 4K streaming is activated.

This practical redundancy translates into less jitter, which is what bothers the most in a ranked: not so much the average ping, but its ups and downs. 4096-QAM modulation, for its part, squeezes the channel better when the signal is good, so that packet queues are reduced in times of congestion. Although the GE400 doesn’t offer 6 GHz or 320 MHz channels, its combined ceiling of 6.5 Gbps on 2.4 and 5 GHz is more than enough for gamers who prioritize latency and stability over local speed records.

Recognizable and well-measured design

The design follows the language of the range: angular chassis, dark finish, six adjustable external antennas and configurable RGB. It is not intended to go unnoticed on the desk, but it is not a strident object either.

More important than aesthetics is port selection: two 2.5 GbE, something very sensible for this price range because it allows one to be dedicated to the main equipment and the other to the WAN mouth or a link to a multigig switch without creating funnels. There is no 10 GbE, as is logical in its segmentation, but most domestic scenarios neither need it nor could they take advantage of it continuously.

The gaming focus does not stop at marketing. Dedicated gaming port simplifies prioritization and engine Game Accelerator adjusts the quality of service without the user having to fight with manual rules.

The real-time dashboard, with data on latency, connected devices and bandwidth consumption, does double duty: quick diagnosis when something behaves strange and domestic pedagogy to explain why that 80 GB download should be left for after the game. Additionally, acceleration for mobile games makes more sense than it seems; There are more and more competitive titles on smartphones and tablets.

In a standard apartment, the typical Saturday afternoon scene illustrates well what. Someone watches Netflix in the living room, another uploads videos to the cloud and, at the same time, you enter a ranked one. With older routers the symptom is known: latency peaks, some rubber-banding and triggers that seem to be delayed.

The GE400 doesn’t do magic with the operator’s network, but it does help the part you control (your local network) is more predictable. MLO and traffic prioritization contain spikes better. If you also connect the equipment to the dedicated port, you limit another variable: the last section stops depending on a wireless link that can be crossed with specific interference.

This router is, deliberately, the “sensible” model: enough coverage with six antennas, 2.4/5 GHz stability and gaming features that are actually used, not an inflated checklist.

To squeeze WiFi 7 You have to have clients on the other side who support it; If your laptop or motherboard is still on WiFi 5 or 6, you will notice improvements in management and QoS, but not all the benefit of the standard. The physical reality of your home also rules: thick walls, long hallways or a complicated layout may continue to require a mesh system in the future. Even so, as a single base on a medium floor, this router has plenty of muscle and room to grow if you later add a node from the brand itself.

Price and release

The commercial fit is well thought out. It comes out today, October 23, 2025 with the official price of 219.99 dollars (about 189 euros). This section places it in a zone in which competitors usually cut gaming functions or multi-gig connectivity; here TP-Link has decided to keep the two 2.5 GbE ports and the prioritization package, which are just the pieces that make the difference in daily use.

If you are coming from a basic router and your problem is not “I lack megabytes” but “I have too many latency peaks”, the Archer GE400 is a logical step in 2025. If your ecosystem already asks for 6 GHz, go for the GE650 or the GE800; If what you want is to play with fewer surprises and with a reasonable budget, here is an entry point that delivers what it promises.