TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro Wi-Fi 6E tri-band mesh system has Multi-Gig Ethernet

Back in April, we told you about the Deco XE75 -- an affordable Wi-Fi 6E tri-band mesh system. TP-Link's AXE5400 wireless networking system comes with two 802.11ax access points, each with three Gigabit Ethernet ports. At just $299.99, it is quite a great value.

Today, TP-Link launches a "Pro" version of the Deco XE75. Yes, the name of this product is "Deco XE75 Pro." Why exactly does this new product get a "Pro" moniker? Well, it has one significant upgrade over the non-Pro variant -- a multi-gig port. You see, rather than have three Gigabit ports, each access point features two Gigabit LAN ports and one 2.5G WAN/LAN port.

TP-Link explains, "As multi-gig internet plans become more affordable and popular, users may find themselves bottlenecked by an out-of-date router. The Deco XE75 Pro offers a flexible 2.5G WAN/LAN port to increase bandwidth capabilities without prohibitive cost, allowing users to take full advantage of their new multi-gig connection."

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The Pro model (2 Pack) costs $100 more than the non-Pro variant, and from what I can tell, the 2.5G port on each access point is the only difference. So the question, of course, is do you really need a multi-gig WAN port? Probably not. The vast majority of computer users do not have an internet connection that takes full advantage of a Gigabit WAN port -- a 2.5G port would simply be unnecessary at this time.

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Technically, if you do not have a multi-gig internet connection but you were to hardwire a multi-gig storage device (such as a NAS) into the muti-gig port on the second access point (the one not plugged into the modem), you could theoretically get improved file transfer performance when moving files wirelessly between devices on your own local network. But the internet performance of such a device plugged into the second access point would not be improved.

If you are one of the lucky people to have a multi-gig internet connection, the $100 price difference is absolutely worth it. For those without such a speedy connection, however, the only benefit to getting the Pro model today is future-proofing -- you'll be ready if/when you do. The TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro can be purchased here now for $399.99.

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