Maria Diaz/ZDNET
At its devices event in Arlington, Virginia this week, Amazon dropped the details on its latest Wi-Fi device, the Eero Max 7 – a router, repeater, and range extender in one.
With wireless speeds up to 4.3 Gbps and wired speeds up to 9.4 Gbps, this marks Eero’s fastest tri-band mesh Wi-Fi system. Two 10 GB and two 2.5 GB Ethernet ports allow for multiple wired device connections, Amazon says, and lets customers utilize internet plans up to 10 Gbps.
Also: Amazon unveils Echo Hub to help you better control your smart home
At that speed, a user could download a 4K movie in just 10 seconds. A 50GB video game would take less than a minute.
If you’re not familiar, Eero is a mesh Wi-Fi system that works with an existing internet connection to deliver a reliable signal across a wider area than traditional Wi-Fi. It uses a number of factors like the layout of the building it is in, interference from other Wi-Fi signals, and the number of connected devices to automatically send data the fastest route. Instead of one access point for the internet connection, there are several.
A single Eero Max 7 device covers around 2,500 square feet. For comparison, the Eero 6 had a reach of about 1,500 feet per device. Eero devices can be connected to each other to form a mesh network with better range and performance. It’s worth noting that Amazon Echo devices can also serve as a Wi-Fi extender in the Eero network.
“With tens of millions of Eero devices around the world,” said Nick Weaver, co-founder and CEO of Eero, “we know customers notice even a millisecond delay when streaming a movie or gaming, want reliable connectivity in every corner of the home, and always look for faster speeds.” He went on to call this device “an entirely new class of Eero.”
Also: Every Amazon AI announcement today you’ll want to know about
Eero Max 7 works with all major internet providers and takes just seven minutes to set up, Eero says. At the touch of a button, the internet can be paused or network information can be shared with a friend. It’s also backward compatible with previous generations, making it easy to upgrade an existing network.
Subscribers to the Eero Plus service can take advantage of parental controls, advanced online security, and Eero Internet Backup during an outage. All Eero customers will have access to phone or email support seven days a week.
Amazon’s Eero Max 7 will be available “soon,” according to the company, and carries a price tag of $599.99 for a single device, $1,149.99 for a two-pack and $1,699.99 for a three-pack. It can be purchased directly through eero.com, or Amazon.com, from retailers like Best Buy, and from ISPs like Frontier and MetroNet.