TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack) vs TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack)

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems at a similar price

The TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack) scores 6.6/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack) at 5.9/10.

The TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack) leads on wi-Fi standard and bands and wired ports.

They score the same on software and security, coverage and value.

TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack)

6.6/10verdict: buy

The TP-Link Deco BE26 3-pack is for households that want Wi-Fi 7 mesh across a larger home. It suits people with a multi-gig internet connection or a few wired devices who want 2.5 Gbps ports on every unit. It is a better fit for home users who want built-in parental controls and security tools than for admins who need advanced network segmentation.

Typically about £299.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack)

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

The Deco X50 3-pack is for people who want whole-home Wi-Fi 6 across a large property without much fiddling. It suits households that value simple setup and wide coverage over advanced router controls. Buyers who need multi-gig wiring or a third band should look at other models.

Typically about £194.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack)	TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack)
Wi-Fi standard and bands	25%	7/10	6/10
Software and security	25%	6/10	6/10
Wired ports	20%	7/10	5/10
Coverage	15%	7/10	7/10
Value	15%	6/10	6/10
Overall		6.6/10	5.9/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack)	TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack)
Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), speeds up to 5000 Mbps	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax/ac/n/a on 5 GHz; 802.11ax/n/b/g on 2.4 GHz)
Bands and speed class	Dual-band: 4324 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz	Dual-band AX3000: 5 GHz 2402 Mbps (802.11ax, HE160); 2.4 GHz 574 Mbps (802.11ax)
WAN port	Two 2.5 Gbps auto-sensing WAN/LAN ports per unit	not listed
LAN ports	No dedicated LAN port; the two auto-sensing WAN/LAN ports per unit can act as LAN ports	Three Gigabit ports per unit, auto-sensing WAN or LAN
Mesh nodes in the box	3	3
Rated coverage	not listed	Up to 604 m²
Security and VPN features	HomeShield network protection, parental controls, IoT security, guest network, WPA/WPA2/WPA3 encryption, firewall and device blocklist	SPI firewall, access control, HomeShield security, 1x 5 GHz and 1x 2.4 GHz guest networks, WPA/WPA2/WPA3 encryption

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack)

+ Wi-Fi 7 with three nodes included
+ Two 2.5 Gbps ports on every unit
+ EU V1 firmware adds DoT/DoH and internet backup
− Dual-band only, with 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz
− No dedicated LAN port on any unit
− Listed features centre on home controls, not advanced networking

Skip it if:

Buyers who want a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh system
Admins who need VLANs or a VPN server on the router
Anyone wiring many devices to each node

Read the full TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack) review ›

TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack)

+ Rated coverage of up to 604 m² with three nodes
+ Owners praise easy setup and range
+ WPA3, tagged VLAN and guest networks listed
− Gigabit-only ports on every unit
− Dual-band only, with no 6 GHz
− Owners report limited advanced controls

Skip it if:

Buyers who want 2.5GbE or multi-gig wired ports
Anyone who wants a 6 GHz band or Wi-Fi 6E or 7
Users who need detailed advanced router controls

Read the full TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack) review ›

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