TP-Link Deco X50 AX3000 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
Following a recent move, I’m once again “blessed” by poor Wi-Fi coverage across my new place. However, it’s a blessing in disguise as the chance to review the new TP-Link Deco X50 AX3000 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System comes at an opportune time to put its “superior mesh WiFi, everywhere” claim to the test. How does it fare in that regard? Well, read on to find out!
The TP-Link Deco X50 (3-pack variant) is priced at a discounted £230 at the time of writing on the official Amazon page, and comes with the following items:
- 3x Deco X50 units
- 1x RJ45 Ethernet cable
- 3x Power adapters
- 1x Quick Installation Guide
More details about the specs can be found below:
What struck me at first with the Deco X50 unit was its inconspicuous, minimalist design. Compared to the Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 that we previously reviewed, the white, cylindrical body of the Deco X50 looks inconspicuous, yet stylish, and easily blends in your environment. Each unit measures 110 × 110 × 114 mm (4.33 × 4.33 × 4.49 in) and can easily be mistaken for a flower pot or even a piece of minimal, modern art installation. Save for the power and ethernet cable ports at the back of the device, there are no openings, buttons or protruding bits that make the accessory stick out like a sore thumb. The only physical button, a reset button, is concealed on the underside of the device.
Potted plant for comparison
In addition, once it is operating, the indicator light of each Deco X50 unit will provide colour-coded feedback. The light faces the floor which produces a soft underglow rather than a more direct visual feedback. I am quite fond of this approach as it further adds to the sleek, minimal and discreet look that the Deco X50 has been striving for.
It is evident that much thought has been given in designing the hardware and the finished product gives the Deco X50 a rather unique look that I am glad TP-Link opted for.
Aesthetics aside, the build of the Deco X50 units is also of quality. They have a matte finish with a nice feeling to the touch. While the body is made of plastic, it is sturdily built and relatively lightweight that enables each unit to be safely stored on shelves and desks without worrying about adding excess weight. The inclusion of rubber pads on the underside of each unit is also a welcome addition to provide extra grip and prevent scratching of the surface underneath.
As for setting up and using the mesh system, it is a fairly easy process. You’ll have to plug one of the Deco X50 units to your main modem/router and pair it with the companion smartphone app. Unlike the Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000, setting up the Deco X50 Mesh System requires the companion Deco app (available for iOS and Android). While it is a handy tool that walks you through the setup process, it would be welcome to have an option to set up without requiring yet another app. There were alternative setup routes with the Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 that proved useful and didn’t require any additional app; and I wish TP-Link included one in their mesh system as well.
That said, the app offers a number of extra features to manage the mesh system remotely. This includes parental controls, monthly usage summary, notifications whenever a new device pairs to the mesh system and the likes. While definitely handy features, especially if you have a need for settings such as parental controls, not everyone might make full use of the available options. In addition, when first using the app, I was constantly being reminded of a firmware update for the Deco X50 units, even if I already performed the update. I would have preferred if the app was an optional add-on to the setting up process and you might not really need it after this is done.
Indeed, once setup and you have a network name and password configured, you can start using the mesh system. You can pair the additional units to other areas in your household with weak WiFi spots and the system will boost coverage. It is recommended for houses with 4-6 bedrooms and covers up to 6,500ft². It is also equipped with dual band WiFi 6 technology and WPA encryption, making the included routers future-ready.
From my tests, I found the TP-Link Deco X50 AX3000 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System to indeed provide a more uniform and stable WiFi coverage in my new place. Weak WiFi spots have been strengthened and dead zones have been cleared after placing the X50 units in strategic areas of the place. For instance, by running benchmarks on Speedtest.net, I could reach a download speed of 3.97 Mbps on my laptop and 4.19 Mbps on my phone close to the main router, while with the Deco X50 the speed was at 3.99 Mbps and 3.96 Mbps, respectively.
At the weakest spot, which were dead zones with some devices, the WiFi signal with the mesh system was clearly boosted and yielded download speeds of 3.62 Mbps and 3.84 Mbps on my laptop and phone respectively, while without the Deco X50, the respective speeds were down to 2.70 Mbps and 2.58 Mbps with weaker signals.
Of course, the results will vary based on each person’s use case and my broadband connection isn’t the fastest right now, which can also impact my experience. However, the TP-Link Deco X50 mesh system does a more than decent job at increasing coverage across my new place in a uniform manner. Nevertheless, compared to other WiFi mesh systems on the market, the price tag is still steep and I haven’t noticed TP-Link selling separate Deco X50 units should you need more to expand your coverage. What sets it apart is the handy companion app and the sleek, minimal look that blends well in your household.
Verdict
- Stylish and minimal design
- Delivers strong reliable Wi-Fi
- Handy companion app
- Pricey kit
- Initial setup can be finicky
- No alternative set up method without app
