Huawei is taking advantage of its busy news to dust off an often unloved object in our interiors: the Wi-Fi router. With the WiFi Mesh X3 Pro, the Chinese manufacturer is betting on the new Wi-Fi 7 standard and on a bold transparent design to invite itself into the center of your living room.
If the spotlight was on folding smartphones and expensive watches, Huawei has added something new that is worth a look for anyone who rails against the utilitarian aesthetic of its internet box. We were able to observe the Huawei WiFi Mesh X3 Pro, and the least we can say is that it contrasts radically with the usual grayish plastic cases. The device focuses on a pace “exquisite and elegant” to seduce.
The approach is clearly aesthetic and the router sports a transparent metal mesh antenna (Metal Mesh Transparent Antenna) which gives it the air of a modern mood lamp. The effect is enhanced by configurable lighting modes, including a « Golden Mountain Sunrise » (sunrise on the golden mountain) which literally dresses the internal structure in warm light. The objective is assumed: it is an object made to sit on a sideboard, and not to end up hidden behind the TV cabinet.
Wi-Fi 7 to boost speeds, but not all Wi-Fi 7
Under this designer bell hides a technical sheet resolutely focused on performance with support for Wi-Fi 7 Dual-Band. Huawei announces theoretical speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps, enough to easily saturate most current fiber connections. The system also manages “Multi-Link Operation”, which allows frequency bands to be aggregated to stabilize the connection and reduce latency.
However, there is a big “but” to know before checking out. Contrary to what the Wi-Fi 7 label might lead one to hope, Huawei has skipped the new 6 GHz frequency band. The router uses a classic dual-band architecture (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). It’s a shame, because we lose here one of the major advantages of the standard: access to a spectrum free from interference. It nevertheless compensates by the use of 4K-QAM modulation, which makes it possible to densify the signal (12 bits of data compared to 10 bits previously) to boost speeds by 20% on existing bands.
An entry ticket for €249
To ensure optimal coverage, the system features a solid architecture composed of two antennas dedicated to 2.4 GHz and four antennas for 5 GHz. A small notable feature for those worried about overheating: the design incorporates a fan to keep performance stable.
Also read: When tech meets fashion: Huawei unveils the FreeClip 2 in collaboration with Les Néréides
This high-end positioning is logically reflected on the invoice. The Huawei WiFi Mesh X3 Pro is announced at a starting price of 249 euros. A price that places it against market leaders like Netgear or Asus, but with this unique design argument which could well hit the mark with those who take care of their interior decoration.
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