Intel expects the first PCs with Wi-Fi 7 support as early as 2024
Intel has announced that in 2024 or 2025, computers and laptops with support for the Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) wireless communication standard should appear. It will be able to provide a 2-fold increase in data transfer speed compared to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. The IEEE expects to complete Wi-Fi 7 specifications in 2024, and some manufacturers are already working on draft specifications.
Eric McLaughlin, Intel’s vice president of wireless solutions, spoke about the company’s plans:
‘[Wi-Fi 7] will appear in computing devices such as laptops by 2024 … we expect it to appear in mainstream markets in 2025.’
The data transfer speed of Wi-Fi 7 can reach 5.8 Gbps. The standard will be able to use the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands. In addition to the 20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz channel bandwidths, Wi-Fi 7 can use the 320 MHz band. Compatible devices must provide intelligent switching between bands for better traffic management.
“With the 320 MHz channels, we’re probably going to see new ways of using Wi-Fi where you can do things like figure out if someone’s in a room, how many people are there, whether they’re moving or not,” – McLaughlin says.
