TP-Link Archer BE400 vs Archer BE550: Which TP-Link router should you buy?

The Archer BE550 is the better router. It adds the 6 GHz band with 320 MHz channels, five 2.5G ports, and significantly higher combined bandwidth (9,200 Mbps versus 6,500 Mbps). The BE400 saves money by dropping 6 GHz entirely and using mostly Gigabit LAN ports, but that tradeoff limits its Wi-Fi 7 potential.

The BE400 (BE6500) is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router operating on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz only. Its 5 GHz band reaches up to 5,764 Mbps using 4x4 MIMO at 160 MHz with 4K-QAM, which looks impressive on paper. But 4x4 connections require a matching 4x4 client, and current Wi-Fi 7 laptops and phones are all 2x2. That cuts the usable speed in half. Interference from neighbouring networks in dense Indian apartment buildings can shrink the available channel width to 80 MHz in practice, further reducing throughput.

The BE550's 6 GHz band, by contrast, has three clean 320 MHz channels with no legacy device congestion. That is where Wi-Fi 7's speed advantage actually materialises. If you have a Wi-Fi 7 laptop or phone, it will connect on 6 GHz and deliver noticeably faster throughput than anything the BE400's 5 GHz band can achieve in a congested environment.

On ports, the BE400 has one 2.5G WAN, one 2.5G LAN, and three Gigabit LAN ports. The BE550 has one 2.5G WAN and four 2.5G LAN ports. If you wire more than one device at multi-gig speeds, the BE550 has a clear wired advantage.

Both share TP-Link's firmware, Tether app, EasyMesh, HomeShield, and VPN support.

Best for: The BE550 for anyone buying a Wi-Fi 7 router who wants the 6 GHz band and multi-gig wired ports. The BE400 only if budget is the primary constraint and you have no 6 GHz-capable devices.

Not for: The BE400 if you want to use Wi-Fi 7's headline features. Without 6 GHz, you lose the cleanest and fastest band.