1 week Ago By Kunal Khullar
In a departure from the traditional pursuit of faster speeds, Wi-Fi 8 is expected to shift away from that aspect and more toward stability, reliability, and efficient spectrum usage. As per a white paper published by MediaTek , Wi-Fi 8 will be based on the IEEE 802.11bn standard, which introduces Ultra-High Reliability (UHR) as its defining feature.
Unlike its predecessors, which emphasized peak throughput, Wi-Fi 8 is expected to prioritize effective throughput — the consistent speeds users experience in everyday environments. While the theoretical maximum bandwidth of Wi-Fi 8 remains similar to that of Wi-Fi 7 at 23Gbps, actual performance will focus on maintaining stable connections in real-world scenarios. Wi-Fi 8 is also said to introduce several key technologies designed to improve coordination between devices and access points: • Coordinated Spatial Reuse (Co-SR): This feature enhances signal management by allowing access points (APs) to coordinate power output.
MediaTek’s trials suggest Co-SR could increase system throughput by 15% to 25%, reducing interference and optimizing performance in mesh networks. • Coordinated Beamforming (Co-BF): Expanding on earlier Wi-Fi innovations, Co-BF enables APs to steer signals precisely toward intended devices while avoiding interference. This advancement is particularly beneficial in crowded environments and can improve throughput by 20% to 50% in mesh setups.
• Dynamic Sub-Channel Operation (DSO): DSO dynamically assigns bandwidth to devices based on their capabilities and needs. This technology can push throughput up to 80% higher, ensuring faster data transfer for more advanced devices. • Improved Modulation Coding Schemes (MCS): By introducing finer gradations in MCS levels, Wi-Fi 8 reduces abrupt drops in speed as devices move, improving transmission rates by 5% to 30%.
Wi-Fi 8 will also redefine how client devices, like laptops or smartphones, interact with multiple APs. Unlike earlier generations that operated on single channels, Wi-Fi 8 will optimize mesh networks to provide seamless connectivity across various frequencies and APs, improving overall user experience. Before we get too excited, it is important to know that Wi-Fi standards take years to develop, and Wi-Fi 8 is no exception.
The first Wi-Fi 8 products are anticipated to launch in early 2028, with the final approval expected by the end of the same year. Many of the best laptops and best routers , for example, are just now beginning to integrate Wi-Fi 7, whereas some are still using Wi-Fi 6E . From what we can speculate, Wi-Fi 8 is going to represent a shift in wireless technology’s evolution, moving away from the race for ever-higher speeds to focus on consistent, reliable performance.
Notably, this approach mirrors trends in other tech sectors, like CPUs prioritizing power efficiency over clock speeds..
