The Intel BE200 Wi-Fi 7 controller, which is part of the forthcoming Wi-Fi 7 standard, is currently facing limited availability issues. Mouser, a prominent chip distributor, has extended the lead times for the Intel BE200 Wi-Fi solution from an initial six weeks to a now prolonged 12-week timeframe.
This development may explain the recent emphasis on Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 chipsets in reviews of the Z790 refresh motherboards. Mouser expects to receive 27 BE200 Wi-Fi 7 modules by November 21, 2023, with a factory lead time of 12 weeks, and pricing that varies depending on the quantity ordered.
Intel's product lineup currently includes two preliminary Wi-Fi 7 M.2-2230 adapters: the Intel BE200 and Intel BE202. These adapters are designed to be compatible with 2x2 TX/RX streams and can operate on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands. The BE200, in particular, boasts a maximum speed of 5 Gbit/s and has received Wi-Fi 7 pre-certification, although its speed slightly falls short of the standard's peak transfer rate. Additionally, both adapters are engineered to support PCIe and USB interfaces, making them suitable for integration into desktop motherboards and laptops.
The upcoming Gigabyte Aorus Z790 Master X motherboard will feature the BE200, but other variants of the platform will incorporate Wi-Fi 7 modules from Qualcomm and MediaTek. To fully harness the potential of Wi-Fi 7, users should ensure that their associated hardware, such as routers and access points, is also Wi-Fi 7-compliant.
Wi-Fi 7 holds the promise of delivering substantial speeds, potentially reaching an aggregated bitrate of 40 Gbit/s, leading to speculation that it could surpass wired Ethernet for a wide range of users. This performance is expected to be achieved through the use of three frequency bands: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, along with increased channel width and the adoption of 4096-QAM. However, the actual speeds achieved may vary depending on various factors for certain devices.
Wi-Fi 7 builds upon the features introduced by its predecessors, incorporating technologies like MU-MIMO and OFDMA to enhance the efficiency and capacity of wireless connections. Intel's strategic emphasis on Wi-Fi 7, particularly for high-bandwidth applications such as AR and VR headsets, is evident in their early release of Wi-Fi 7-compatible components, despite the official adoption of the IEEE 802.11be specification being anticipated by 2025.
Source: @ghost_motley, Tomshardware
