Amazon Eero Pro 7 review: Fast and furious

When Amazon released the Eero Max 7, I thought it was an odd move. Here was a networking device that cost as much as a high-end router or three-unit mesh WiFi system, so it was effectively relegated to a standalone device. As my tests across Eero units have shown recently, they don’t typically shine as standalone routers, but nor are they meant to be used as such. Fast-forward to the more reasonably priced Eero Pro 7, and there’s a case to be made for an Eero that’s viable as a standalone router, even in homes prone to WiFi interference (like mine).

It’s tricky to get past the $1,099.99 asking price for the Amazon Eero Max 7, which is why the almost-half-price $529.99 RRP for the Eero Pro 7 is more palatable. Better yet, for $100 more than the cost of the Max 7, you can nab a three-unit Pro 7 configuration and use it as the mesh WiFi system it was meant to be. Considering top-of-the-line three-pack mesh WiFi systems from Asus, TP-Link and Netgear cost many thousands of dollars, the Eero Pro 7 launch pricing feels appropriate for what you get performance-wise.

For around the same price, you can get a TP-Link Deco-BE65 three-pack. It’s also worth flagging that the Eero Pro 7 launched alongside the Eero 7, which is the cheapest of the three latest-gen Eeros, whose pricing is more in line with the still-popular Eero 6 Plus. The Eero 7 costs $299.99 for a single unit or $649.99 for the three-pack, while the 6 Plus is $249.99 for a single and $599.99 for a three-pack.

Apple does a great job of ensuring generational device loyalty via the synergy of the iOS/MacOS ecosystem. It’s a similar story for Eero. If you’re currently using an Eero networking product or have one lying around, it’s easier to transfer network settings to the Eero Pro 7 (or any other Eero product). You can also use those other Eero units to grow your network, which is a great cross-generation touch.

My Pro 7 setup was easier because I’d recently tested the Eero 6 Plus. Admittedly, I did have to power cycle my FTTC modem a second time for the Eero app to recognise my internet connection, but that feels more like the modem being finicky than the Pro 7. Even with the extra power cycling time, I was still up and going in just over 10 minutes.

As with other Eero units I’ve tested, you’ll be encouraged to install a firmware update. You don’t have to, but it’s advisable. Given it only took about five minutes for my update, it's worth doing to ensure your network is up to date. As a returning Eero user, it remembered a lot of my settings, which made the process more intuitive, but even without that returning-customer perk, the app does a good job of guiding you through initial configuration.

I do internet speed tests right after initial configuration to gauge speed potential, not just overall but also relative to wired and wireless performance in different parts of my apartment. While the front part of my apartment typically never has WiFi issues, the back part has issues with any networking equipment that can’t penetrate thick walls. Given the lacklustre back-apartment results for the Eero Max 7 and Pro 6E, I wasn’t expecting a lot from the Eero Pro 7.

All of my mesh WiFi system internet speed tests are conducted with an ExetelNBN 100/20FTTC apartment connection, using Ethernet for the first test then a Google Pixel 7 Pro for the WiFi tests (via WiFi 6). The Eero Pro 7 tests below were done in the afternoon. Lower numbers are best for latency (measured in milliseconds), while larger numbers are better for download and upload speeds (both measured in megabits-per-second). Use the top line of results in the tables as an idea of best-case speeds at that time of day, then every line below as comparative. Signal strength according to Google is ranked from best to worst as excellent, good, fair and poor.

For starting comparison, here are the results I recorded while speed testing the pricier Amazon Eero Max 7 (note I wasn't measuring signal strength and WiFi band for these tests).

And here are the results for the Eero Pro 7, tested separately for single, two-unit and three-unit configurations.

The Eero Pro 7 has better results (almost across the board) compared to the twice-the-price Max 7. Study, bathroom and bedroom tests – all in the back part of my apartment – were noticeably improved: from a 19.3Mbps download speed improvement in the bedroom to a monstrous 82Mbps difference in the study. Everywhere I tested inside the apartment (and even the lobby below my apartment) offered LAN-like speeds and latency, which is impressive. Only when I tested outside and the Pro 7 switched to the 2.4GHz WiFi band did the speeds drop to lacklustre results.

What impressed me most was the range of the 6GHz WiFi band. From other tri-band devices I’ve tested, I’m used to that 6GHz range being quite small, sometimes even incapable of fully reaching from one end of my lounge to the other. Not with the Pro 7. According to my tests across single, two-unit and three-unit configurations, the 6GHz blanket is generous, with rare appearances from the still-speedy 5GHz band.

There were some stranger results when I connected multiple Eero Pro 7s. The download speeds dipped in the study with a second unit and went from bad to terrible at my garage test spot. That said, the 2.4GHz fence tests had 37Mbps faster download speeds and more manageable latency, while the across-road test spot offered speeds comparable to inside the apartment. With a third Eero Pro 7 unit connected, the download speeds dropped in the bathroom and the fence tests reverted to bad results. But the garage tests – a spot chosen because it usually offers no or low connectivity – were as good as being inside my apartment.

From what I could tell as I jumped between speed test, WiFi settings and the Eero device tracking, those abnormal results across multi-unit tests seemed to come from the times when the Pro 7 was unsure which unit to connect to. Some of my testing spots are roughly halfway between where I set multi-device mesh WiFi systems, so it’s not unexpected. Practically speaking, though, these are the best mesh WiFi tests I’ve ever recorded at my home, whose tendency for WiFi interference has humbled many networking devices.

The main versatility point for any mesh WiFi system is how easy it is to add extra devices. Eero networks not only let you add older or newer models to expand your network, you can also use compatible Echo Dot products to grow your WiFi coverage. That’s great news for existing Eero homes, but it’s not the end of the world if Eero Pro 7 is your first experience.

Amazon sent me a three-unit configuration to test, which I thought I’d need based on past Eero tests where a standalone unit couldn’t tackle the WiFi interference in my home. With Pro 7, you can feasibly get away with one if my tests are any indication, but if you buy a three-pack outright or want to add more, it’s a straightforward process. As with initial configuration, setup is via the app: just tap the plus button, then follow the prompts.

For my home network, it was only about five minutes per extra Pro 7 unit, which included setup and a firmware update. Note that your WiFi network will probably be down during this time, but Ethernet connections might still work (mine did). Given the reach and speeds of the 6GHz network, you can viably use the two auto-sensing Ethernet ports on the second or third (or more) Pro 7 units for wired devices, too.

Unfortunately, like most mesh WiFi systems, there is no browser-based web portal for extensive tweaking. That said, what you do get from digging into the Eero app settings should be good enough for most homes. Still, it’s disappointing that changing the network from its automatic IP settings to a manual one with a preferred IP address range is still a frustrating affair. At best, it’s difficult; at worst, there’s a long-running Eero bug that still requires very specific steps to overcome.

What’s less impressive is the explicit and subtle pushes to encourage users to sign up to auto-renewing Eero Plus. It’s a subscription service that provides “advanced security features and expanded parental controls” for $15.99 a month or $159.99 per year. Whether you’ve spent $529.99 or $1,199.99 for the Eero Pro 7, there’s no getting past the nasty taste of being told you need to spend more to unlock full functionality.

Amazon PR sent me a subscription to test, and it's a mixed bag. On one hand, there are some features that help add to the overall value of Eero Plus: specifically, 1Password, VPN (by Guardian) and Malwarebytes antivirus subscriptions. But that's assuming you aren't already using a password manager, VPN and/or Malwarebytes. More meaningful to your home network are a handful of other features.

'Network controls' is where you'll find content filters, app blocking, site blocking and whitelisting, ad blocking and advanced security. By default, advanced security is enabled but ad blocking isn't. You also need to manually add sites to the block/allow filter, and the other two options require profile creation. Parents can create profiles in the eero app that allow internet pause scheduling, but you need to be able to identify the relevant devices (and that’s not always straightforward). For more advanced parental controls, an eero Plus subscription adds content filters, app blocking (with recommended services) and site blacklisting/whitelisting.

As for the other options, they're situational. Eero Internet Backup is a nice-to-have whose value will only kick in during an internet outage, which aren't common in Australia with the right provider. The feature is also reliant on a mobile data hotspot, which can burn through a data allocation if not monitored properly. Then there's activity history, radio analytics and a DDNS setting. Those first two are handy for people who like to monitor or may help in identifying connectivity issues, but they're far from a killer feature inclusion. And DDNS allows for remote network access, which is more for advanced users than everyday home networking.

With NBN 2000 plans around the corner and NBN providers set to boost speeds in late-2025, now is a good time to start futureproofing your home network if you want those faster speeds. With 5Gbps auto-sensing Ethernet ports, the Eero Pro 7 is primed for the Australian broadband speeds of tomorrow, without having to spend thousands of dollars. And for the practical realities of home networking today, you get a speedy mesh WiFi system that can seamlessly keep up with whatever you throw at it.