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TP-Link Archer A8 Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price in UK:~£35Avg. price in US:~$50Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Wi-Fi speed:1900 MbpsLAN port speeds:1 GbpsMesh Wi-Fi:yes

TP-Link Archer A8 Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

7.3

Overall score

Score
7.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the router's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best routers on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 60% of models
Score components

90%

7.1

Technical Score

10%

9.3

User score

â–²Better than 60% of routers
7.1

Technical Score

Technical score
7.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 56% of models
Score components

26%

6.6

Wireless

20%

5.4

Ports

18%

8.8

Networking

14%

8.7

Security

12%

5.9

Hardware

10%

7.5

Management

â–²Better than 56% of routers
9.3

User score

User score
9.3/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 99% of models
Score components

70%

9.0

User reviews

30%

10

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.5
(8659)
amazon
4.5
(131)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.5
(13878)
Amazon_logo.png
4.5
(131)

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

★Better than 99% of routers
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Best prices in UK

Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Verdict

The TP-Link Archer A8 is a high-performance AC1900 dual-band Wi-Fi 5 router that delivers combined speeds of up to 1900 Mbps, with 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. It features 3x3 MU-MIMO technology, allowing it to transmit and receive data on three simultaneous streams to improve efficiency for compatible devices, and utilizes three external antennas with Beamforming to concentrate signal strength across mid-sized homes. Key advantages include full Gigabit connectivity with one WAN and four LAN ports, support for WPA3 security, and easy management via the TP-Link Tether app. However, it lacks a USB port for file sharing, does not support Wi-Fi 6, and omits Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) for accessing less congested channels in dense environments.

Technical Specifications of router TP-Link Archer A8

Technical Score
Technical score
7.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 56% of models
Score components:

26%

6.6

Wireless

20%

5.4

Ports

18%

8.8

Networking

14%

8.7

Security

12%

5.9

Hardware

10%

7.5

Management

7.1
TP-Link Archer A8 has a technical score of 7.1 points, which is higher than that of 55.9% of products in this category.
User score
User score
9.3/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 99% of models
Score components

70%

9.0

User reviews

30%

10

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.5
(8659)
amazon
4.5
(131)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.5
(13878)
Amazon_logo.png
4.5
(131)

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

9.3
TP-Link Archer A8 has a user score of 9.3 points, which is higher than that of 99.3% of products in this category.
Popularity
Popularity
10.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you prefer to choose a router reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 92% of models
Popularity:
TP-Link Archer A8 has a popularity score of 10 points, which is higher than that of 91.9% of products in this category.
10
TP-Link Archer A8 has a popularity score of 10 points, which is higher than that of 91.9% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price
Value for money
8.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the router's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a router with a good balance between network performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 63% of models
Score components:

60%

7.3

Overall score

40%

10

Price

8.1
TP-Link Archer A8 has a value-for-money score of 8.1 points, which is higher than that of 63% of products in this category.
Brand name
TP-Link
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
â–² Better than 39% of models
This router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which is more advanced than 39.5% of routers and equal to 25.3% of routers.
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
â–² Better than 25% of models
This router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which are more versatile than 24.8% of routers and equal to 68.1% of routers.
Wi-Fi speed
1900 Mbps
Wi-Fi speed
1900 Mbps
â–² Better than 63% of models
Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
This router delivers 1900 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, which is higher than 63.2% of routers and equal to 2% of routers.
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
â–² Better than 41% of models
This router supports 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz channel width options, which is more than 40.9% of routers and the same as 31.6% of routers.
Show more
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X
â–² Better than 70% of models
This router supports WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X Wi-Fi security protocols, which are more advanced than 70.4% of routers and equal to 0.7% of routers.
DoS protection
yes
DoS protection
yes
â–² Better than 13% of models
This router includes DoS protection. 12.8% of routers include DoS protection.
SPI intrusion protection
yes
SPI intrusion protection
yes
â–² Better than 6% of models
This router includes SPI-based intrusion protection. 6.1% of routers include SPI-based intrusion protection.
MAC address filtering
yes
MAC address filtering
yes
â–² Better than 2% of models
This router supports MAC address filtering. 2.2% of routers include MAC address filtering.
URL filter
yes
URL filter
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router supports URL filtering. 3.4% of routers include URL filtering.
Show more
IPv6 support
yes
IPv6 support
yes
â–² Better than 12% of models
This router supports IPv6. 11.5% of routers are IPv6-ready.
Dynamic routing
no
Dynamic routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
This router does not support dynamic routing. 52.5% of routers support dynamic routing.
Inter-VLAN routing
yes
Inter-VLAN routing
yes
â–² Better than 77% of models
This router supports inter-VLAN routing. 76.7% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
VLAN tagging
yes
VLAN tagging
yes
â–² Better than 38% of models
This router supports VLAN tagging. 38.2% of routers include VLAN tagging.
QoS
yes
QoS
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router includes QoS controls. 3.2% of routers include QoS controls.
Show more
N. of LAN ports
4
N. of LAN ports
4
â–² Better than 24% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 4 LAN ports, which is more than 23.7% of routers and the same as 69.2% of routers.
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
â–² Better than 27% of models
This router offers 1 Gbps on its LAN ports, which is faster than 27.1% of routers and on par with 59.9% of routers.
N. of WAN ports
1
N. of WAN ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 9% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 WAN ports, which is more than 1% of routers and the same as 90.1% of routers.
N. of USB ports
0
N. of USB ports
0
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 0 USB ports, which is fewer than 60.8% of routers and the same as 39.2% of routers.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Category Benchmark
This router does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE). 0.5% of routers can be powered over Ethernet.
Show more
Management interface
Web UI, App
Management interface
Web UI, App
â–² Better than 33% of models
This router uses Web UI, App for management, which is more advanced than 33.4% of routers and equal to 57% of routers.
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI, App, Automatic
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI, App, Automatic
â–² Better than 79% of models
This router supports Web UI, App, Automatic firmware update methods, which are more convenient than 78.9% of routers and equal to 19.9% of routers.
Traffic monitoring
yes
Traffic monitoring
yes
â–² Better than 18% of models
This router includes traffic monitoring. 18.1% of routers include traffic monitoring.
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
â–² Better than 9% of models
This router offers a guest Wi‑Fi network. 8.6% of routers offer a guest Wi‑Fi network.
Captive portal
no
Captive portal
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not offer captive portal features. 23.5% of routers offer captive portal features.
Show more
CPU clock speed
1x 1.2 GHz
CPU clock speed
1x 1.2 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 51% of models
This router runs at 1x1.2 GHz, which is slower than 51.3% of routers and on par with 0.3% of routers.
RAM capacity
64 MB
RAM capacity
64 MB
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
This router has 64 MB of RAM, which is less than 69% of routers and the same as 14.3% of routers.
Internal storage
0.003906 GB
Internal storage
0.003906 GB
â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0.003906 GB of internal storage, which is less than 93.5% of routers and the same as 6.5% of routers.
Hardware acceleration
yes
Hardware acceleration
yes
â–² Better than 31% of models
This router offers hardware acceleration. 31.4% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
N. of external antennas
3
N. of external antennas
3
â–² Better than 58% of models
Market range: <0 – >10
This router has 3 external antennas, which is more than 58.4% of routers and the same as 13.3% of routers.
Show more

TP-Link Archer A8 vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • Supports mesh Wi-Fi
    Mesh Wi-Fi
    yes
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This router supports mesh Wi-Fi, while the average router does not. 36.4% of routers support mesh Wi-Fi.
  • Stronger Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X
    â–² Better than 70% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • Supports inter-VLAN routing
    Inter-VLAN routing
    yes
    â–² Better than 77% of models
    This router supports inter-VLAN routing, while the average router does not. 23.5% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
  • Supports MU-MIMO
    MU-MIMO
    yes
    â–² Better than 52% of models
    This router supports MU-MIMO, while the average router does not. 47.7% of routers support MU-MIMO.
  • 28.8% faster Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    1900 Mbps
    â–² Better than 63% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a higher Wi-Fi speed than the average router (1900 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    1,900 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • 16.3% higher user score
    User score
    9.3/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    TP-Link Archer A8
    the average router
    ★ Better than 98% of models
    TP-Link Archer A8 has a higher user score than the average router (9.30 vs 8.000).
    9.3 vs 8
  • 53% more popular
    TP-Link Archer A8 is more popular than the average router (10 vs 6.5).
    10 vs 6.54
  • 5 newer release date
    Release date
    2020
    â–² Better than 66% of models
    Market range: <2k – >2k
    This router was released more recently than the average router (2020 vs 2015). The average router release year is 2015.
    April 2020
    2020 vs 2015
  • 16.3% higher user score
    User score
    9.3/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    TP-Link Archer A8
    the average router
    ★ Better than 98% of models
    TP-Link Archer A8 has a higher user score than the average router (9.30 vs 8.000).
    9.3 vs 8
  • 53% more popular
    TP-Link Archer A8 is more popular than the average router (10 vs 6.5).
    10 vs 6.54
  • 2.57x cheaper
    TP-Link Archer A8 is cheaper than the average router (£35 vs £90).
    £35 vs £90
  • Supports mesh Wi-Fi
    Mesh Wi-Fi
    yes
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This router supports mesh Wi-Fi, while the average router does not. 36.4% of routers support mesh Wi-Fi.
  • Supports MU-MIMO
    MU-MIMO
    yes
    â–² Better than 52% of models
    This router supports MU-MIMO, while the average router does not. 47.7% of routers support MU-MIMO.
  • 28.8% faster Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    1900 Mbps
    â–² Better than 63% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a higher Wi-Fi speed than the average router (1900 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    1,900 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • Stronger Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X
    â–² Better than 70% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA3, WPA/WPA2, WEP, 802.1X vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • Supports inter-VLAN routing
    Inter-VLAN routing
    yes
    â–² Better than 77% of models
    This router supports inter-VLAN routing, while the average router does not. 23.5% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
  • 5 newer release date
    Release date
    2020
    â–² Better than 66% of models
    Market range: <2k – >2k
    This router was released more recently than the average router (2020 vs 2015). The average router release year is 2015.
    April 2020
    2020 vs 2015
  • No VPN server support
    VPN server support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
    This router cannot act as a VPN server, while the average router can. 66.3% of routers can act as a VPN server.
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • No dynamic routing
    Dynamic routing
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support dynamic routing, while the average router does. 52.3% of routers support dynamic routing.
  • 75% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    64 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (64 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    64 MB vs 256 MB
  • 1 fewer USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer USB ports than the average router (0 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    0 vs 1
  • 96.9% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.003906 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
    Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
    This router has less internal storage than the average router (0 GB vs 0.1 GB). The average router offers 0.125 GB of internal storage.
    0.003906 GB vs 0.125 GB
  • No DLNA support
    DLNA support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
    This router does not support DLNA, while the average router does. 54% of routers support DLNA.
  • 44 fewer connected devices
    Maximum connected devices
    20
    â–¼ Worse than 77% of models
    Market range: <0 – >250
    This router supports fewer connected devices than the average router (20 vs 64). The average router supports 64 connected devices.
    20 vs 64
  • 44 fewer connected devices
    Maximum connected devices
    20
    â–¼ Worse than 77% of models
    Market range: <0 – >250
    This router supports fewer connected devices than the average router (20 vs 64). The average router supports 64 connected devices.
    20 vs 64
  • No VPN server support
    VPN server support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
    This router cannot act as a VPN server, while the average router can. 66.3% of routers can act as a VPN server.
  • No dynamic routing
    Dynamic routing
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support dynamic routing, while the average router does. 52.3% of routers support dynamic routing.
  • 1 fewer USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer USB ports than the average router (0 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    0 vs 1
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • No DLNA support
    DLNA support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
    This router does not support DLNA, while the average router does. 54% of routers support DLNA.
  • 75% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    64 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (64 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    64 MB vs 256 MB
  • 96.9% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.003906 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
    Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
    This router has less internal storage than the average router (0 GB vs 0.1 GB). The average router offers 0.125 GB of internal storage.
    0.003906 GB vs 0.125 GB
  • 41 mm wider width
    Width
    243 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
    Market range: <100 mm – >300 mm
    This router is wider than the average router (243 mm vs 202 mm). The average router is 202 mm wide.
    243 mm vs 202 mm

Graphic comparison of TP-Link Archer A8 and other routers

No results found

Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
4.5
8659 Reviews
amazon
4.5
131 Reviews
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.5
13878 Reviews
Amazon_logo.png
4.5
131 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

What customers like about TP-Link Archer A8?

  • Good top speeds on the 5GHz band, suitable for 4K streaming and gaming.
  • Very easy and straightforward setup process.
  • Affordable price point for a budget-friendly AC1900 router.
  • Decent wireless range for apartments and single-story homes.
  • Equipped with full Gigabit Ethernet ports for stable wired connections.
  • Supports MU-MIMO and Beamforming for efficient device communication.

What customers dislike about TP-Link Archer A8?

  • Lacks Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 support, limiting speeds for newer devices.
  • Does not support Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) to avoid congested channels.
  • Range is insufficient for very large or multi-level houses, leading to dead zones.
  • Performance drops significantly when moving two or more walls away.
  • Occasional reports of intermittent Wi-Fi connection drops or nightly instability.
  • No built-in USB ports for network-attached storage or printer sharing.

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

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