MSI Roamii BE Pro review
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MSI Roamii BE Pro: Specs
Wi-Fi specification: BE11000 (802.11be)
Number of antennas/removable: 6/No
Ports: One 2.5 Gbps WAN input, three 2.5 Gbps LAN, USB 3.0
Processor speed: Quad-core 1.5GHz
Wi-Fi chip: Qualcomm IPQ5322
Peak 802.11be performance: 1.89 Gbps (at 15 feet)
Maximum range: 110 feet
Size: 9.9 x 4.7 x 4.3 inches
Estimated annual electricity cost: $27.60 (for router and one satellite)
MSI has updated its Roamii BE Lite mesh platform for peak performance with the Roamii BE Pro by employing the 6GHz transmission band and many of Wi-Fi 7’s best tricks to speed the flow of data. Its nanocarbon coated heat fins keep the units from overheating while the BE Pro ups the mesh hardware’s top speed and network security stance. The mesh set comes with the bonus of well-designed wall brackets for easy mounting.
Unfortunately, you can only get Romai BE Pro units, like Noah’s ark, two at a time. But, at half the price of other tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh gear, the Roamii BE Pro is a cheap thrill that has the power to turn a home into a Wi-Fi palace.
My MSI Roami BE Pro review will help you decide if this is the best mesh Wi-Fi system for your home along with one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers for those who haven’t upgraded to the latest wireless standard yet.
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MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Pricing and availability
Following on the heels of the inexpensive dual-band Roamii BE Lite, MSI’s tri-band Roamii BE Pro stays true to its predecessor’s value-oriented roots but isn’t available on its own or in a three-pack. MSI sells $280 Roamii BE Pro two-packs versus the Roamii BE Lite’s $200. A single Netgear Orbi 770 node sells for $300.
The Roamii BE Pro pair is rated to cover 6,000 square feet, about equal with the Orbi 770 pair’s 5,500 square feet.
MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Design
In the spirit of creative destruction, MSI has rewritten its Wi-Fi rulebook with its economical Roamii BE Pro mesh kit. At half what competitors’ charge for mesh units, the Roamii BE Pro outdoes the BE Lite’s “meh” performance with higher data speeds, extra range and handy wall brackets.
At 9.9 x 4.7 x 4.3 inches, the white triangular Roamii BE Pro towers are slightly taller than the BE Lite units but smaller than the bulbous Orbi 770 oval devices. The big “7” inscribed on its side describes its Wi-Fi rating and MSI provides matching plastic wall brackets that make the units seem to float in space.
For most, the Roamii BE Pro will be well connected with a 2.5 Gbps input and three 2.5 Gbps downstream wired networking connections. The well-networked among us might miss an additional port, though. Still, the Roamii BE Pro’s USB Type A port can make the contents of a storage device available across a network; the Orbi 770 can’t do this. Neither the BE Pro nor Orbi 770 can provide internet backup service with a mobile phone during a broadband blackout, something several Asus routers do.
There’s a small LED that glows white up front when online, but flashes if there’s a connection problem and turns orange when offline. The LEDs underneath can show any of 10 flashy patterns but offer nothing to indicate performance. Thankfully, it can be turned off.
Based on Qualcomm’s IPQ5322 Wi-Fi 7 platform, the system’s 1.5GHz quadcore processor can connect 200 devices – overkill for the typical digital household. Its six internal antennas produce a spherical transmission pattern to connect over the 2.4, 5.0- and 6GHz bands for a theoretical throughput of 10.975 Gbps, just about matching the Orbi 770’s potential.
The mesh devices have 320MHz data channels, 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Multi-Link Operations (MLO) but Automated Frequency Control (AFC) for maximizing its 6GHz transmission strength. Its optimized passive cooling uses ultra-efficient black nanocarbon-coated heat sinks that pull heat away from its components. The top vent hit a peak temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit during testing.
The Roamii BE Pro can protect as a Virtual Private Network server. Plus, MSI’s FortiSecu online defenses use Trend Micro software, for everything from parental control software to defenses against recent exploits. Unlike competitors, there are no subscription fees for updates.
Its three-year warranty beats mesh sets at double its price and MSI promises personalized technical support for the product’s life, not just 90-days. The support site includes new firmware and MSI’s 76-page manual to help with the VPN server.
MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Performance
A big step up from the MSI Roamii BE Lite, the BE Pro pair still couldn’t fill my 3,500 square foot home with Wi-Fi. Likely a third (and obligatory fourth) unit would have helped. Based on results from Keysight’s IxChariot networking benchmark set to mimic 10 data-hungry users and an HP Envy X360 test machine, the Roamii BE Pro was surprisingly powerful.
With 15 feet of Cat 7 cabling connecting the router and test system, the benchmark reading of 3.711 Gbps makes it perfect for those with multi-gig data plans. It was short of the TP-Link Archer GE800 at 4.449 Gbps of wired throughput, however. Its 2.299 Gbps close-up Wi-Fi test result was just as impressive and 20% ahead of the more expensive Orbi 770’s 1.920 Gbps.
At the real-world wireless distance of 15 feet, the Roamii BE Pro delivered 1.885 Gbps, nearly double the BE Lite’s 970.3 Mbps but equivalent to the eero Pro 7 at 1.905 Gbps. Bottom line: it should satisfy a data-hungry connected family.
MSI Roamii BE Pro | eero Pro 7 | Netgear Orbi 770 | TP-Link Deco BE85 | MSI Roamii BE Lite | |
15 feet | 1.885 Gbps | 1.905 Gbps | 1.721 Gbps | 1.736 Gbps | 970.3 Mbps |
50 feet | 815.2 Mbps | 994.4 Mbps | 391.1 Mbps | 790.4 Mbps | 470.5 Mbps |
75 feet | 197.9 Mbps | 234.7 Mbps | 199.2 Mbps | 179.2 Mbps | 172.8 Mbps |
90 feet | 66.3 Mbps | 20.8 Mbps | 54.2 Mbps | 42.6 Mbps | 46.7 Mbps |
Its 815.2 Mbps of throughput at 50 feet was among the best in class and only outdone by the eero Pro 7’s 994.4 Mbps. At 75 feet, the Roamii BE Pro moved 197.9 Mbps, putting it roughly level with the Orbi 770’s 199.2 Mbps but behind the eero Pro 7’s 234.7 Mbps.
At the terminal distance of 90 feet, it registered 66.3 Mbps, leading the field, including mesh kits costing twice as much. It performed well on our wall penetration test where the signal is sent across a 25-foot room and through a wall. The Roamii BE Pro moved 1.280 Mbps, just off the Orbi 770’s 1.318 Gbps.
With a range of 110 feet, it is a mesh set that should fill a modest sized home with fast data and linked well with its mesh node set up a floor above the host router. With the test system 40 feet away, the network moved 642.0 Mbps, handily beating the Orbi 770’s 404.4 Mbps.
Over two weeks of daily use, the Roamii BE Pro doled out data for 4K video, gaming, heavy downloads and everyday emails. Along the way, the router and node used 9.4 and 8.6 watts, translating into an annual electricity bill of $27.60 if they’re left on 24/7 and you pay the national average electricity of 17.5 cents per kilowatt hour. It’s spot on with the eero Pro 7’s $27.90 under the same conditions.
MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Setup
Out of the box, the Roamii BE Pro units are identical. I picked one as the host router and the other as the network’s node and set them up using MSI’s Router 2.0 app with my Samsung Galaxy S25 phone; there are versions for both iOS and Android. Alternatively, I could have set it up using “msirouter.login” and a browser.
After snapping the QR code underneath, I added my network name, admin password and answered two challenge questions. I was in, added the node upstairs and ran a firmware update. I was done in 15 minutes.
Roamii BE Pro review: Configuration
Like the installation, monitoring and configuration changes can be done through the app or the device’s browser interface. The app’s Dashboard screen shows how many Roamii devices are online, up- and download speeds and offers a WiFi Share QR code for a trusted friend or if you rent out a property.
Below are tabs for Security and Parental while Advanced includes LED Management for selecting the lighting effect or turning it off. There’s no brightness control, though.
The Roamii BE Pro’s similar browser-based dashboard has IP details, number of clients and processor usage gauge. Its traffic analyzer is great for viewing the data flow.
MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Verdict
MSI’s Roamii BE Pro takes a big networking step forward with a sharp design aesthetic and its ability to efficiently move data around a small to midsized house. Its security is thorough and the Roamii BE Pro’s 2.5 Gbps networking connections should satisfy most digital families, although a fourth port would have been appreciated.
With performance that led the pack at times, it lacks Automated Frequency Control to push this further. The Roamii BE Pro’s stratospheric throughput is all the more amazing considering its down-to-earth price. At $280 for two Roamii BE Pro devices, it’s not a bad idea to get an extra two-pack and have nodes to fill in dead zones. Afterall, it’s cheap enough.
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