FRITZ!Box 7530 – Hardware Review
While the order of our reviews in this scenario doesn’t make that much sense, we tried out the FRITZ!Repeater 1200 a while ago, and now we are going to discuss the FRITZ!Box 7530 in this review. The repeater serves as a device to expand your wireless network, while the Box 7530 router serves as a means to actually create a stable hub for your home network. We have to admit that routers are a scary thing to properly learn about, especially how everything works and how well it will improve your basic connection, we’ll keep things somewhat simplified in the coming review of 7530 model.
Even though a router is often solely bought for practical reasons, as an upgrade of your standard router, or simply to allow heavier gaming sessions with less lag, it’s always nice when the device also looks good. The 7530 model is quite small and doesn’t weigh a lot (+- 350 grams). The device itself sports mainly a glossy white, with a small red influence. The backside is done with a grey color palette, but this will not be immediately visible. You’ll notice that the device blends well in any type of décor as it’s never bombastic. You’ll have small LED indicators on the front, as well as the ‘FRITZ!Box’ logo. Other than that, the device doesn’t have that many noticeable features.
Before we talk about setting up the device, we wish to note that not every subscription or place in the world has the option to replace your standard device. This means that you’ll have to add the Fritz!Box 7530 to your network as an extra device (Bridge mode), which still allows you to upgrade your connection. Nonetheless, you’ll have to check this first, as well as see if changing your router/modem setup is possible. While this may sound vague, we can’t talk about every possible situation.
Hooking up the device is quite simple, as you just need to connect the power plug, the DSL cable and of course hook it up to a computer if you’re using the wired variant. A wired network is still often considered the best when you’re playing competitive games, but with proper connection speeds, a wireless connection can also prove to be a steady gaming companion. The device then can be set up with the software, otherwise known as the FRITZ!OS, which allows you to do many basic and more advanced settings. Once again, we encourage you to do some research before tinkering with new settings. The software is fairly user-friendly, but not always extremely easy for those who are still dabbling their toes in the water of setting up new routers.
The steadiness of your connection and how data is transferred all depend on how qualitative your network and connection is, and the difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz, the latter being the best of the two. Working on the 5GHz band, of course, allows for a better data transfer, up to 866mbps. This is slower than the NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 Gaming Router we tried out in the past, but then again, NETGEAR’s device is around six times the price of the 7530, meaning this tiny device has a massive output for its price range. Working on the wireless format means that the speed is nowhere near that fast, but you still have a very stable and well-performing connection. Once again, we stress, it all depends on your subscription and the possibilities of the network of your region. When comparing internet providers between the two main regions of our site, the Netherlands and Belgium, there are already huge differences, as Belgium is somewhat lacking in performance and quality when looking at its internet providers.
You’ll notice that when you have a shoddy modem/router, your latency will go down significantly. While we are a gaming platform, and this isn’t necessarily a gaming router, you’ll get a proper latency that is often under 25-30ms for many different games.
For a detailed description of the specs and options of the device, we advise you to check out the technical sheet on the official website. We reckon many of these terms and options will sound a bit like Chinese, but there are a decent amount of wiki pages to help you out step by step. The most important features are the fact that this device is better than most standard routers, it can also offer Mesh capabilities and so on.
Conclusion
The FRITZ!Box 7530 is a worthwhile investment is you’re stuck with a router that has a very poor performance, especially when you’re paying for a connection that can do a lot more than the capacities of the standardized router can offer you. If you have a decent subscription, this new router can unlock the potential of your connection, be it as an extra router on the network, or as a completely new one, replacing your old device.
FRITZ!Box 7530 - Hardware Review,
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