Wi-Fi 6 devices: The top compatible phones, laptops and gadgets thus far

Wi-Fi 6 is the newest and fastest version of Wi-Fi, and we've watched it gradually start to roll out across the top wireless devices since its arrival in 2019. At this point, in 2021, there are plenty of interesting options if you're looking to buy in.

In a nutshell, Wi-Fi 6 is capable of top speeds that are about 30% faster than the fastest Wi-Fi 5 speeds, and it's much better equipped to handle busy networks with lots of devices, as well as dense, crowded environments with lots of users. It won't do anything to speed up a slow ISP connection, so don't expect miracles -- but it will help you get the fastest, most efficient connection possible at home.

You'll need a Wi-Fi 6 router and new Wi-Fi 6 devices in order to enjoy those benefits at home -- here are the top options currently available, which we'll update regularly.

Phones

It's not surprising that, after routers, smartphones were among the first devices to start incorporating support for Wi-Fi 6. Samsung was the first with the Galaxy S10, but Apple, LG, Huawei and others were soon to follow suit. 

As of now, the list of phones that can connect at faster Wi-Fi 6 speeds includes:

• Huawei P40 Pro
• iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max and 12 Mini
• LG V60 ThinQ
• Motorola Edge Plus
• OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10E
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10
• Samsung Galaxy S20
• Samsung Galaxy Fold

And what about the phones that don't support Wi-Fi 6? The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes to mind, but Google's Pixel lineup is probably the most notable example. Even the newest models -- the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G -- don't include Wi-Fi 6 support.

We're also starting to see the very first phones that support Wi-Fi 6E, a new designation for Wi-Fi 6 devices that are equipped to tap into the newly opened 6GHz band, which offers a massive amount of spectrum with no interference from older-gen connections. The first phones to support the designation include the Samsung Galaxy S21, as well as two gaming phones: the Lenovo Legion and the Asus ROG Phone 3. Each of those uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 Plus processor, which boasts support for Wi-Fi 6E and 5G.

It's pretty likely that we'll see a handful of other phones jump in with Wi-Fi 6E by the end of this year, too, so stay tuned.

Laptops

There's a growing number of new laptops that are shipping with Wi-Fi 6 as the default option. Some of our favorites include:

• Asus Chromebook Flip c436
• Dell XPS 13 (2020)
• HP Spectre x360
• Lenovo Yoga c940
• LG Gram 17
• Microsoft Surface Laptop Go

And nope, none of Apple's laptops support Wi-Fi 6 yet -- not even the newest, 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Other devices

Other recent Wi-Fi 6 devices include the new eighth-gen iPad and fourth-gen iPad Air, but we haven't seen Wi-Fi 6 support in many other types of devices -- no TVs, no streamers, no smart home gadgets. That's likely to change in the coming months, though. We'll be sure to update this post as Wi-Fi 6 adoption spreads.

There's one big, obvious exception: routers. You'll need one that supports Wi-Fi 6 running your home network if you want to take full advantage of the Wi-Fi 6 radio in your fancy new phone or laptop -- and fortunately, you've already got a lot of options.

My favorite among them is the Asus ZenWifi AX, a two-piece Wi-Fi 6 mesh router that costs $450. It isn't cheap, but it aced my tests and offers just about everything you could reasonably want from a router. Even more of an upgrade: the $600 Netgear Orbi AX6000 mesh system, which hit the fastest top speeds we've ever seen from a mesh router.

If you don't need a multi-point mesh router (or if you just don't want to pay that much), you'll find Wi-Fi 6 support in standalone models that cost a little less. I like the TP-Link Archer AX6000 -- it hit the fastest top speeds our test lab has ever seen, and you can get for less than $300. Meanwhile, the TP-Link Archer AX1500 costs just $80 or less, though the top speeds are more limited.

Expect to see lots of new Wi-Fi 6 routers like those in 2021. We've already tested a few of the new ones that made their debut at this year's all-virtual CES, including the Asus RT-AX68U and the Arris Surfboard Max AX6600.

In addition, you might be able to update an older laptop with a new Wi-Fi 6 radio. For instance, Rivet Networks sells the Killer AX1650 Wi-Fi 6 adapter for laptops with an M.2 connector and a standard Key A or E socket. We picked one up last year to upgrade the laptop in our test lab and it works great. Cost? Just $50.

As for Wi-Fi 6E, we're just starting to see the arrival of the very first routers that include access to the newly unlocked 6GHz band. The first thus far is the Asus GT-AXE11000, a premium gaming router that's set to hit stores this month. Later this year, expect to see new Wi-Fi 6E routers from Netgear, Linksys, TP-Link and others, too.