Comparing Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7: Flint 3 Router Tests

Updated: 6/24/2025 with more test results.

🧪 Real-World Throughput Tests

I ran a series of real-world throughput tests on the Flint 3 router using three distinct setups:

  • MacBook Pro M3 over Wi-Fi 7 (MLO)
  • Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 | Intel AX200 (160 MHz)
  • NAS (OMV 7.7.9-1 “Sandworm”) | 16GB RAM | 2.5 Gbps & 1 Gbps wired LAN

All tests used iperf3 across LAN and Wi-Fi connections.


📊 Summary Table: Sender/Receiver Throughput

DeviceAdapter / InterfaceConnection TypeAvg SenderAvg ReceiverPeak
MacBook Pro M3Apple M3 (Wi-Fi 7 MLO)Wi-Fi 7 (MLO)~297 Mbps~296 Mbps🔼 757 Mbps
Asus LaptopIntel AX200 (160 MHz)Wi-Fi 6 (5 GHz)~287 Mbps~285 Mbps🔼 305 Mbps
NAS2.5G LANWired Ethernet~938 Mbps~935 Mbps🔼 940 Mbps

🔍 Test Insights

💻 MacBook Pro M3 (Wi-Fi 7, MLO)

With MLO enabled, the MacBook Pro M3 reached over 750 Mbps peak throughput. Average performance held steady around 297 Mbps, highlighting the benefits of Wi-Fi 7 for burst and concurrent traffic.

Verdict: Ideal for power users, creatives, and high-throughput tasks.


🖥️ Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (Intel AX200, 160 MHz Wi-Fi 6)

The Intel AX200 adapter performed solidly over a 5 GHz 160 MHz channel. It consistently hit ~285 Mbps and maxed out just above 300 Mbps.

Verdict: Reliable and fast for general tasks, but outpaced by MLO in multi-stream scenarios.


🗄️ NAS (OMV 7.7.9-1 “Sandworm”) – 2.5 Gbps Wired LAN

The wired NAS, connected via a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet interface, hit near line-rate speeds of ~940 Mbps.

Verdict: Wired is still king for raw throughput. Perfect for backups, media storage, and server workloads.


🧾 Final Thoughts

Flint 3 demonstrates its strength as a hybrid workhorse:

  • Wired clients enjoy full 2.5 Gbps or 1 Gbps speeds
  • Wi-Fi 6 clients see stable, mid-high throughput
  • Wi-Fi 7 (MLO) clients enjoy better burst handling and concurrency

For mixed client environments—or if you’re planning a Wi-Fi 7 upgrade—the Flint 3 performs reliably across the board.

📥 Full logs available upon request.
📊 Want a follow-up with VPN or multi-user stress tests? Let me know!


📅 Detailed Throughput Logs

🔹 MacBook Pro M3 (Wi-Fi 7 with MLO)

TimestampTransfer (MB)Sender (Mbps)Receiver (Mbps)
2025-06-18 20:34904757756
2025-06-18 20:36339284283
2025-06-19 14:39362303301
2025-06-19 14:41320268267
2025-06-19 14:46350293292

🔹 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (Intel AX200, Wi-Fi 6 160MHz)

TimestampTransfer (MB)Sender (Mbps)Receiver (Mbps)
2025-06-18 20:36339284283
2025-06-19 14:39351294293
2025-06-19 14:41348292291
2025-06-19 14:46350293292
2025-06-19 16:36325272271

🔹 NAS (2.5 Gbps Wired LAN)

TimestampTransfer (MB)Sender (Mbps)Receiver (Mbps)
2025-06-18 22:001120940938
2025-06-19 01:001115937935
2025-06-19 04:001121939939
2025-06-19 07:001118938937
2025-06-19 10:001122940939