AVM FritzBox 4630 Review: Budget Wi-Fi 7 for Fibre — With One Crucial Catch

The AVM FritzBox 4630 positions itself as an affordable entry point into Wi-Fi 7 for households with fibre broadband. At roughly €145, it undercuts the flagship FritzBox models considerably. However, there is an important caveat that prospective buyers need to understand before purchasing: despite carrying the Wi-Fi 7 label, this router does not include the 6 GHz frequency band. That is a meaningful limitation, as 6 GHz is arguably the most significant improvement Wi-Fi 7 brings over its predecessors.

The FritzBox 4630 is designed specifically for fibre connections that already have a separate ONT (Optical Network Terminal) modem. This means it will not work as a standalone unit on a direct fibre line — you need the ONT box provided by your internet service provider. For households that already have this hardware in place, the 4630 slots in neatly as a compact, affordable router.

AVM has kept the form factor small and practical. The FritzBox 4630 is noticeably more compact than the brand's higher-end models, making it easy to tuck away on a shelf or beside a desk. The design follows AVM's familiar aesthetic — functional rather than decorative, with the signature red-and-silver colour scheme. It will not win design awards, but it is unobtrusive and solidly built.

AVM's setup process has always been one of the brand's strengths, and the 4630 is no exception. The web-based interface guides users through the initial configuration step by step. Even less technically confident users should find the process manageable without needing to consult a manual.

This is where the compromises begin to show. The FritzBox 4630 lacks several features found in the more expensive FritzBox models. There is no Zigbee support for smart home devices, no built-in repeater function, and the MLO (Multi-Link Operation) performance — one of Wi-Fi 7's headline features — proved disappointingly slow in testing. For users who want a fully featured smart home hub and mesh networking base station rolled into their router, the 4630 falls short.

On the 2.4 GHz band, the FritzBox 4630 performs well, delivering good speeds with respectable range. Signal reach is solid enough for small to medium-sized flats and apartments. However, performance on the 5 GHz band does not keep pace with AVM's premium models. This is not unusual for a budget router, but it is worth noting for anyone who relies on 5 GHz for bandwidth-intensive tasks such as 4K streaming or large file transfers.

The most significant limitation remains the missing 6 GHz band. Without it, the Wi-Fi 7 designation feels somewhat hollow. The real-world speed and latency improvements that Wi-Fi 7 promises are largely tied to 6 GHz operation, and without access to that spectrum, the 4630 behaves more like a solid Wi-Fi 6 router with a few incremental improvements.

The FritzBox 4630 covers the basics — Ethernet ports for wired devices and the standard telephony connections AVM is known for. However, the port selection is not high-end. Users who need multiple Gigabit Ethernet connections or advanced WAN options may find the offering limited compared to pricier FritzBox alternatives.

One area where the FritzBox 4630 genuinely excels is energy efficiency. Power consumption is very low — noticeably lower than the larger FritzBox models. For a device that runs around the clock, this translates to meaningful electricity savings over the course of a year. In an era of rising energy costs, this is a practical advantage that should not be overlooked.

The FritzBox 4630 is available at an RRP of approximately €145.22. That places it firmly in the budget segment of AVM's router range, well below the flagship FritzBox 6690 and 5690 models. For the price, the feature set is reasonable — provided buyers understand the limitations they are accepting.

The AVM FritzBox 4630 is a sensible choice for budget-conscious households with a fibre connection and an existing ONT modem. It offers good 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi performance, excellent energy efficiency, a compact footprint, and AVM's reliably straightforward setup process. However, the missing 6 GHz band is a genuine drawback that undermines the Wi-Fi 7 branding. Buyers who want the full Wi-Fi 7 experience — including the speed and capacity improvements that 6 GHz enables — will need to look further up AVM's range. For those with modest requirements in a smaller living space, the 4630 delivers solid, no-frills connectivity at an attractive price.