In Brief: MSI Roamii BE Lite Mesh System
MSI’s Roamii BE Lite is a two-node mesh router system intended to bring Wi-Fi 7 to everyone at home—albeit by skipping certain hallmark features of the new standard.
Positive Points
- Moderately priced Wi-Fi 7 mesh router
- Extremely simple to set up
- 2.5 GbE WAN port
- Free parental controls from MSI
Negative Points
- Limited Wi-Fi 7: no 6 GHz band, no 320 MHz channels
- Two LAN ports are capped at 1 GbE
- App and settings can feel sluggish
A Mesh System for Whole-Home Wi-Fi 7
MSI is renowned for motherboards and graphics cards, but the Taiwanese firm has been entering the home networking market with growing confidence—offering a range from tiny USB Wi-Fi adapters to hefty gaming routers. The new Roamii BE Lite exemplifies MSI’s eagerness to adopt Wi-Fi 7, using the tagline “Wi-Fi everywhere at home.” Notably, MSI focuses less on raw speed and more on how many devices can connect simultaneously or on features like ML/MU-MIMO. This approach may hint at certain hardware compromises.
Two Matching Nodes, One Mesh Network
In its box, the Roamii BE Lite includes two identical nodes. They aim to extend Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home, though it doesn’t appear possible to buy additional single nodes to expand coverage, unlike some competing brands. Officially, single add-on nodes exist, but obtaining them separately might prove challenging.
Each Roamii BE Lite node stands nearly 24 cm tall, which may limit discrete placement. The triangular base is a more manageable 118.5 × 108 mm, though each unit weighs about 585 grams and requires an external power brick. Both nodes come in white, feature a subtle “7” design embossed on the front (a nod to Wi-Fi 7), and have a distinctive triangular shape to stand out from other mesh systems.
Ports and Connections
All connectors are on the back of each node:
- One WAN port (2.5 GbE) for your modem or existing router
- Two LAN ports (1 GbE each) for wired devices
- A small sync button for pairing
While the 2.5 GbE WAN port is helpful for higher speeds from your internet source, the absence of a USB port or faster LAN ports can be disappointing if you want to share a printer or achieve greater wired throughput across the network.
Easy Setup with MSI’s Mobile App
Like most modern mesh systems, you configure the Roamii BE Lite via MSI’s smartphone app. In practice, the process is extremely quick—just a few minutes, and the nodes are online. The app (available in clear, fluent English) guides you step by step. Aside from any custom tweaks you might prefer, little more is needed than following the on-screen prompts.
The interface resembles those from established mesh brands (Netgear, TP-Link, etc.). There’s a simple network map view, real-time speeds, connected devices, and some advanced menus. Notably, you can access more detailed options like VPN or DDNS settings, and you can enable MLO (multi-link operation) to combine 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for improved coverage or higher aggregate speeds.
Free Parental Controls
MSI provides free parental controls within the app—an advantage if you want to limit children’s online time or set up device-specific schedules. It’s not the most advanced system, but it’s enough to create basic profiles, assign devices, and establish time restrictions such as bedtime cut-offs.
A Missing Web Interface
Although MSI’s phone app covers the essentials, there doesn’t seem to be a dedicated web-based interface for adjusting router settings—if there is, it’s well hidden.
A Partial Wi-Fi 7 Experience (No 6 GHz)
Despite being advertised as Wi-Fi 7, this mesh system is arguably a halfway measure between Wi-Fi 6/6E and a “true” Wi-Fi 7 device. MSI has included modern features such as multi-link operation, MU-MIMO, and 4K-QAM, but there’s no 6 GHz band and no 320 MHz-wide channel support. Technically, it meets the minimum requirement for “Wi-Fi 7,” yet lacks key elements that define the new standard’s top-end potential.
Real-World Performance
Because it omits the 6 GHz band entirely, we measured only the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals. On those bands, the Roamii BE Lite produces a robust Wi-Fi signal, comparable or superior to some older Wi-Fi 6 mesh units in the same price tier. However, MSI’s claim of coverage up to about 539 m² is likely optimistic—practically, real coverage in complex homes would be closer to a third of that, though you have two nodes to help extend the range.
Throughput Results
At close, medium, and more distant ranges, the Roamii BE Lite delivers acceptable speeds. In 2.4 GHz, it never reached above roughly 300 Mb/s, which is normal for that frequency. In 5 GHz, we recorded up to about 980 Mb/s under optimal conditions—decent, but outclassed by premium systems like Netgear’s Orbi 970, which surpasses 1600 Mb/s (thanks to full 6 GHz support and 320 MHz channels). So while the MSI system can handle a busy household, it’s not a performance champion.
Availability
MSI released the Roamii BE Lite fairly recently, alongside announcements of higher-tier versions (BE Pro and BE Max) that presumably restore the 6 GHz band and offer higher-end specs. For now, the two-pack kit is the main bundle available. It’s priced below many advanced Wi-Fi 7 mesh kits, reflecting the pared-down feature set. Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward option to buy an extra single node for further expansion—something that’s fairly standard with other mesh brands.
Conclusion
Overall Rating: 7/10
From a functional standpoint, MSI’s mesh router system isn’t a bad product. It adeptly creates a roaming Wi-Fi environment, ensuring a stable signal across most of your house. For daily use—especially on smartphones or tablets—you’ll enjoy decent speeds and a user-friendly experience.
Nevertheless, the absence of the 6 GHz band, lack of 320 MHz-wide channels, and only one 2.5 GbE port (on the WAN side) make the Roamii BE Lite feel more akin to a refined Wi-Fi 6E kit than a fully realised Wi-Fi 7 solution. On the one hand, this has allowed MSI to price it more accessibly than a full-fledged Wi-Fi 7 mesh system. On the other hand, it means you’re not unlocking all the perks promised by the latest standard. If you’re aware of those trade-offs and mainly want a dependable mesh setup with easy configuration, the Roamii BE Lite should serve well. Otherwise, consider waiting for a more comprehensive Wi-Fi 7 release.
