TP-LINK AV1200 3-PORT GB PASSTHROUGH POWERLINE STARTER KIT (TL-PA8030P KIT)

£88 inc VAT • uk.tp-link.com

The TP-Link AV1200 Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Adaptor Starter Kit uses the latest 1200Mb/s Powerline chips to make it one of the fastest we’ve tested. We test TP-Link’s varied range of 500Mb/s Powerline starter kits elsewhere in this group test (page 78), but this model is faster because it comes with the latest Powerline processor and gigabit ethernet ports, and uses MIMO technology. Multi-input Multi-output (MIMO) allows the adaptors to use all three wires of your home electrics, including the live, neutral and earth to create multiple data paths, so that you benefit from faster data throughput and more stable connections.

Two versions are available. The TL-PA8010P KIT costs £79 and offers just one gigabit ethernet port per adaptor, while the £88 TL-PA8030P KIT is exactly the same, except that each adaptor has three gigabit ethernet ports. Both come with two adaptors and two ethernet cables.

Set up is a breeze and you don’t have to install any software or configure your settings. In our tough two-floor Powerline test, the TP-Link AV1200 managed just over 100Mb/s, which is only slightly slower than the other two gigabit Powerlines we have tested: the uglier but cheaper Solwise SmartLink 1200AV2 (107Mb/s) and larger but more costly Devolo 1200 (126Mb/s), for example.

The AV1200 Powerline Starter Kit is subtle in white, but larger than many adaptors as it has a passthrough power socket on the front, which is helpful as it means you don’t give up a valuable socket. The ethernet port is located on top of the adaptor, which is handy if your power sockets are close to the floorline.

The best value option is the TL-PA8030P KIT. Although it’s slightly more expensive, it has three gigabit ethernet ports, which you may well find is handier if you have multiple smart devices that demand fast internet connections.

Neither model offers Wi-Fi, which keeps the price down, but does limit functionality if you fancy having faster wireless in your chosen second room, as well as extra wired connections. VERDICT: The TP-Link AV1200 Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Adaptor Starter Kit matches its rival gigabit Powerline adaptor sets in our real-world speed tests. We prefer the slightly more expensive TL-PA8030P, as it offers three gigabit ethernet ports, compared to the TL-PA8010P’s single-port adaptors.

Neither version, however, includes functionality to add a new Wi-Fi hotspot in your house, as some other Powerline adaptors do. That said, if your Wi-Fi signal is acceptable you can live without a new hotspot, and the TL-PA8030P especially represents great Powerline value.