MT7915 vs. QCN9074/QCN9024: The Battle of WiFi 6 Modules—Which One Is Better for Real-World Applications?
QCN9074/QCN9024 vs. MT7915: Both Are WiFi 6 Modules — Why Is MT7915 More Widely Adopted?
In the WiFi 6 module market, QCN9074, QCN9024, and MT7915 are all representative chips supporting the 802.11ax standard, offering higher throughput, lower latency, and stronger anti-interference capabilities. However, despite the powerful specifications of QCN9074 and QCN9024, MT7915 has gained broader adoption. This article provides a comprehensive analysis from multiple dimensions — technical specifications, application scenarios, cost, driver support, development complexity, stability, and supply chain — to explain why MT7915 is the preferred choice for many.
1. Technical Specs: MT7915 Is Weaker on Paper but Sufficient in Practice
QCN9074 is Qualcomm’s flagship WiFi 6 chip, supporting 4x4 MU-MIMO, 160MHz bandwidth, 1024-QAM modulation, and a theoretical maximum throughput of 4.8Gbps. It offers excellent signal processing and interference resistance. QCN9024 is a slightly lower-end model but still supports 2x2 or 4x4 MIMO configurations and performs well for mid-level applications.
MT7915, developed by MediaTek, is positioned as a cost-effective solution. It supports 2x2 MIMO and 160MHz bandwidth, with a theoretical throughput around 1.8Gbps. Although its raw specs fall short of Qualcomm’s chips, it delivers more than enough performance for most home and small business applications, with reliable and stable operation.
2. Driver Support and Open Source Ecosystem: MT7915 Lowers the Barrier
QCN9074/QCN9024 rely heavily on Qualcomm’s proprietary NSS (Network SubSystem) architecture and closed-source drivers. Development often requires access to SDKs or frameworks like QSDK or OpenSync. Currently, QCN9074 has limited support in the OpenWrt community, while QCN9024 support mostly exists in vendor-customized builds, limiting flexibility and general use.
In contrast, MT7915 enjoys full open-source support via the mt76 driver in Linux and OpenWrt. Developers can easily port and customize it across multiple platforms. This greatly reduces the development threshold for small companies and DIY communities, making MT7915-based solutions easier to develop, deploy, and maintain.
3. Cost and Supply Chain: MT7915 Is More Affordable and Stable
Cost is always a key consideration in the market. QCN9074 is a high-end chip and generally costs at least twice as much as MT7915. It also requires additional RF modules, heat dissipation, and high hardware integration, further increasing the BOM cost. Even QCN9024, although slightly cheaper, still remains significantly more expensive than MT7915.
MT7915, designed for the mid-market, is widely available at a lower cost and offers flexible integration. MediaTek also provides better supply chain stability — especially during recent global chip shortages — making MT7915 a more reliable option for consistent production.
4. Application Scenarios: MT7915 Matches Mid-Tier Market Demands
QCN9074 is often used in high-end enterprise routers, industrial-grade wireless devices, and carrier-grade APs, where performance, thermal management, and tight driver control are critical. QCN9024, while slightly more flexible, is still geared toward high-performance or custom-built systems.
On the other hand, MT7915 fits perfectly in consumer and mid-tier commercial markets — smart home gateways, residential routers, retail WiFi devices, and more. Its performance is well-suited to these environments, and its stability and affordability make it attractive for mass-market products.
5. Compatibility and Maturity: MT7915 Is More Mature and Ready to Use
MT7915 entered the market earlier than QCN9074 and has been validated through wide adoption. Its modules, reference designs, certification documentation, and development ecosystem are mature and well-established. There are many ready-made solutions based on MT7915. In contrast, while QCN9074 modules have been available for some time, adoption is limited and community resources remain scarce.
6. Conclusion: MT7915 Wins Not by Specs, But by Market Adaptability
While QCN9074 and QCN9024 clearly outperform MT7915 in raw technical specs, market adoption is driven not solely by performance. Instead, ease of development, cost efficiency, ecosystem support, and flexibility are what matter most. MT7915 has become a market favorite due to its open-source driver, mature development ecosystem, low cost, high adaptability, and stable supply.
For most device manufacturers seeking rapid time-to-market, manageable costs, strong software support, and broad community backing, MT7915 is undoubtedly the more attractive WiFi 6 module solution.
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