Head-to-head · Best Powerline Network Adapters

TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P) vs TP-Link TL-PA7017P

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P) comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about Gamers and 4K streamers who want the top powerline speed class and two Gigabit ports without paying the Netgear premium. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Powerline Network Adapters

TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P)

4.5

3 sources2 derived$89.99as of Aug 1

The TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P) is the value pick in the fastest powerline class, carrying the AV2000 rating and two Gigabit ports per adapter. Tech Advisor said its real-world performance "scored as high as we've seen in tests," and TechRadar calls it the fastest powerline adapter at up to 2000 Mbps. What it gives up against its kit-mates is a pass-through outlet.

Strengths

— AV2000 speed class, rated up to 2000 Mbps
— Two Gigabit Ethernet ports on each adapter
— 128-bit AES encryption with plug-and-play pairing and a sync button

Watch-outs

— No pass-through outlet, so each adapter takes a whole wall socket
— Bulky adapters that crowd a two-outlet plate
— Real-world speed depends heavily on the quality of the house wiring

$89.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #3 in Best Powerline Network Adapters

TP-Link TL-PA7017P

4.4

3 sources2 derived$59.99as of Aug 1

The TP-Link TL-PA7017P is the best-value powerline kit, named best budget adapter with pass-through sockets by Tech Advisor, which praised it as 'fast, easy, affordable, compact' with passthrough on both adapters. Its AV1000 speed handles HD streaming and general use comfortably for far less than the AV2000 kits. The trade-offs are a single Gigabit port per adapter and no Wi-Fi.

Strengths

— Best budget kit with a pass-through outlet on both adapters
— Compact, unobtrusive design
— Gigabit Ethernet port for full wired-speed connections

Watch-outs

— Only one Ethernet port per adapter
— AV1000 ceiling is slower than AV2000 kits
— No built-in Wi-Fi

$59.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P)

The fast-and-cheap alternative to the NETGEAR PLP2000: it matches that kit's AV2000 speed class and dual Gigabit ports for less money, but the Netgear keeps a pass-through outlet the TP-Link does not have. It is clearly faster than the AV1000-class TL-PA7017P and TL-WPA7617 and the TRENDnet TPL-423E2K.

TP-Link TL-PA7017P

The budget value pick. It's far cheaper than the AV2000-class NETGEAR PLP2000 and TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P) and adds the pass-through outlet the TL-PA9020P lacks, though it's slower (AV1000) with a single port. It shares its base adapter with the Wi-Fi-equipped TP-Link TL-WPA7617, and outperforms the cheaper TRENDnet TPL-423E2K in TP-Link's reliable ecosystem.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	TP-Link AV2000 (TL-PA9020P)	TP-Link TL-PA7017P
Speed Rating	AV2000 (up to 2000 Mbps)	AV1000 (up to 1000 Mbps)
Ethernet Ports	2x Gigabit per adapter	1x Gigabit per adapter
Pass-through Outlet	No	Yes (both adapters)
Standard	HomePlug AV2 / MIMO	HomePlug AV2
Adapters in Kit	2	2
Setup	Plug-and-play	Plug-and-play
Encryption	128-bit AES	128-bit AES
Wi-Fi	No (wired only)	No (wired only)
Dimensions	2.8"L x 1.7"W x 5.2"H	3.7"L x 1.7"W x 2.3"H
Weight	—	0.52 kg

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