Broadcom has just announced the launch of its next-generation chips for Wi-Fi 8 access points at CES 2026 with the BCM4918 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), and two new dual-band Wi-Fi 8 radios: BCM6714 and BCM6719.
The last two build upon the Broadcom BCM6718 WiFi 8 tri-band SoC with different antenna configurations, namely 4×4 2.4GHz and 4×4 5 GHz for the BCM6719, and 3×3 2.4GHz and 4×4 5 GHz for the BCM6714, and integrated 2.4 GHz PAs. The AP4918 builds upon the AP4916, but I was unable to obtain information about the improvements from a company representing Broadcom.
Broadcom BCM4918 Wi-Fi 8 APU
BCM4918 key features:
- High-performance Quad-core Armv8 CPU complex for general-purpose software workloads
- Integrated Broadcom Neural Engine (BNE) for on-device AI/ML inference and acceleration
- Advanced networking engines to offload both wired and wireless data paths, enabling complete CPU bypass of all networking traffic
- Integrated cryptographic protocol acceleration end-to-end data protection
- Multi-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
Broadcom BCM6714 and BCM6719 dual-band Wi-Fi 8 radios
Highlights:
- Integrated multi-chain 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz functionality
- BCM6714 – Dual-band 3×3 2.4GHz and 4×4 5 GHz
- BCM6719 – Dual-band 4×4 2.4GHz and 4×4 5 GHz
- On-chip 2.4 GHz power amplifiers (PAs) for reduced external components and improved RF efficiency
- Hardware-assisted telemetry engine providing real-time network insights and analytics as input to edge-AI models for QoE measurement, enhanced security, and reduced operational cost
- Advanced eco-modes and power optimization for low energy consumption
- Third-generation digital pre-distortion to reduce peak power by 25%
The key differences against the BCM6718 can be found in the table below. Bascially the BCM6718 requires an extra
Optimized router and access point design
The BCM4918 APU can be combined with the BCM6718 and BCM6714/BCM6719 chips to create cost-optimized Wi-Fi 8 access points with fewer chips, as demonstrated in the block diagram below.
Previously, Wi-Fi 8 tri-band routers required three BCM6718 chips for 2.4 GHz, 5GHz, and 6 GHz, as illustrated by the block diagram below.
Broadcom says that routers and access points based on the Wi-Fi 8 SoC and radios will enable tri-band connectivity, AI-driven Quality of Experience (QoE) measurement and optimization, predictive maintenance and self-healing network behaviors, and intelligent power and bandwidth management.
The company also highlights Wi-Fi 8 improvements in congested networks, including higher median throughput (+200%), six times lower voice latency, a 50% reduction in active power consumption, and twice the IoT coverage.
Broadcom BCM4918 APU and the dual-band BCM6714 and BCM6719 Wi-Fi 8 devices are currently samples to early access customers and partners. The press release didn’t mention a mass production timeline. More details may be found on the product page.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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