Is the Automower 430X NERA wire-free, or does it still need a boundary wire?

It depends which version you're offered. The Husqvarna Automower 430X NERA has been sold in two forms under one name, and only one of them works without a wire out of the box.

The version Husqvarna UK still lists is the "with wire free technology" bundle. It pairs the mower with Husqvarna's EPOS Plug-in, which lets it follow virtual boundaries drawn in the app using satellite RTK. The correction data comes from Husqvarna's cloud over the mower's built-in cellular or Wi-Fi connection, so no reference station is needed where there's coverage. Husqvarna rates the bundle for 4,800 m² when it mows in systematic lines.

The plain 430X NERA, supplied for a boundary wire, is now marked discontinued. It was rated for 3,200 m², because on a wire it mows in an irregular pattern. If you find one as run-out or second-hand stock, plan on laying a wire. Husqvarna UK doesn't list a separate plug-in for it, so ask a dealer before assuming you can upgrade it later.

One useful quirk: Husqvarna's spec table lists both virtual and physical wire for the bundle. That means a wire can be used on stretches where the satellite view is blocked, such as a boundary under mature trees, while the open parts of the lawn run on virtual boundaries. Our perimeter wire vs wire-free guide explains the trade-offs, and the network RTK and 4G guide covers signal coverage.