Top Rated Wi-Fi Adapters : A Comprehensive Guide

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• We’ve reviewed our recommendations and these are still the best Wi-Fi cards you can buy.

A Wi-Fi card can transform your wireless experience and give your desktop PC a cable-free way to stay connected to the web. The best Wi-Fi cards will give you a fast connection and will work flawlessly with your operating system.

UPDATE: 01/09/2024

We’ve reviewed our recommendations and these are still the best Wi-Fi cards you can buy.

ASUS PCE-AXE58BT

Best Wi-Fi Card Overall
$60 at amazon

Ubit AX210S

Best Budget Wi-Fi Card
See at amazon

TP-Link Archer TXE75E

Best Wi-Fi Card for Gaming
$44 at amazon

TP-Link Archer TX3000E

Best Wi-Fi 6 Card
See at amazon

Gigabyte WiFi 6E GC-WBAX210

Best Wi-Fi Card for Linux
$40 at amazon

What to Look For In a Wi-Fi Card In 2024

First, we recommend getting a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E card, even if you don’t own a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E router , to future-proof your PC. Wireless protocols are backward-compatible , and the market is teeming with affordable Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E options.

Besides, Wi-Fi cards that support Wi-Fi 5 and older protocols tend to sell at the same or higher prices than Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E models. So, if in doubt, aim for Wi-Fi cards that support newer Wi-Fi protocols. The only scenario where you shouldn’t pick a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E card is if your PC runs a dated operating system that isn’t compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, and you don’t plan on an upgrade.

Next, to use all those features found on Wi-Fi cards, your router must also support those features. For instance, you won’t be able to use the Wi-Fi 6E standard if your router doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6E. If your router lacks MU-MIMO , OFDMA , or beamforming , you won’t be able to use those features on your Wi-Fi card even though the card supports them.

Another handy piece of information is that for Windows, Wi-Fi 6E only works on Windows 11. If you own a Wi-Fi 6E router and a Wi-Fi 6E card but run Windows 10 on your PC, you’re limited to Wi-Fi 6. On the other hand, Linux distros featuring the 5.10 or newer kernel should have out-of-the-box support for the Intel AX210 chip, the Wi-Fi 6E chip found in most Wi-Fi 6E cards.

Since virtually every Wi-Fi 6E card uses the AX210 chip—for example, every Wi-Fi 6E card on our list packs the AX210—don’t forget to install Intel wireless drivers to get full access to Wi-Fi 6E features. You can install the drivers via Intel Driver & Support Assistant (Intel DSA) or manually download drivers for the AX210 chip from Intel’s website .

If your Windows PC natively supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, turn those features off in BIOS before installing a new Wi-Fi card. If you don’t, you’ll likely be greeted with a BSOD (blue screen of death ) once you turn on your PC after installing the Wi-Fi card. And if you get a card with Bluetooth capabilities, you have to connect the card to one of your motherboard’s internal USB connectors for Bluetooth to work.

Finally, don’t forget that Wi-Fi 7 is on its way. It promises much faster speeds than even Wi-Fi 6E and other goodies. The good news is that you can get a Wi-Fi 7 router if you’re ready to pay the premium. Wi-Fi 7 cards and PCs are set to arrive in 2024 , but at the moment, you can’t get one.

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Best Wi-Fi Card Overall: ASUS PCE-AXE58BT

ASUS

We’re starting this list with the ASUS PCE-AXE58BT , a flagship Wi-Fi card from ASUS based on Intel’s AX210 Wi-Fi chip. The card features Wi-Fi 6 and 6E support, tri-band coverage—2.4GHz, 5GHz, and the Wi-Fi 6E-exclusive 6GHz band—excellent build quality and blazing-fast speeds.

Regarding the performance, ASUS claims the PCE-AXE58BT can reach up to 574Mbps over the 2.4GHz frequency, with the 5GHz and 6GHz bands topping out at 2402Mbps. That’s more than good enough for most internet plans. Just don’t forget to install the dual antennas for the best performance and coverage.

Extra features with the ASUS PCE-AXE58BT include Bluetooth 5.2, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and gold-plated antenna connectors. ASUS also includes a portable transceiver you can use to hook the antennas for even better reception.

Regarding downsides, the card’s expensive and doesn’t feature Bluetooth 5.3. If you want Bluetooth 5.3 support, check our best Wi-Fi card for gaming pick .

Best Wi-Fi Card Overall

ASUS PCE-AXE58BT

$60 $80 Save $20

An expensive but blazing-fast Wi-Fi 6E card with MU-MIMO, OFDMA, Bluetooth 5.2, portable base, and gold-plated antenna connectors.

$60 at amazon See at adorama

Best Budget Wi-Fi Card: Ubit AX210S

Ubit

Ubit is a brand offering similar hardware as big household name for a noticeably lower price. The company’s AX210S Wi-Fi card is based on the AX210 Wi-Fi chip from Intel, which means it’s compatible with Wi-Fi 6E.

What’s even more great is that you can get this card for less than half the price you’d pay for our top pick . The bad news is that you aren’t getting a portable transceiver—meaning you won’t be able to improve the reception if you face issues with the antennas’ default placement at the back of your PC.

Regarding performance, the theoretical maximum bandwidth is 574Mbps for the 2.4GHz band and 2400Mbps for the 5GHz and 6GHz bands. Extra features include OFDMA and MU-MIMO but no gold-plated antenna connectors, which is more than understandable for a budget Wi-Fi card.

Best Budget Wi-Fi Card

Ubit AX210S

The Ubit AX210S is an excellent budget Wi-Fi 6E card that boasts excellent performance and is based on the Intel AX210 wireless chip. It would’ve been even better if it came with a portable transceiver.

See at amazon

Best Wi-Fi Card for Gaming: TP-Link Archer TXE75E

TP-Link

The TP-Link Archer TXE75E is another Wi-Fi 6E card based on the Intel AX210 chip. This Wi-Fi card offers Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E support and speeds up to 574Mbps for the 2.4GHz band and 2402Mbps for the 5GHz and 6GHz bands—so you know that for gaming, you’ll be getting some of the best speeds available.

Bluetooth 5.3 support is a nice extra you don’t see on every Wi-Fi card, and the Archer TXE75E is the only one on our list that currently features it. Other extras include a portable transceiver base, gold-plated antenna connectors, OFDMA, and MU-MIMO.

Regarding real-life performance, you’re getting excellent latency, low enough for an unhindered multiplayer gaming experience. This all comes at a cost, though, with an $80 MSRP—a price point only the best overall pick rivals.

Best Wi-Fi Card for Gaming

TP-Link Archer TXE75E

$44 $80 Save $36

The TP-Link Archer TXE75E is one of the best Wi-Fi 6E cards on the market with its biggest advantage over its peers being Bluetooth 5.3 support.

$44 at amazon

Best Wi-Fi 6 Card: TP-Link Archer TX3000E

TP-Link

If you don’t plan on installing Windows 11 anytime soon, you can get a card that doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6E, since this feature is exclusive to Windows 11. So if you’re looking for a card that supports Wi-Fi 6 but not necessarily Wi-Fi 6E, TP-Link Archer TX3000E is one of the best on the market.

Performance-wise, you’re looking at up to 574Mbps over the 2.4GHz band and up to 2402Mbps over the 5GHz band. Since this card doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6E, you aren’t getting the 6GHz band coverage. That’s fine, considering that the theoretical maximum bandwidth is the same as what you’d get from a Wi-Fi 6E card, but it’ll cost you less.

Extra features include Bluetooth 5.2, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, gold-plated antenna connectors, and a portable transceiver base. Overall, great features, excellent performance, and a lower price than most other Wi-Fi 6E cards.

On the other hand, we don’t like that TP-Link states Bluetooth 5.2 support on the listing because, to get Bluetooth 5.2, you have to download updated firmware from TP-Link’s website. Out of the box, the TP-Link Archer TX3000E only supports Bluetooth 5.0.

Best Wi-Fi 6 Card

TP-Link Archer TX3000E

The TP-Link Archer TX3000E is a superb Wi-Fi 6 card that offers the same theoretical performance as Wi-Fi 6E cards.

See at amazon See at lenovo

Best Wi-Fi Card for Linux: GIGABYTE GC-WBAX210

GIGABYTE

If you need a Wi-Fi card for Linux, the GIGABYTE GC-WBAX210 is a fantastic option. This is another Wi-Fi 6E card, but it comes with many user reviews claiming it works flawlessly on various Linux distros.

Other cards featured on this list should also work without issues on Linux, especially the Wi-Fi 6E models, since they all feature the same Intel AX210 wireless chip. But the other picks on this list don’t have a ton of user reviews raving about excellent Linux support. This is why we recommend the GIGABYTE GC-WBAX210 to Linux users.

Note, however, that your Linux installation has to feature the 5.10 kernel or newer for the card to work. If you encounter issues, you can also manually download the Intel AX210 Linux firmware from Intel’s website .

Performance-wise, you’re looking at the same numbers boasted by our other picks based on the AX210 chip. Up to 574Mbps over the 2.4GHz band and up to 2400Mbps over the 5GHz and 6GHz bands. Extra features include OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 5.2, gold-plated antenna connectors, and a portable transceiver.

Concerning cons, the GIGABYTE GC-WBAX210 doesn’t have two antennas you can install directly to the card or connect to the portable base. Instead, you must use the portable base with a permanently attached single antenna. Another downside is the lack of a low-profile installation bracket found on every other card on this list—though that can be forgiven with the Wi-Fi card’s low price.

Best Wi-Fi Card for Linux

Gigabyte WiFi 6E GC-WBAX210

$40 $47 Save $7

The Gigabyte GC-WBAX210 features everything you could want in a Wi-Fi card in 2023: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and excellent Linux support.

$40 at amazon

FAQ

How do I know if I need a Wi-Fi card?

If your current Wi-Fi card is constantly dropping connection and causing Wi-Fi issues , it’s time to get a new one. Also, suppose you’ve got a new router or a faster internet plan but notice that wireless performance on your desktop or laptop PC is way below the bandwidth of your internet plan. In that case, it’s time to get a Wi-Fi card that supports faster connection speeds.

How do I install a Wi-Fi card?

If you have a PCIe Wi-Fi card, you can install it to a free PCIe slot on your motherboard. If you’ve got an M.2 Wi-Fi card, hook it to a specific M.2 slot reserved for a Wi-Fi card. You can find a dedicated M.2 Wi-Fi card slot on most newer laptops —many are populated with a preinstalled Wi-Fi card which you must remove before installing a new one— as well as on some desktop PC motherboards .

What slot does a Wi-Fi card use for installation?

Most Wi-Fi cards use a PCIe x1 connection, meaning you can use any unoccupied PCIe slot on your motherboard to install the card. This includes PCIe x1, x4, x8, and x16 slots.Some cards come in the M.2 form factor. They are usually made for laptops since most newer laptop models, notwithstanding MacBooks , feature a replaceable M.2 Wi-Fi card.Note that some desktop motherboards have a dedicated M.2 slot reserved for an M.2 Wi-Fi card, but they’re few and far between. If you own a desktop PC , your best bet is getting a PCIe Wi-Fi card.

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Are Wi-Fi cards universal?

Yes, they are. As long as your desktop PC has a free PCIe slot, be it x1, x4, x8, or x16, you can install a Wi-Fi card. Similar works for M.2 Wi-Fi cards. If your laptop has a removable M.2 Wi-Fi card or a dedicated M.2 Wi-Fi card slot, you should be able to replace or install an M.2 Wi-Fi card.

Do Wi-Fi cards work with Linux?

Yes, they do. Linux distros have out-of-the-box support for most modern Wi-Fi chips, especially Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E chips, like the Intel AX210 chip. As long as your kernel is up to date , you should be able to use a Wi-Fi card without having to manually install drivers or firmware.

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