Best Wi-Fi cards for your PC in 2023

If you build PCs, you might not get excited by the thought of Wi-Fi cards as much as, say, graphics cards. However, while raw power is absolutely important for things like gaming and streaming, having a bad internet connection can slow you down tremendously. It’s even worse if you rely on a Wi-Fi connection for work instead of Ethernet. While Wi-Fi routers and Wi-Fi itself have improved considerably over the past few years, a wireless connection can still be plagued by drops in performance, general connectivity issues, and security risks due to outdated firmware. If you face these issues with Wi-Fi on your PC, getting a dedicated PCIe Wi-Fi card is the way to go.

Our top picks for the best Wi-Fi cards for your PC

Source: ASUS

ASUS PCE-AXE59BT

Best overall

The ultimate Wi-Fi card when it comes to performance and value

$60 $70 Save $10

The Asus PCE AXE59BT features a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E configuration, Bluetooth 5.2, WPA3 network security, and everything else that you’d need from a Wi-Fi card at a reasonable price. It’s fast, reliable, and delivers high-end wireless paired with a compact design.

Pros

• Supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard
• Two external antennas with a magnetized base for better coverage
• Bluetooth 5.2 enables better connectivity with wireless peripherals

Cons

• Occasional issues while installing the drivers

If you have a decent PC and feel like the only thing holding you back is your wireless connection, then the Asus PCE-AXE59BT is all you need. It’s easily the best Wi-Fi card on this list because of its reliability, performance, and overall value.

To start, it features a compact, low-profile design that will easily fit into the aesthetic of any PC build. It also has a magnetized antenna base that features two external antennas to improve signal strength and coverage. The Wi-Fi card supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard and can reach a theoretical maximum speed of up to 5.4Gbps. Of course, real-world speeds will be a bit lower than that, but nothing is stopping you from pairing this card with a gigabit internet connection.

This card also supports the newer 6GHz band, which enables more bandwidth, faster data transfers, and less interference with other devices connected to the router. With this band enabled, the adapter can support up to seven 160MHz channels, enabling multi-gig speeds and support for high-bandwidth activities.

These features should be enough proof that this is by far the best Wi-Fi card for productivity, streaming, and gaming. The wide coverage means you get reduced dead zones, and you even get Bluetooth 5.2 support to connect your favorite wireless peripherals. It’s not the cheapest option on this list, but considering you’ll be getting the best of the best and using it for a long time, it is certainly quite impressive.

Source: TP-Link

TP-Link Archer TX20E

Most reliable

An excellent example of set it and forget it

$36 $40 Save $4

If you need something cheap that offers simple plug-and-play functionality, the Archer TX20E is what you’re looking for. While it doesn’t cost a lot, it delivers performance that can rival Wi-Fi cards that are twice the price.

Pros

• Wide compatibility, even with Linux distros
• WPA3 network encryption
• Excellent performance for its price

Cons

• No built-in Bluetooth; USB dongle provided instead

If you feel like the ASUS card above is a bit pricey for you, the TP-Link Archer TX20E is the next obvious choice. It delivers about 90% of the functionality but at a lower price. The only thing holding it back is that it’s not a Wi-Fi 6E card. However, if Wi-Fi 6 is good enough for you, then this might be the best Wi-Fi card in terms of reliability.

First off, considering the price, the fact that you’ll get support for speeds up to 1.8Gbps is incredible. Even cheap network devices aren’t slow anymore, and it’s up to internet service providers to catch up. You’ll also get a reliable connection thanks to the dual-band Wi-Fi 6 controller. The main difference between Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 6 is the use of the 6GHz spectrum. For most people, Wi-Fi 6 is plenty, and unless you have a Wi-Fi 6E router, you won’t find much use for it anyway.

The best part about this card is its wide compatibility. It works with Windows 10, Windows 11, and even with most Linux kernels. The drivers aren’t a pain to install; it has a pretty compact size; and it even features two external antennas for wider coverage.

This is an excellent Wi-Fi card that punches above its price class. The only downside is that Bluetooth support is not built into the card natively. Instead, TP-Link gives you a USB dongle that can enable Bluetooth 5.2 functionality. That’s fine, but more clarity would have been appreciated. Other than that, this is the best Wi-Fi card if you want something reliable.

Source: TP-Link

TP-Link Archer TXE75E

Premium pick

Phenomenal coverage paired with the latest Wi-Fi standard

$55 $80 Save $25

For users seeking maximum speed and exceptional Wi-Fi coverage for their PC, the Archer TXE75E stands out as the optimal choice. This high-performance tri-band, Wi-Fi 6E card guarantees a seamless and reliable internet connection, making it well worth the investment.

Pros

• Superb coverage thanks to the external antenna base
• Latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards
• Great stability and reliability with custom heatsink

Cons

• Pricey compared to the competition

Not everyone will be eager to splurge or overspend on a Wi-Fi card, but the TP-Link Archer TXE75E is well worth the cost. It’s an excellent choice for those who want better coverage and a speedier connection. Most Wi-Fi cards do a decent job of connecting your PC to the internet, but that’s about it. Meanwhile, the Archer TXE75E features an external antenna base that substantially improves coverage.

Signal strength and stability are unparalleled, and there’s no drop in speed even if your router is placed further away. Thanks to Wi-Fi 6E, you get a tri-band configuration, which means you can connect multiple devices on different bands to reduce interference. In terms of speed, you’re looking at 2.4Gbps on the 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands. For the 2.4GHz one, you get a maximum speed of up to 574Mbps. So no matter which band you use, you can still take advantage of a faster internet connection. Since the card offers promising coverage and signal strength, you can pair it with the best mesh routers for a completely wire-free experience.

The magnetized antenna base is easy enough to hide, and you can add aftermarket antennas in case anything goes wrong. However, that’s highly unlikely, considering TP-Link doesn’t fail to deliver in terms of reliability.

Sure, a pricey Wi-Fi card won’t be for everyone. But for those who need the best experience possible without any compromises, this is the one. Think of it as spending more now to save yourself from headaches in the future.

Source: TP-Link

TP-Link Archer T5E

Best value

Low cost, high performance

$35 $40 Save $5

For those of you who don’t want to spend too much but still want a dual-band Wi-Fi card that delivers fast speeds, the Archer T5E is the best value. While it only supports Wi-Fi 5, it’s more than what most people will need considering the average household’s internet speed.

Pros

• Dual-band configuration
• Works with multiple Windows versions (from 7 to 11)
• 1.2Gbps data transfer speeds

Cons

• Older Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards
• Coverage could be improved

Not everyone needs Wi-Fi 6E, a 6GHz band, or speeds that can go up to 5Gbps. If all you care about is an affordable card that’s fast, reliable, and doesn’t have any useless bells and whistles that pump up the price, this is the one. This card will be enough for most users, but those who don’t mind the extra cost can choose a Wi-Fi 6 card.

The only thing that might turn you away from this card is the older Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2 standards. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Wi-Fi 5 is still fast enough for most use cases, and Bluetooth 4.2 works well enough for PC Controllers and other peripherals. While the card is on the cheaper side, it still supports fast data transfer speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. This card even works with multiple Windows versions. You can find drivers for Windows 7 all the way up to Windows 11. You don’t have to worry much about compatibility at all, and this further adds to its plug-and-play functionality.

The only real downside here is that the coverage could be a bit better. Again, if you care about newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, look elsewhere. However, if you need something that just works and won’t break the bank, this is it.

Source: GIGABYTE

GIGABYTE WiFi 6E GC-WBAX210

Best for gaming

The perfect solution for low-latency gaming

The Gigabyte GC-WBAX210 is the best Wi-Fi card for gamers. It’s competitively priced, delivers fast performance, and features the latest Wi-Fi. If you don’t want annoying latency issues, this is an excellent card to avoid the problem.

Pros

• Supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard
• Competitive pricing
• Works with Linux

Cons

• Coverage could be a bit better
• Drivers can be buggy at times

Are you a gamer who needs something blazing fast, affordable, and well-designed? If all of that speaks to you, this might be the best Wi-Fi card that you can buy. The Gigabyte GC-WBAX210 has everything that a gamer would want.

First off, it supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard; this means it features the new 6GHz band. As a result, you’ll enjoy more bandwidth and less latency when you’re playing games online. In terms of speed, this card can go up to 2.4Gbps with ease. This is certainly more than enough for quickly downloading a few games. It also looks good and will fit into any build regardless of the color theme. You don’t expect to hear that in a guide about the best Wi-Fi cards, but it’s true. It has a bold “Team Up, Fight On” engraving on the back, a clean-looking heat sink, and an aggressively styled external antenna.

There are a few downsides to this card. For one, it only supports Bluetooth 5.2 instead of the newer 5.3. This seems odd, as everything else about this is quite high-end. Other than that, the drivers can be a bit buggy during installation, and while the coverage is good, there’s room for improvement.

All these issues are worth mentioning, but none of them are dealbreakers. Pair this Wi-Fi card with one of the best routers for gaming, and you’ll get the high-end experience that you deserve.

Source: TP-Link

TP-Link Archer TXE72E

Best for multiple Bluetooth devices

For hardware enthusiasts with a ton of peripherals

$50 $60 Save $10

With Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a tri-band configuration, the Archer TXE72E is the best Wi-Fi card if you want to connect multiple wireless devices. It handles switching between devices very well and is a great choice if you want to connect wireless stuff like headphones, keyboards, and mice.

Pros

• Rock-solid Bluetooth connection
• Great Wi-Fi 6E performance
• Superb coverage

Cons

• A bit on the pricier side
• Compatibility issues with some cases

The TP-Link Archer TXE72E is very similar to the Archer TX20E. The only discernible difference is that this one works better if you want to connect multiple Bluetooth devices. It features Bluetooth 5.3, the latest standard, and it lets you easily switch between multiple wireless devices.

For those who have multiple wireless headphones, keyboards, or mice, this card is ideal. It’s a bit pricey compared to the Archer TX20E (which is often on sale) but justifies the price with its performance. Speaking of which, Wi-FI speeds are quite impressive as well. You can easily achieve 2.4Gbps on the 5GHz and 6GHz channels and 500 Mbps on the 2.4GHz channel. There is very little latency on both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, which also makes it a decent option for gaming. All of that sounds great, but you might be asking why this one is lower on the list if it’s that good.

Well, it’s because there’s a small design flaw with the I/O bracket. For some PC cases, the bracket is too long, and for others, it’s too short. This seems to mainly be an issue with ITX and mATX cases, so you’ll be fine if you have an ATX case.

Source: Intel

Intel Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ Desktop Kit

Best low-profile

Strange design but surprisingly fast

$19 $32 Save $13

This Intel Wi-Fi 6 card is certainly unconventional in terms of design, but it manages to be incredibly cheap without sacrificing Wi-Fi or Bluetooth performance. The limited compatibility means it won’t be for everyone, but it’s a great option if your motherboard supports it

Pros

• Incredibly low price
• Great Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance
• Low-profile design

Cons

• Harder to install than others on this list
• Incompatible with certain motherboards
• Antenna cable can be a bit hard to hide

The Intel Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ Desktop Kit is by far the most unconventional Wi-Fi card on this list. So far, only PCIe Wi-Fi cards have been covered, but this Intel kit is very different. Instead of using the PCIe x1 slot, this one plugs into an M.2 2230 socket that uses a Key E or Key A design. As you can probably guess, this slot is not available on certain motherboards.

This unconventional design is the only reason it’s lower on the list. It’s a bit hard to install, and the cable that connects to the antennas can be hard to hide. You can easily get around that issue, but some people might not want to deal with it in the first place. However, if your motherboard has an M.2 slot that can house this card, and you’re willing to put up with the installation, you’ll be saving a lot of money. This Wi-Fi 6 card is significantly cheaper than others on this and has the same features in a different form factor. It’s also great for gaming and high-bandwidth tasks thanks to the low latency.

The Bluetooth connection is rock-solid as well. Intel even separately sells adapters if you don’t have an M.2 Key A or Key E socket on your motherboard. Still, considering that it’s an extra expense and it’s hard to install, it’s not for everyone.

Source: TP-Link

TP-Link Archer T2E

Entry-level pick

For those on a tighter budget

$15 $20 Save $5

For the price of an afternoon lunch paired with some coffee, you’re getting a dual-band Wi-Fi card that can deliver 600Mbps speed. There’s not much more you could ask for at this price. The Archer T2E might not be the most obvious choice, but it’s the best one on a tight budget.

Pros

• Dirt cheap pricing
• Compact low-profile design
• Solid security thanks to WPA3 encryption

Cons

• Relatively slow compared to others on this list
• No support for Bluetooth
• Coverage is slightly below average

There’s not much to be said about the TP-Link Archer T2E. It’s a cheap dual-band, Wi-Fi 5 card that gets the job done while delivering 600 Mbps speeds. While that’s relatively slower than the other options on this list, it’s still more than enough for most users.

Sure, it doesn’t support the newest Wi-Fi or Bluetooth standards, but its reasonable price point makes this fact easier to swallow. It has a low-profile design that’ll be barely visible in most PC cases, and the connection is pretty stable overall. The card also features WPA3 encryption, which means that while it’s cheap, it’s not insecure.

Of course, there are obvious shortcomings with an entry-level Wi-Fi card. If you have a gigabit connection, this card won’t let you take advantage of your internet speed. The coverage is decent enough, but you’ll need to position the antenna just right to get the best performance. Despite that, we think this Wi-Fi card is still a decent option for many budget buyers.

Getting the most out of a wireless connection

Wired Ethernet connections are generally always better than wireless ones. Wi-Fi is usually slower for gaming, and it can be a bit unreliable if you’re transferring large files over the internet. However, if you know what to look for in a Wi-Fi card for your PC, you can get the most out of your wireless connection.

Source: ASUS

ASUS PCE-AXE59BT

$60 $70 Save $10

The Asus PCE-AXE59BT features everything you’d expect from a high-end Wi-Fi card. The tri-band configuration, paired with the excellent coverage, makes this one a no-brainer.

For example, the Asus PCE-AXE59BT proves that a wireless connection isn’t always unreliable or slow, which is why it sits at the top of this list. This ASUS card is fast, provides excellent coverage, and has everything you need for a great experience. And, if you want to level up, the PCE-AC88 from ASUS is even better in terms of coverage, even if it is on the pricier side.

Similarly, the TP-Link Archer TX20E is affordable, works with various operating systems (both Linux and Windows), and doesn’t disappoint in terms of performance. These selections show that wireless performance has come a long way, and you should take advantage of the advancements.