Best Wi-Fi Cards for Desktops 2024: Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7

Best Wi-Fi Cards for Desktops

Best Wi-Fi Cards for Desktop

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Wireless connectivity has become a given for mobile computing in today’s society, particularly with smartphones, laptops, and smart home devices. However, it’s not necessarily a foregone conclusion that desktop computers come standard with Wi-Fi connectivity.

While some prebuilt desktops and motherboards include integrated Wi-Fi, many users needing wireless connectivity must opt for an add-in card or USB Wi-Fi dongle . You may also want a Wi-Fi card if your desktop came with built-in Wi-Fi 5 or 6 and now you want to upgrade to a newer standard. Luckily, a wide variety of cards are available covering the three most recent Wi-Fi standards: Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7.

Quick List

Best Wi-Fi Cards for Desktops You Can Buy Today

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Best Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Adapter

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1. MSI Herald BE

Best Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Adapter

Specifications

Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7

Chipset: Qualcomm NCM865

Bluetooth Version: 5.4

Wi-Fi Bands: 6 GHz, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz

Channel Width: Up to 320 Hz

Maximum Speed: 5.8 Gbps

Reasons to buy

+

Fastest Wi-Fi 7 cards we tested

+

$50 asking price is cheaper than some Wi-Fi 6E cards

Reasons to avoid

No flaws of consequence

The MSI Herald BE topped our leaderboard on the 6 GHz band when using Wi-Fi 7. It achieved over 2,800 Mbps at close range with uncongested traffic and only dropped to just over 2,700 Mbps at long range (25 feet). That consistent performance continued with our congested tests.

The wireless adapter has an external antenna attached to a 2.5-foot cable, allowing you to magnetically attach it to the top of your PC’s enclosure or desk. The adapter sports a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 5.8 Gbps (we saw roughly half that maximum) and includes a USB cable in the box that connects to your motherboard to enable Bluetooth 5.4 support.

With a price tag of $49.99, the MSI Herald BE is an easy-to-recommend upgrade to add Wi-Fi 7 to your desktop PC.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0 Near (Mbps) Far (Mbps)
iPerf3 Uncongested 6 GHz 2830 2730
iPerf3 Uncongested 5 GHz 1830 1373
iPerf3 Uncongested 2.4 GHz 187 131
iPerf3 Congested 6 GHz 2566 2060
iPerf3 Congested 5 GHz 1290 1005
iPerf3 Congested 2.4 GHz 166 100

Best Wi-Fi 6E PCIe Adapter

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2. Gigabyte GC-WBAX210

Best Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Adapter

Specifications

Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6E

Chipset: Intel AX210

Bluetooth Version: 5.2

Wi-Fi Bands: 6 GHz, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz

Channel Width: Up to 160 Hz

Maximum Speed: 2.4 Gbps

Reasons to buy

+

1.5 Gbps speeds on 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands

+

Extension for antenna allows for better signal positioning/performance

Reasons to avoid

Only $10 cheaper than faster Wi-Fi 7 cards 

The Gigabyte GC-WBAX210 is a great, all-around Wi-Fi 6E adapter. At its fastest (6-feet, uncongested traffic), the GC-WBAX210 topped out at nearly 1,900 Mbps on the 6 GHz band. But even at 25 feet, performance was still admirable at around 1,700 Mbps. 5 GHz performance was equally as good.

While it didn’t have the highest performance for a Wi-Fi 6E adapter (that honor goes to the Asus PCE-AXE58BT, the GC-WBAX210 costs just $39 compared to $59 for the Asus. That extra $20 isn’t worth the few percentage points in difference separating the two cards.

We should also note that the GC-WBAX210 includes a USB cable that plugs into the card to enable Bluetooth 5.2 for your supported devices.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0 Near (Mbps) Far (Mbps)
iPerf3 Uncongested 6 GHz 1870 1696
iPerf3 Uncongested 5 GHz 1790 1510
iPerf3 Uncongested 2.4 GHz 160 127
iPerf3 Congested 6 GHz 1500 1163
iPerf3 Congested 5 GHz 1446 947
iPerf3 Congested 2.4 GHz 132 85

Best Wi-Fi 6 PCIe Adapter

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3. Cudy AX3000

Best Wi-Fi 6 PCIe Adapter

Specifications

Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6

Chipset: Intel AX200

Bluetooth Version: 5.2

Wi-Fi Bands: 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz

Channel Width: Up to 160 Hz

Maximum Speed: 2.4 Gbps

Reasons to buy

+

Excellent performance for a Wi-Fi 6 card

+

$26 price tag is among the lowest of all Wi-Fi cards tests

Reasons to avoid

Name recognition and support are not as well-known as high-profile players in networking

Cudy might be a brand few people are familiar with, but the AX3000 Wi-FI 6 adapter gets the job done. It uses an Intel AX200 NGFF 2230 M.2 card and a standard PCIe adapter card. The antennas screw directly into the back of the card without an extension.

Its overall performance was strong among the Wi-Fi 6 competition, and we can’t argue with its price tag of just $26. That price also includes a half-height/low-profile PCI bracket for use in more compact systems, a driver CD, and a screwdriver in the box to aid in installation. Some of the Wi-Fi adapters we tested that are twice this price don’t even include those extra pack-ins.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0 Near (Mbps) Far (Mbps)
iPerf3 Uncongested 5 GHz 1363 823
iPerf3 Uncongested 2.4 GHz 167 118
iPerf3 Congested 5 GHz 1123 1120
iPerf3 Congested 2.4 GHz 101 98

Best Wi-Fi USB Adapter

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4. MSI AXE5400

Best Wi-Fi USB Adapter

Specifications

Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6E

Chipset: Realtek RTL8832CU

Bluetooth Version: None

Wi-Fi Bands: 6 GHz, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz

Channel Width: Up to 160 Hz

Maximum Speed: 2.4 Gbps

Reasons to buy

+

Easy to install

+

Extension cable provided for easy placement

Reasons to avoid

Cost premium due to USB form factor

Lower performance compared to PCIe Wi-Fi 6E adapters

The MSI AXE5400 is one of the two USB solutions we’ve tested so far, and it uses the Wi-Fi 6E standard. At first, it looks like a large USB thumb drive, but you’ll notice it has a flip-out antenna that sweeps 180 degrees. In addition, MSI provides a stand for the wireless adapter in the box with a 2.5-foot-long USB cable, allowing you to place the AXE5400 where you prefer for the best reception.

Regarding performance, the USB 3.0 interface blunts performance by about 20 percent compared to the best PCIe Wi-Fi 6E adapters we tested. However, we’re still talking Gig+ speeds, which should be sufficient for most home users. It’s also reasonably priced at just $51.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0 Near (Mbps) Far (Mbps)
iPerf3 Uncongested 6 GHz 1350 1183
iPerf3 Uncongested 5 GHz 1413 800
iPerf3 Uncongested 2.4 GHz 142 30
iPerf3 Congested 6 GHz 1320 1260
iPerf3 Congested 5 GHz 735 597
iPerf3 Congested 2.4 GHz 63 35

Best Value Wi-Fi PCIe Adapter

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5. OKN AX5400

Best Value Wi-Fi PCIe Adapter

Specifications

Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6E

Chipset: Intel AX210

Bluetooth Version: 5.3

Wi-Fi Bands: 6 GHz, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz

Channel Width: Up to 160 Hz

Maximum Speed: 2.4 Gbps

Reasons to buy

+

Offers a tremendous amount of performance for just $26

+

Lots of accessories included in the box

Reasons to avoid

Would prefer antenna extensions to optimize performance

Wi-Fi 7 adapters currently offer the best performance when using the 6 GHz channel, but their Wi-Fi 6E counterparts are more than capable of delivering Gig+ speeds. When it comes to the best bang for the buck, it’s hard to get any better than the OKN AX5400. The wireless adapter provides solid performance at close range on the 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

The only place where the card falters is at 25-foot distances on the 5 GHz band. However, your mileage may vary depending on the layout of your home and any obstacles that may be in the way.

The best part about the OKN AX5400 is its price. At $26, it’s roughly half the price of our top pick for Wi-Fi 7 adapters and $14 less than our best Wi-Fi 6E adapter.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0 Near (Mbps) Far (Mbps)
iPerf3 Uncongested 6 GHz 1670 1473
iPerf3 Uncongested 5 GHz 1246 1126
iPerf3 Uncongested 2.4 GHz 153 77
iPerf3 Congested 6 GHz 1650 1063
iPerf3 Congested 5 GHz 1036 590
iPerf3 Congested 2.4 GHz 130 87

PCIe Wi-Fi adapters versus USB Wi-Fi adapters

There are two primary ways for users to add Wi-Fi connectivity to a desktop. The first option is a PCIe add-in card, which offers the best performance and is typically the cheapest option. Interestingly, all the PCIe solutions feature an NGFF 2230 M.2 Wi-Fi card used in laptops that is inserted into a PCIe x1 adapter card.

The backplate of each PCIe add-in card includes two antenna ports. On some cards, moveable antennas screw directly into the back. On the rest of the cards, wire leads screw into the antenna ports, which then attach to an external antenna base that typically attaches magnetically to the top of your desktop enclosure or sits on your desk. The idea here is to give the user more control of where the antennas point to improve overall performance.

The second option is to go with a USB wireless adapter. These Wi-Fi adapters plug into a free USB port and are the quickest and easiest way to add wireless connectivity to a desktop. However, they are typically slower than their PCIe counterparts.

Another less common option is for a desktop motherboard to include an NGFF 2230 M.2 slot, allowing you to swap out Wi-Fi adapters at your leisure.

Of course, you’ll need one of the best Wi-Fi routers to get the absolute best speeds from any Wi-Fi adapter. 

Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 6E vs Wi-Fi 7

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0 Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7
IEEE Standard 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11be
Maximum Speed 9.6 Gbps 9.6 Gbps 46 Gbps
Data Bands 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz
QAM 1024-QAM 1024-QAM 4096-QAM
Channel Width 160 MHz 160 MHz 320 MHz
Spatial Streams 8 8 16

Testing Procedures for all Wi-Fi Adapters and Benchmark Results

To test each Wi-Fi adapter, we relied on an Intel Core i7-14600KF desktop with a built-in 10 GbE port on the motherboard (MSI MEG Z790 Godlike Max) acting as a server. The server was then connected to an open 10 GbE LAN port on a TP-Link Archer GE800 Wi-Fi 7 router. Each Wi-Fi adapter was then installed in a mini-tower desktop with an MSI Pro B650M-A Wi-Fi AM5 motherboard and a Ryzen 5 7600 processor running Windows 11 Home.

The Wi-Fi adapters were tested using iPerf3 on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz (where applicable) bands. Tests were conducted at six feet and 25 feet, with no network traffic and congested traffic (six devices running 4K YouTube video streams across all wireless bands).

We tested the following cards:

Performance Charts

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