The 5 Best WiFi Cards for Gaming Reviewed

Seeing as the majority of games are now online, having a secure and stable wifi connection is massively important. You don’t want to be dropping out of a game at a crucial moment. Nor do you want to get garbled communications from your teammates.

While pretty much every electrical device is now able to connect to the internet wirelessly, it doesn’t mean that all connections are good enough for gaming.

The standard WiFi cards put in laptops and pre-built PCs tend to be adequate for browsing and streaming, but can struggle with the greater demands of gaming.

It’s not too much of an issue as you can buy after-sale WiFi cards to replace the pre-installed cards. You can also buy USB-style WiFi card devices which help boost your computer’s WiFi speeds and connections.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best WiFi cards on the market for your gaming computer. These will help you get that competitive edge and push you to victory.

Sick of your WiFi dropping in and out? Here’s our top pick:

Ubit AX WiFi 6 WiFi Card

• Up to 2400mbps speeds on 5ghz channels.
• Up to 574mbps on 2.4ghz channels.
• Compatible with Windows, Linux, and Google operating systems.
• WiFi 6 enabled.
• Bluetooth 5 Enabled.
• 2 multi-directional antenna.
• WPA/WPA 2/ WPA 3 encryption.

Best WiFi Cards for Gaming

1. Ubit AX WiFi 6 WiFi Card

Similar in price to the TP-Link WiFi cards, this one is special because it is supported across Windows, Linux, and Google operating systems.

Capable of speeds of up to 2400mbps on 5ghz channels and 574mbps on 2.4ghz channels, this edges out the TP-Link AC1200 card.

There are some reviews which suggest that some units have trouble connecting to 5ghz channels. This appears to be a faulty batch as these users fixed the problem with a replacement unit. It’s annoying for sure, but it does seem worth the hassle when you get one that works.

This card is WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5 enabled meaning it uses the latest technology for both. The WiFi 6 technology means you are likely to get a small speed boost if your router uses WiFi 6, but more importantly, it means it can access the more stable networks provided by WiFi 6 routers.

This card uses WPA/WPA2 encryption to keep your network secure. It is also able to use WPA 3 encryption, though this is still waiting on the operating systems to become compatible.

Overall, this is a great, speedy little card that can give you a sleek and seamless gaming experience.

2. TP-Link AC1200 PCIe WiFi Card for PC

This card treads the delicate line between being affordable and providing great speeds. You can get speeds of up to 867mbps on the 5ghz channel and 300mbps on the 2.4ghz channel.

It has two external antennae that can boost your signal massively. With these, you should be able to pick up WiFi from across the house, through walls as well.

This card works with Windows operating systems from7 through to 10. It’s a great range of compatible operating systems and should allow most users to benefit from higher speeds.

User reviews also suggest that you can use this adapter with Linux. It’s not in the manufacturer’s listing but anecdotal evidence suggests that it is entirely compatible.

This card has all the usual features you’d expect, it uses WPA/WPA2 security encryptions, has heat sink technology to prevent overheating, and it’s dual-band.

This really is a solid piece of kit that will serve you well. It’s not the flashiest or most expensive one out there, but it does its job exceptionally well.

3. ASUS PCE-AC88 Dual-Band 4×4 AC3100 WiFi PCIe Adapter

Asus is one of the top names in the WiFi card community. Their products tend to be of good quality and hard-working bits of tech. This is definitely true of the AX3100 WiFi card.

The first thing you notice about this card is that it has four rotational antennas. The next thing you notice is that these antennae are not restricted by having to plug directly into the card.

The antennas are on a magnetic base unit that connects via cables to the card. This means you have a bit more freedom and flexibility when it comes to placing the unit.

It’s a great idea because usually, these antennae tend to be stuck at the back of your PC which isn’t always the most optimal placement.

In terms of speed, you can get a whopping 2100mbps on the 5ghz channel and 1000mbps on the 2.4ghz channel. This is a seriously quick WiFi card.

Power usage and overheating might be a concern with a card this powerful. However, the card uses heat sink technology to evenly distribute heat and power across the whole card.

The major downside to this card is its limited compatibility. It works with Windows 7 and Windows 10 but doesn’t have drivers for any other operating system.

4. TP-Link WiFi 6 AX3000 PCIe WiFi Card (Archer TX3000E)

This TP-Link is an updated version of the other in our list. It is WiFi 6 enabled and can reach speeds of 2402mbps on 5ghz channels and 574mbps on 2.4ghz channels. It can handle seriously quick speeds giving you an unparalleled gaming experience.

Lag is reduced by OFDMA technology. Essentially, this means that more bits of data are transferred in each packet. Cards without this technology are restricted to sending single data packages.

Two multi-dimensional antennas are on a magnetic mount. This allows you to position the antenna in a more useful place where they’ll be able to pick up signals. If you prefer, you are able to attach the antenna directly to the card. So you have options.

The downside to this card is that it is only compatible with Windows 10. It’s frustrating to see such a limited compatibility range on an otherwise great WiFi card.

The Bluetooth 5 capability means that you can connect your devices without disconnecting. This is great if you like to use Bluetooth keyboards, mice, or game controllers.

5. Rosewill Wireless N300 PCI-E WiFi Adapter

This card from Rosewill is compatible with all Windows operating systems from XP onwards. This is good to see as you’re not restricted to a single operating system. It means that even if you’re using an older version of Windows you can still get high-speed internet.

Talking of high-speed internet, this card provides up to 300mbps of high-speed internet. It is dual-band so you can experience high-speed gaming and high-quality video streaming.

In terms of safety, this card allows WPA/WPA 2 encryption to protect your wireless network. This is always good to see, especially on a WiFi card with such a low price point.

The card features two high-gain antennas which will keep you connected wherever you are in the house. Many users report that this card has no issue picking up WiFi from well over 30 ft away even when doors and walls get in the way.

One thing that customers seem to find frustrating is the driver installation. It is supplied on a CD but can be downloaded directly from the manufacturer’s website.

There seems to be a bit of an issue with getting these drivers set up on Windows 10 and then having the WiFi card accept them. It is a minority of users who report this, but it is worth noting.

Buying Guide for WiFi Cards for Gaming

What is a WiFi card?

Sometimes referred to as a LAN card, WiFi cards are slim cards that sit inside your laptop or PC. Their job is to collect the radio signals sent by internet routers. The card turns the radio waves into binary code.

Binary code is a language made up of 0s and 1s. It is a computer language. In a way, you could think of WiFi cards as translators. They turn the WiFi radio signals into a language your computer can understand and use.

Better WiFi cards do this translation much faster and allow you to have quicker download and upload speeds.

Generally, WiFi cards have two parts; the slim, card part that slips inside your computer and a few antennae that help the card pick up weaker signals.

How to Choose a WiFi Card

Electronics is one of those industries where innovation is key. New technologies are developed every single day meaning manufacturers have to bring out newer models more often than in other industries.

This means that the market is flooded with different components from hundreds of competing companies. Figuring out which one is actually good quality can be a bit of a minefield.

Speed Ranges

Different modems and broadband suppliers have different internet speeds. It’s all well and good having high-speed internet, but if your WiFi card can’t cope with those speeds then you won’t benefit from higher speeds.

You want your WiFi card to have a broad speed range. This number is given in GBps or mbps. Remember that gigabytes are bigger than megabytes. So even though one listing may have an mbps rating in the thousands, it’s not necessarily better than a GBps rating in single digits.

High Compatibility

We mentioned above how technology seems to change in the blink of an eye. Companies update and replace their products frequently which means that you need your hardware to be highly compatible and, to an extent, future-proof.

When you choose a WiFi card, choose one that is compatible with a wide range of modems and motherboards. This will mean that you can keep using it even if you switch providers or update your computer.

Dual-Band

You’ll notice pretty quickly, that some WiFi cards are dual-band while others a single band. What this means is that you are able to connect to dual-band routers. Essentially, you can connect to both 2.4ghz and 5ghz frequency bands.

5ghz is best for gaming, while 2.4ghz is best for browsing and streaming movies. A dual-band WiFi card will allow you to switch between the two.

Signal Strength

WiFi signals tend to travel about 150ft indoors and double that outdoors. In reality, walls, doors, and other objects can block or diminish WiFi signal strengths.

Good quality WiFi cards will have a range of antennas designed to extend the range of your WiFi card so it can pick up weaker signals and use them more effectively.

Questions About WiFi Cards for Gaming

How do I install a WiFi card?

As long as you know your way around a computer, installing a WiFi card will only take you a few minutes.

If you’re new to it all, don’t worry. Installing a WiFi card really is quite simple.

You’ll need a screwdriver to open the case and adjust plates but no other tools.

This guide walks you through the process step by step.

Is a WiFi card better than a USB?

As well as WiFi cards, you can buy USB dongles. These plug into a USB slot on your computer and work in a similar way to WiFi cards.

Usually, these are used for laptops because it is much harder to install a WiFi card on a laptop. This is because laptops tend to be sealed units.

USB dongles are really handy if you struggle to get stable WiFi on your laptop but they do have a few issues.

The major issue is that you’ll lose a USB slot. If you have plenty then it won’t be an issue. However, most laptops tend to be quite limited in their USB slots. Especially if you go for a budget option.

The other issue is that you’ll need to continuously unplug them if you want to transport your laptop. You can get some small thumbnail-sized USBs that are a bit more transportable.

Removing your USB dongle might not seem like much of an issue however, it can cause increased wear and tear of your USB port.

In general, go for a WiFi card if you have a PC. If you have a laptop, a USB dongle may be more than ideal.

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