Buying Guide
The Best PCIe Wi-Fi Cards
We weighed five PCIe Wi-Fi cards on speed class and Bluetooth version, and the TP-Link AXE5400 costs the least.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
A PCIe Wi-Fi card swaps a desktop's missing or weak wireless for a card with external antennas, and the Wi-Fi standard has to match your router to matter. Every pick here states its Wi-Fi standard.
Rankings weigh wi-Fi standard, rated speed class and bluetooth as the makers state them; we did not test these PCIe Wi-Fi cards ourselves, and if a maker skips platform note, the guide says so.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Also Consider
Cudy BE9300 Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Adapter (WE9300S)
An Intel BE200 chipset.
Best for: Buyers who want Intel BE200 chipset.
Our take Check price for Cudy BE9300 Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Adapter (WE9300S) (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
TP-Link BE9300 Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Card (Archer TBE552E)
320MHz channels on the 6GHz band with a Wi-Fi 7 router at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the TP-Link AXE5400 costs less.
Our take Check price for TP-Link BE9300 Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Card (Archer TBE552E) (opens in a new tab)
Tri-band Bands
ASUS BE6500 PCI-E Wi-Fi 7 Adapter
A tri-band.
Best for: Buyers who want a tri-band.
Our take Check price for ASUS BE6500 PCI-E Wi-Fi 7 Adapter (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 PCIe Card
320MHz bandwidth across all three bands.
Best for: Buyers who want 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands.
Our take Check price for GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 PCIe Card (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
TP-Link AXE5400 Wi-Fi 6E PCIe Card
A lower price than the Cudy BE9300 and the rest when we checked.
Best for: Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Cudy BE9300.
Our take Check price for TP-Link AXE5400 Wi-Fi 6E PCIe Card (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Also Consider1 of 5
Cudy BE9300 Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Adapter (WE9300S) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
What the Cudy BE9300 brings to the table is an Intel BE200 chipset, plus up to 5765Mbps on 6GHz, 2882Mbps on 5GHz and 688Mbps on 2.4GHz.
Best for
- Buyers who want Intel BE200 chipset.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: listed for Intel platforms only.
Why we like it
It also offers a 9300 Mbps (maker's class) speed class. It also offers 320MHz channels, MLO and 4K-QAM. It needs a free PCIe x1 slot and a USB 9-pin header on the motherboard for the Bluetooth link; check the board manual before buying.
The 6GHz band only works with a matching Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, and Windows 11 or a current driver is usually required. Wi-Fi 7 features such as 320MHz channels and Multi-Link Operation also depend on a Wi-Fi 7 router. The listing limits it to Intel platforms, so do not buy it for an AMD board. On price it sat second of 5, between the cheaper TP-Link AXE5400 and the pricier GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7, at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 7
- Rated speed class: 9300 Mbps (maker's class)
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.4
- Bands: Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz)
- Platform note: Intel only, Windows 11, USB 9-pin header required
- Antennas: Dual detachable antennas on a magnetic base
Pros
- Wi-Fi 7 support
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Intel BE200 chipset
- Up to 5765Mbps on 6GHz, 2882Mbps on 5GHz and 688Mbps on 2.4GHz
Cons
- Listed for Intel platforms only
- Costs more than the TP-Link AXE5400 at the time of writing
Premium Pick2 of 5
TP-Link BE9300 Wi-Fi 7 PCIe Card (Archer TBE552E) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The TP-Link BE9300 is built around 320MHz channels on the 6GHz band with a Wi-Fi 7 router, with Multi-Link Operation with a Wi-Fi 7 router on top.
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the TP-Link AXE5400 costs less.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the TP-Link AXE5400 cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 9300 Mbps (maker's class) speed class. Like the TP-Link AXE5400, it has 2 high-gain antennas, while the ASUS BE6500 uses adjustable external antennas. You also get a listed 9.3Gbps total bandwidth.
It needs a free PCIe x1 slot and a USB 9-pin header on the motherboard for the Bluetooth link; check the board manual before buying. The 6GHz band only works with a matching Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, and Windows 11 or a current driver is usually required. At our last price check it topped the group, with the ASUS BE6500 the nearest cheaper option.
Key dimensions & specs
- Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 7
- Rated speed class: 9300 Mbps (maker's class)
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.4
- Bands: Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz)
- Antennas: 2 high-gain antennas
Pros
- Wi-Fi 7 support
- Bluetooth 5.4
- 320MHz channels on the 6GHz band with a Wi-Fi 7 router
- Multi-Link Operation with a Wi-Fi 7 router
Cons
- Costs more than the TP-Link AXE5400 at the time of writing
Tri-band Bands3 of 5
ASUS BE6500 PCI-E Wi-Fi 7 Adapter on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS BE6500 is built around 4096-QAM modulation, with MLO, OFDMA and MU-MIMO on top.
Best for
- Buyers who want a tri-band.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the TP-Link AXE5400 cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 6500 Mbps (maker's class) speed class. Its 6500 Mbps (maker's class) speed class ranks third of 5 here, behind the Cudy BE9300 (9300 Mbps (maker's class)) and ahead of the TP-Link AXE5400 (5400 Mbps (maker's class)). Adjustable external antennas is unique to it among these picks, while the TP-Link AXE5400 uses 2 high-gain antennas.
You also get TAA compliance. It needs a free PCIe x1 slot and a USB 9-pin header on the motherboard for the Bluetooth link; check the board manual before buying. The 6GHz band only works with a matching Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, and Windows 11 or a current driver is usually required.
Wi-Fi 7 features such as 320MHz channels and Multi-Link Operation also depend on a Wi-Fi 7 router. Its price falls between the GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 and the TP-Link BE9300, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & specs
- Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 7
- Rated speed class: 6500 Mbps (maker's class)
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.4
- Bands: Tri-band
- Platform note: Windows 11 only
- Antennas: Adjustable external antennas
Pros
- Wi-Fi 7 support
- Bluetooth 5.4
- 4096-QAM modulation
- MLO, OFDMA and MU-MIMO
Cons
- Costs more than the TP-Link AXE5400 at the time of writing
Strong Alternative4 of 5
GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 PCIe Card on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 is built around 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands, with 4K-QAM and Multi-Link Operation on top.
Best for
- Buyers who want 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the TP-Link AXE5400 cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 5800 Mbps (maker's class) speed class. Its 5800 Mbps (maker's class) speed class ranks fourth of 5 here, behind the Cudy BE9300 (9300 Mbps (maker's class)) and ahead of the TP-Link AXE5400 (5400 Mbps (maker's class)). It needs a free PCIe x1 slot and a USB 9-pin header on the motherboard for the Bluetooth link; check the board manual before buying.
The 6GHz band only works with a matching Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, and Windows 11 or a current driver is usually required. Wi-Fi 7 features such as 320MHz channels and Multi-Link Operation also depend on a Wi-Fi 7 router. On price it sat third of 5, between the cheaper Cudy BE9300 and the pricier ASUS BE6500, at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 7
- Rated speed class: 5800 Mbps (maker's class)
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3
- Bands: Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz)
Pros
- Wi-Fi 7 support
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands
- 4K-QAM and Multi-Link Operation
Cons
- Costs more than the TP-Link AXE5400 at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here5 of 5
TP-Link AXE5400 Wi-Fi 6E PCIe Card on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The TP-Link AXE5400 is built around an Intel AX210 chipset, with up to 2402Mbps each on the 6GHz and 5GHz bands on top.
Best for
- Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Cudy BE9300.
Skip if
- Skip it if speed class matters most to you; the Cudy BE9300 (9300 Mbps offers maker's class).
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 5400 Mbps (maker's class) speed class. A wi-Fi 6E wi-fi standard is unique to it among these picks, while the TP-Link BE9300 uses a wi-Fi 7 wi-fi standard. It shares 2 high-gain antennas with the TP-Link BE9300; the ASUS BE6500 goes with adjustable external antennas.
You also get WPA3 security. It needs a free PCIe x1 slot and a USB 9-pin header on the motherboard for the Bluetooth link; check the board manual before buying. The 6GHz band only works with a matching Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, and Windows 11 or a current driver is usually required.
It undercut the Cudy BE9300 and every other pick on price at the time of writing. The trade-off is speed class; for more, the Cudy BE9300 offers 9300 Mbps (maker's class).
Key dimensions & specs
- Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6E
- Rated speed class: 5400 Mbps (maker's class)
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3
- Bands: Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz)
- Antennas: 2 high-gain antennas
Pros
- Wi-Fi 6E support
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Intel AX210 chipset
- Up to 2402Mbps each on the 6GHz and 5GHz bands
Cons
- Speed class trails the Cudy BE9300 (9300 Mbps (maker's class))
How We Chose These PCIe Wi-Fi Cards
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- The figures behind the order
- We lined up five PCIe Wi-Fi cards on wi-Fi standard, speed class, Bluetooth version and bands, using each maker's published specs. We did not test them in-house, and platform note and antennas are missing for at least one pick.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the Cudy BE9300 to the TP-Link AXE5400, state wi-Fi standard, speed class and Bluetooth version.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The TP-Link BE9300, the GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 and the TP-Link AXE5400 give no platform note; the GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 gives no antennas.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the TP-Link AXE5400 (under $50) to the TP-Link BE9300 ($50 to $100).
What to Look for in a PCIe Wi-Fi Card
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
How much speed class you need
Here speed class runs from 5400 Mbps (maker's class) on the TP-Link AXE5400 to 9300 Mbps (maker's class) on the Cudy BE9300, a 72% spread. If speed class is your first filter, the Cudy BE9300 sets the ceiling at 9300 Mbps (maker's class).
Extras that separate them
The ASUS BE6500: MLO, OFDMA and MU-MIMO. The GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7: 4K-QAM and Multi-Link Operation. The TP-Link AXE5400: up to 2402Mbps each on the 6GHz and 5GHz bands.
How much to spend
Under $50 buys the TP-Link AXE5400, the Cudy BE9300 and the GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7; $50 to $100 buys the ASUS BE6500 and the TP-Link BE9300 at our last check.
Start from what matters most
Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the TP-Link AXE5400 costs less: the TP-Link BE9300. Buyers who want a tri-band: the ASUS BE6500. Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Cudy BE9300: the TP-Link AXE5400.
Check the platform note
Some Wi-Fi 7 cards state Intel-only support or Windows 11 only. Check the listing against your board and OS.
How to Choose a PCIe Wi-Fi Card
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want Intel BE200 chipset | Cudy BE9300 | An Intel BE200 chipset |
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the TP-Link AXE5400 costs less | TP-Link BE9300 | 320MHz channels on the 6GHz band with a Wi-Fi 7 router at the highest price in the group |
| Buyers who want a tri-band | ASUS BE6500 | A tri-band |
| Buyers who want 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands | GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 | 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands |
| Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Cudy BE9300 | TP-Link AXE5400 | A lower price than the Cudy BE9300 and the rest when we checked |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The Cudy BE9300 leads on speed class at 9300 Mbps (maker's class), ahead of the TP-Link BE9300 at 9300 Mbps (maker's class).
| PCIe Wi-Fi Card | Wi-Fi standard | Rated speed class | Bluetooth | Bands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cudy BE9300 | Wi-Fi 7 | 9300 Mbps (maker's class) | Bluetooth 5.4 | Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz) |
| TP-Link BE9300 | Wi-Fi 7 | 9300 Mbps (maker's class) | Bluetooth 5.4 | Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz) |
| ASUS BE6500 | Wi-Fi 7 | 6500 Mbps (maker's class) | Bluetooth 5.4 | Tri-band |
| GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 | Wi-Fi 7 | 5800 Mbps (maker's class) | Bluetooth 5.3 | Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz) |
| TP-Link AXE5400 | Wi-Fi 6E | 5400 Mbps (maker's class) | Bluetooth 5.3 | Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6GHz) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The TP-Link AXE5400 was the lowest-priced pick (under $50) and the TP-Link BE9300 the highest ($50 to $100) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | PCIe Wi-Fi Cards |
|---|---|
| Under $50 | TP-Link AXE5400, Cudy BE9300, GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 |
| About $50 to $100 | ASUS BE6500, TP-Link BE9300 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TP-Link BE9300 add over the TP-Link AXE5400?
What it brings is speed class (9300 Mbps (maker's class) against 5400 Mbps (maker's class)). On our last price check the TP-Link AXE5400 was in the under $50 tier and the TP-Link BE9300 in the $50 to $100 tier, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if speed class decides your purchase.
Why is the ASUS BE6500 our Tri-band Bands pick?
It carries the badge for a tri-band. The TP-Link AXE5400, the cheapest pick, sat in the under $50 tier against $50 to $100 here, without out-ranking it on any listed spec. It makes sense for anyone who wants a tri-band.
Do the Cudy BE9300 and the TP-Link AXE5400 differ on wi-Fi standard?
The Cudy BE9300, the TP-Link BE9300, the ASUS BE6500 and the GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 use Wi-Fi 7; the TP-Link AXE5400 uses Wi-Fi 6E.
What extras do the Cudy BE9300 and the TP-Link BE9300 include?
The Cudy BE9300: an Intel BE200 chipset. The TP-Link BE9300: 320MHz channels on the 6GHz band with a Wi-Fi 7 router. The ASUS BE6500: 4096-QAM modulation.
Should I pick the Cudy BE9300 or the TP-Link AXE5400?
The Cudy BE9300 suits buyers who want Intel BE200 chipset; the TP-Link AXE5400 suits buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Cudy BE9300.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the Cudy BE9300, chosen for an Intel BE200 chipset. Look at the TP-Link BE9300 for 320MHz channels on the 6GHz band with a Wi-Fi 7 router at the highest price in the group, the ASUS BE6500 for a tri-band and the GIGABYTE GC-WIFI7 for 320MHz bandwidth across all three bands if those matter more to you.
Check the board for a free PCIe x1 slot and a USB 9-pin header before you order, because Bluetooth uses that header.