Nothing can ruin your day quite as much as lagging out right at the end of that online multiplayer match. You may have one of the best gaming PCs money can buy, but you still find yourself clutching defeat from the jaws of victory – and it’s not even your fault. Well, there’s a simple and low-cost way to banish problems with your local WiFi connection and that’s installing the best WiFi card for gaming.
We’ve found options to suit all gamers, from fast and furious First Person Shooter fans to players with nerves of steel testing their mettle on racing games or getting immersed in RPGs. We’ve looked at the radio frequencies and top connection speeds as well, so you should find one that’s the perfect match for your home router.
Best WiFi card for gaming at a glance:
Even a new budget PC can come with less-than-ideal components. Time for an upgrade? You’ll never lose that battle royale to a flakey wifi connection ever again. Although many gamers use a standard dual-band router provided by their internet service provider, some might invest in a faster router (such as one that supports the new WiFi 6 speeds) that will need a different PC WiFi card to get the best out of it. We've got a jargon buster and more help with that at the end of the article.
It’s a great time to be an avid gamer, with some of the best PC games ever to hit our collective monitors with immersive stories, next-gen graphics and innovative indie games as well as the AAA titles we all look forward to. From budget options to high-speed gigabit-laden powerhouses, we’ve found the best WiFi cards for gaming – up next.
Best WiFi card for gaming
For us, this card from TP-Link really does it all. Hitting the sweet spot in terms of cost versus spec, what we have here is a mid-priced dual-band WiFi 6 PCI-E card that will connect to the vast majority of routers in homes today.
Sporting a blisteringly fast 5Ghz band for speeds of up to 1201Mbps, plus the standard 2.4Ghz AC network for 574Mbps connection, this will keep you gaming (and winning) with more speed and precision than ever. The WiFi 6 chipset here is obviously up to delivering that super-fast 5G speed, but even its top speed over 2.4Ghz is well above the typical 300Mbps we normally see.
We do wish that its colour scheme were a little more exciting, given the beautifully engineered heatsink on view – especially for those who have gone for a PC with a theme in mind. That aside, If you’re looking to bring instant, lightning-fast connectivity options to your gaming rig, and at a sensible price from a renowned brand, this is it.
Pros
- A great balance of specification and price for gamers - low latency, dual bands and high-gain antennas
- Integrated heat sink to keep the card running cooler and faster
- As a WiFi 6 MIMO model, it can support two data streams with a single device, doubling the throughput
Cons
- We like the stylised heatsink but wish it had a more gamer-oriented colour scheme
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Up to 1800 Mbps Wi-Fi speeds (1201 Mbps on 5GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band) |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | Yes |
In all seriousness, we think a budget gaming PC doesn’t really warrant a high-end WiFi card for gaming. Why? Because, if you were on a budget when you bought your PC it stands to reason that spending over £100 pounds on one high-end card is a little bit like overkill.
The brilliant thing about this budget 1200Mbps PCIE Bluetooth WiFi Card from Ubit is that it really does tick the major boxes for every gamer when it comes to a decent connection to a 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz band router. While you won’t find a large card here with lots of extras on the board like a giant heat sink (or even a wired network port) what you will find is two decent antennas and a small board that will fit into almost anything.
Users love the practicality of this card, and we agree. It's fast and easy to install. But those antennas are standard fare - they’re not massive either, so anyone with signal strength issues in their house might need to look at our recommendation for the best gaming WiFi card for range, below.
Pros
- One of the most compact and compatible small WiFi cards on the market - it will fit anywhere
- Bluetooth is included for even more connection flexibility
- Dual bands mean easy and reliable connectivity with most routers
Cons
- Antennas are a little smaller than others
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | 5GHz/2.4GHz Dual Band - 867Mbps Wireless Speed on 5GHz or 300Mbps on 2.4GHz. |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | No |
Right now, nothing beats the Wi-Fi 6E connection standard (although Wi-Fi 7 did launch in early 2024, it will take time to build traction in the marketplace). This WiFi card from Cudy will connect to more common router bands, but we're impressed with the 6E specification here that will deliver an astonishing 2402 Mbps over 5G.
The dual antennas further ensure a strong and stable connection, essential for competitive gaming, using 5GHz and 2.4GHz. Plus it also has extras like Bluetooth 5.2 and large and powerful antennas. There is no heatsink here to keep it cool though, but as it's a small card it's not too big of an issue – especially in a well-ventilated gaming rig.
All in all, we think that this WiFi card is the one to beat when it comes to next-gen wireless speed and performance and a very competitive price tag.
Pros
- Uses the latest WiFi 6E chipset for the fastest low-latency gaming connections
- Excellent high speeds at a sensible price
- Bluetooth 5.2 is included for fast connections to gaming peripherals and speakers
Cons
- No dedicated heat sink
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Up to 2402 Mbps over 5G (5GHz/2.4GHz). WiFi 6E |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | No |
Let’s face it - we don’t all have the luxury of gaming right next to the router, or even on the same floor of the house as the router for that matter. Some houses are also natural WiFi-blockers thanks to thick walls or metal construction materials. Others are plagued with interference from stronger neighbouring signals or equipment like air con and microwave cookers. In this scenario there’s only really one line of attack - improve your range. And that’s really all about the power of the card and, crucially, the number, quality and placement of the antennas on the wifi card.
We love that this AXE5400 from TP-Link has its antennas on a magnetised base - giving you loads of flexibility to maximise your connection strength. It’ll farm out that monster Wi-Fi 6E connection, alongside 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz via those two multi-directional antennas. They’ve even thrown Bluetooth into the package.
You will still need to make sure that this card can be fully utilised by your home router. So, if range or signal strength is your priority, a router upgrade may also be in order. Generally, the more antennas a router has the better. We recommend looking at getting a wi-fi extender (sometimes called a repeater) to boost your range.
Pros
- Delivers connections over three bands, including 6Ghz 6E
- A magnetized antenna base means easy placement of the multi-directional antennas
- The specialized heatsink is gold plated for even cooler running temps
Cons
- Again, the bright red board and heat sink may not suit all systems
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Tri-Bands(6GHz/5GHz/2.4GHz) - up to 2402Mbps (6GHz) + 2402Mbps (5GHz) + 574Mbps (2.4 GHz). WiFi 6E |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | Yes, 2x2 |
Sometimes good old dual band is more than enough. For anyone who is satisfied with the speeds they’re getting from their 5Ghz router (and why wouldn’t you be - that’s super fast for any game you can mention) this AX1800 dual band card from ASUS is going to give you enough flexibility with your connections.
If you want to connect via the 5Ghz WiFi connection, leaving all of your other traditional 2.4Ghz devices to hog their own band, you absolutely can. Separating your gaming bandwidth from the 2.4 GHz one will not only remove you from the same interference and clogged frequencies as items like microwaves, but it’ll also ringfence your bandwidth.
One nice addition that we appreciate, especially at this spec and price point, is that if you’re planning on squeezing this into a crowded case, this has no bulky heatsink and a small circuit board. That said, given that it has no heatsink, you should probably ensure any small PC case has good cooling and ventilation. That aside, the inclusion of MIMO for better, faster connections in busy households is a gamer's Godsend. Unless you're stuck on getting a tri-band router with 6Ghz speeds, snap one of these up now.
Pros
- Reliable and solid dual-band AC connections for maximum router compatibility
- The small internal board is ideal for fitting into smaller PC cases
- The ASUS build plus WiFi 6 add up to some of the fastest and most solid connections for gamers
Cons
- No dedicated heatsink (but the size of the card makes this less of an issue for well-cooled gaming rigs)
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Up to 1800 Mbps Wi-Fi speeds (1201 Mbps on 5GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band) |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | Yes |
One look at the TP-Link AC1300 and you'll see that it's designed with heat control in mind. The sizable heat sink is larger than most to keep temperatures under control. Bear in mind though, if you’re planning on squeezing this into a crowded case, make your your free PCI-E slot has enough room next to it for that heat sink to both fit and function well.
If you have a cramped case crammed with a giant GPU and CPU coolers and so on, we think the TP-Link AC1300 is one of the best choices for gamers who enjoy extensive gaming sessions or those in hot environments. Its dual-band capability will ensure stable and fast connections ensuring consistent performance while gaming, too.
While you'll find faster cards here that are packing WiFi 6 chipsets, not everyone can make use of everything that Wifi 6 can offer – mostly because you'll need a WiFi 6 capable router for a start. For anyone who has a typical dual-band household router, this is the coolest option by far.
Pros
- The well-designed heatsink is ideal for blending into any system while keeping cool
- Reliable and solid dual-band AC connections for maximum router compatibility
- Excellent TP-Link build quality
Cons
- Quite a large card despite only needing a small PCI-E slot due to the heatsink
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Dual. Up to 1300Mbps Wi-Fi speeds (867Mbps on 5GHz band or 400Mpbs on 2.4GHz band) |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | No |
So, with all this talk of WiFi-this and gigabit-that, why does the humble Bluetooth connection keep making an appearance here? Well, for anyone who hasn’t already got a PC with Bluetooth, or who is running low on spare motherboard slots, we think this TP-Link model is a godsend.
With this WiFi card, you can not only connect to a 2.4 or 5Ghz network, but you can also hook up your Bluetooth peripherals. Although Bluetooth isn’t known for its low latency for gaming peripherals, the ability to add Bluetooth for headsets and other devices while not adding too much cost is brilliant. All in all, we find this to be a great one-stop-shop for anyone looking to instantly up the connectivity spec of their rig.
But why is this one better than the others in our list that are also sporting Bluetooth? Well, it’s also packing a super low-latency technology that reduces gaming lag by up to 75%. Plus the WiFi 6 chipset is there for the fastest possible 5Ghz data throughput. So, if it’s a gaming card you’re after that will excel in dual bands as well as Bluetooth for your headphones and controllers, this is it. It is more expensive than our top pick here, however, but considering it has a heat sink and hugely high-quality antennas, we think it’s worth every penny.
Pros
- Ultra low-latency tech will keep your gaming responsive and lightning-fast
- High-gain antennas for excellent range and signal strength
- A specialised heat sink will keep all that power and speed running smoothly
Cons
- Only dual-band (but then again, it’s a beast in terms of build quality and features)
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Dual. Up to 2402Mbps (5GHz) + 574Mbps (2.4GHz). WiFi 6 |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | No |
The ASUS PCE-AX58BT is a shining example of MIMO technology at work. If you're living in a home with a lot of people and a busy network you might sometimes get frustrated by glitches in your gameplay. This is due to your bandwidth being sapped by the other network users as they watch TV on demand or download files.
With both Wi-Fi 6 and MU-MIMO technology, we think this ASUS card has everything you need for a fast and ringfenced network connection for your gaming. It'll deliver up to a staggering 3000Mbps over both the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz connections combined.
We love the overall design too, especially the neat but effective ASUS branded heatsink. Being a fairly compact board (even including the heatsink) this sould slot into all but the most crowded PC case with ease. It's a minor quibble, but given its WIFi 6 credentials, we wish it had a slightly more recent Bluetooth specification. It's running version 5, whereas the latest is 5.3 for better performance with things like hi-res audio. But, that aside, this is a brilliant card for those who need to ensure their gameplay is fast and uninterrupted.
Pros
- Great for busy networks – ringfence and speed up your gameplay bandwidth with MIMO and WiFi 6
- The small internal board and neat heatsink are ideal for fitting into smaller PC cases
- The external antennas with a magnetic base are ideal for those who need to overcome household obstructions for the best signal
Cons
- Slightly older Bluetooth version
| Card type | PCI Express |
| Speed / Band | Up to 3000 Mbps Wi-Fi speeds (2402 Mbps on 5GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band) |
| Antennas | Two |
| MIMO | Yes |
Yes, this looks like a USB dongle – the very item we don't normally recommend for gamers. But, we think this is much more like an external WiFi card in its own right. Just look at the chunky casing, flip-up antenna and mounting stand. This NETGEAR Nighthawk means business.
Inside it's packing WiFi 6E – the speediest version around, thanks to the third 6Ghz band. The NETGEAR Nighthawk A8000 is the best way for laptop gamers to effectively give their machine an upgrade to WiFi 6 for top-tier speeds and performance. Its USB 3.0 interface makes it compatible with more than just laptops, of course. So, gamers with both a desktop rig and a laptop will be able to take this adapter between systems with ease.
The only downside we can see is that, if you don't fancy using the supplied stand and having a trailing wire, you'll need to plug it into a USB port. With the antenna up, some gamers might find it gets in the way. But, this is a small nitpick when you consider the sheer speed on offer here: an astonishing 3000Mbps. And that's thanks to the combination of all three radio bands working together. Astonishing speed, minimum hassle.
Pros
- The ideal way to upgrade your gaming laptop's existing WiFi card to achieve cutting-edge WiFi 6 speeds
- True tri-band WiFi 6 – game over everything from 2.4Ghz to 6Ghz networks
- Portable and easy to use – swap this between gaming systems at will
Cons
- Protrudes from your laptop, so you may need to choose your port with care (or use the stand)
| Card type | External - USB 3.0 |
| Speed / Band | Up to 3Gbps Wi-Fi speeds (1200 Mbps on 6GHz band, 1200 Mbps on 5GHz band, and 600 Mbps on 2.4GHz band) |
| Antennas | Internal |
| MIMO | Yes |
How to choose the best WiFi card for gaming
All WiFi cards set out to achieve the same thing. But, for gamers, there are a few things that you should look for. Even a gaming PC that costs less than £1000 might have a fast card, but only one or two small antennas. So, let’s narrow down your choices for the best WiFi card for gaming with these pointers.
Go for WiFi 6 or 6E
We’ll look at what WiFi card bands and radio frequencies do later, but the 6E standard actually introduces the 6Ghz radio band - that means you’ll be gaming on a monstrously fast 2.4Gbps connection (as long as your router can handle it).
Pay attention to the number of antennas
In general, the more antennas you have available on both your card and your router is going to make for a more solid, faster connection - crucial for gaming. Generally, going for a high-speed WiFi card for gaming will ensure you have at least two good-quality antennas. Therefore, a cheap one-antenna model is probably a poor choice. That said, if your PC is close to your router, you may not notice any benefits from having 2 or more.
Choose a card with a heat sink
Keeping any PC component cool is key to speedy performance. So, as long as you don’t have other large components like your graphics card slammed right up against the PCI-E slot you’ll be using, you should be good to go. Having one of the best WiFi cards for gaming with a heatsink to channel heat away from the core components will ensure top speed and reliability.
About the bands on your WiFi card
Connection speeds can vary depending on things like signal strength, as well as the limitations of the actual hardware on the WiFi card. However, the main thing that will ultimately govern how fast your connection can be is the radio band the card operates on.
2.4Ghz
In the late 1990s (at the dawn of WiFi as we know it) cards using the WiFi standard 11b would top out at a meagre 2Mbps of throughput. A few years later the more familiar 11g standard pushed that up to 54Mbps. Both of those would use the 2.4 GHz radio frequency - leading to speeds of 450 Mbps or 600 Mbps.
5Ghz and above (also known as 802.11ac, AC, or Wi-Fi 5)
Over the last decade or so, we’ve seen the inclusion of the 5Ghz radio band which can handle faster speeds and more data throughput. With the 11n and 11ac standards (known as Wi-Fi 4 and 5 respectively) eventually pushing speeds out of the Mbps range and well into the realm of 3.8 gigabits per second and above.
WiFi 6 (also known as 802.11ax, or AX)
Right now, the leading standard for WiFi connections is Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. In a nutshell, these combined the latest hardware and 2.5/5/6 Ghz radio bands to push data throughput almost as high as 10Gbps. 2024 saw the arrival of WiFi 7 which is expected to leap connection speeds right up into the 40+ Gbps range – although it will take a year or more to filter through to the mainstream market as affordable tech.
Match the card with your router
Any card will be designed with certain radio bands and connection types in mind. So, before you buy a new card, take a moment to look at the band(s) provided by your router. Some routers, like dual-band and even quad-band, will obviously support more than one frequency. So, make sure the one your new card uses is fully supported, and you’ll be enjoying high-speed reliable gaming in no time.
Card types to avoid
Whilst not technically a ‘card’ - we recommend avoiding the USB dongle type WiFi device.
Although they can perform very well indeed for non-gaming purposes, this is a simple case of ‘more is more’. The reason a proper internal WiFi card can deliver both speed and a consistently strong wireless connection is down to being built on a full-sized board. That can include extras like error handling, firmware updates and even heat sinks to keep the card cool and therefore able to operate at full speed.
That said if you’ve ended up here because you have an older PC without any free internal slots - or if you’ve got a mini PC or laptop that can’t be upgraded internally - a USB dongle could be your only option. And you could do far worse than the AC1300 Mini Wireless USB Adapter from TP-Link. It’s one of the few that can reliably handle both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and pipes all of this through your spare USB 3.0 port.
Jargon buster
We’ve covered radio bands and WiFi standards above, but here’s a quick guide to some of the other terms you’ll come across when looking for the best WiFi card for gaming.
Mbps / Gbps
Signifying Megabits and Gigabits per second, this the key measurement of your connection to the WiFi network and also your router’s connection to the internet. One Gbps is equal to 1,000Mbps. Remember, Gigabits are not the same Gigabytes - the latter being the most common way of gauging the size of a file.
So, if you were downloading a file that’s 1 gigabyte in size (that’s 1000 Megabytes for those who still remember floppy discs..) it would take around 9-10 seconds to download over a 1-gigabit per second connection to the internet.
In terms of WiFi cards for gaming, Mbps and Gbps only relates to the speed of your connection to your router - not the internet itself. So, as long as your router is connected (preferably over a fibre optic connection to your service provider) the faster your WiFi card connection the better the gaming experience. And that goes for those all-important game downloads and updates too.
MU-MIMO / MIMO
This rather unwieldy acronym is plastered all over the packaging for the best WiFi cards for gaming and routers. With routers, MU-MIMO stands for Multi-User, Multiple-input, Multiple-Output. This will ensure that every user gets their fair share of the bandwidth and no more - keeping you gaming on a reliable high-speed connection. With WfiFi cards, MIMO relates to its ability to transmit and receive separate streams via each antenna. The more antennas your MIMO card has, the better performance and speed you'll get from your compatible router.
Why is this technology important? Well, you won’t find it in cards too old to support the 11ac connection standard, and that’s because it goes hand in hand with managing a much wider bandwidth for data. In short, if you’re in a household with several people using quite a lot of data for gaming, movies and more, a MU-MIMO router and MIMO card are ideal.
PCI and PCI-E
These are two of the most common card types you’ll find on the market. Both terms stand for Peripheral Component Interconnect - a fancy term for a slot in your PC motherboard that can accommodate a separate expansion card. This could be a sound card, USB controller card, or any number of cards for various add-on functionality. You’ll find them in all modern PCs, including popular gaming PCs such as ones with 16GB of RAM - they have plenty of room inside their tower cases for upgrades, from extra RAM to WiFi cards and chunky GPU cards.
The difference between PCI and PCI-E (the E standing for ‘Express’) is that the latter is capable of higher speeds in terms of its data throughput to the motherboard. Most modern PCs will have this type. Somewhat confusingly, PCI-E cards and slots can have varying numbers of pins - which also means the card is longer or shorter in length to suit from the x16 down to the x1 size.
The good news is that it’s backwards-compatible. So, if your PC has a PCI-E x16 slot inside, but your WiFi card is only a much shorter x1 or x4 type, it’ll still work. An x16 card is unlikely to work in a shorter slot, however - but this isn’t something you’ll need to worry about in terms of buying and installing a WiFi card for gaming.
FAQs
What WiFi card is good for gaming?
As we mentioned in our roundup of the best WiFi cards for gaming above, the TP-Link AC1200 Archer T4E Dual Band Wireless PCI Express Adapter is our pick of the best. We think it offers enough choice when it comes to radio bands, uses the latest WiFi connection standards and all without breaking the bank. It will suit all but the most bleeding-edge network geeks.
Can a Wi-Fi card go in any slot?
No. If you’ve got your hands on an older PCI WiFi card, it won’t fit or work with a PCI-E slot. And if you’re not the techie type, don’t be tempted to try to make a card fit into any slot that looks large enough. Always look at the manual for your PC motherboard before plugging anything new into it. All that mentioned, installing a WiFi card is one of the easier modifications anyone can make to their PC and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
What speed Wi-Fi card do I need for gaming?
Again, this is all down to what you need to achieve. If you have a router and broadband connection all to yourself, you’ll be less affected by other internet users when it comes to bandwidth. In terms of pure speed though, as long as your router can support the card’s radio band, we recommend at least 5Ghz as that will support up to up to 1300 Mbps - more than enough for your gaming needs. If you have one of the latest WiFi 6 routers, go for a card that supports those higher speeds.
Why should you trust us?
At What’s The Best, our mission is to provide accurate and reliable reviews, ensuring our readers receive honest and transparent information about the best technology products available. Anything less would undermine our commitment to being a trusted source of unbiased product information.
Our dedicated in-house writing team comprises experts with extensive experience and a genuine passion for technology. Collectively, we have spent decades testing and writing about tech, leveraging our expertise in all our articles, advice pieces and reviews.
We maintain complete editorial independence and do not accept payment for product reviews. Our writers have full control over their content, ensuring that products are selected based solely on the needs of our readers. While we may earn commissions or other compensation from links on our website, this never affects our product choices. These links enable us to continue offering valuable consumer advice, without compromising the integrity of our reviews.
Chris Duffill is a Senior Tech Writer and Reviewer for What's The Best. His background includes writing, editorial, marketing, design, video production and photography.
He specialises in home entertainment and audiovisual tech, including speakers, amplifiers, turntables, streaming media players, and TVs. He is also one of our resident experts in computing (PCs, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches), DSLR photography and all kinds of digital cameras. He also writes about retro gaming, game consoles and various electronic gadgets. If it plugs in, lights up or makes a noise, he’ll write about it.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the rest of the What’s The Best team.