This post may contain affiliate links/ads and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links/ads at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Techsphinx also participates in the StationX Affiliate program. You can read my full disclaimer here.
Laptops have integrated WiFi cards, that’s how you access the internet wirelessly. However, if these cards become faulty or offer poor connectivity, then you always have an option to replace them with other laptop WiFi cards.
Swapping an internal WiFi card on your Laptop is not a big deal, you can find many videos on YouTube for your particular laptop model. You can check those videos to see how it’s done, before purchasing a WiFi card.
If you think, replacing an internal WiFi card is not your cup of tea, then have a professional do it for you or you can purchase an external USB Wireless Adapter.
Update (Jan 2023): Added Intel Wireless AX210NGW and Intel Wireless AX200NGW WiFi Card.
Here’s the summary of the best laptop WiFi cards you can buy right now:
| WiFi Card | Link to Product |
|---|---|
| OKN WiFi 6E AX210NGW WiFi Card | See details at Amazon |
| Intel Wireless AX200NGW | See details at Amazon |
| Alfa Network High-Efficiency Intel AX200U | See details at Amazon |
| Intel Wireless-AC 9560 | See details at Amazon |
| Intel Wireless-Ac 9260 | See details at Amazon |
| Intel Dual Band Wireless-Ac 8265 | See details at Amazon |
Before you proceed:
1. To use the latest features (MU-MIMO, OFDMA, WPA3, 6E etc.) offered by these laptop WiFi cards, it needs to be paired with a compatible router (WiFi 6 routers).
2. Before purchasing any WiFi card, make sure it is compatible with your particular device. Check the form factor and other hardware details carefully.
3. I have also made a list of the best PCI-E WiFi cards for PC. If you want one for your desktop, then check that out.
Best Laptop WiFi cards
1. OKN WiFi 6E AX210NGW WiFi Card
The first WiFi card for Laptops on this list is OKN WiFi 6E AX210NGW. This card has the latest Intel AX210 chip that supports the upcoming WiFi 6E standard. It is compatible with any Laptop or Desktop with a standard NGFF M.2 Key A or Key E slot.
Moreover, this is a Tri-Band card that supports 2.4, 5 and 6GHz bands. You can achieve maximum speeds of up to 2400 Mbps on 6Ghz and 5 GHz bands and up to 574 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.
AX210NGW supports the MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies that ensure the most efficient and stable WiFi connection by reducing bandwidth congestion and allowing more devices to communicate simultaneously.
This card is also equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 module, so you can connect all your favourite devices like controllers, headphones, wireless keyboards without the need for any external Bluetooth adapter. As for security, this laptop WiFi card supports the latest WPA3 network security.
If you want the latest WiFi card for your laptop, then OKN WiFi 6E AX210NGW is simply the best choice.
Features:
- WiFi 6E Compatible Laptop WiFi card.
- Tri-Band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6GHz) support.
- Maximum speed of up to 2400 Mbps (6GHz), 2400 Mbps (5GHz) and 574 Mbps (2.4GHz).
- Support for MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies.
- Latest Bluetooth 5.3 included.
- Compatible with any Laptop or Desktop with standard NGFF M.2 Key A or Key E slot.
- Supports the latest WPA3 network security.
2. Intel Wireless AX200NGW
The next WiFi card for laptops is the Intel Wireless AX200NGW. This AX200 wireless card supports WiFi 6 and is compatible with standard M.2 Key A or Key E slot.
This is a dual-band wifi card that supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. For 2.4 GHz you can get a maximum speed of up to 574Mbps, whereas, for the 5 GHz band you can get a maximum speed of up to 2.4 Gbps.
Just like the previously mentioned AX210 card, this one also supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies for a better wireless experience. Moreover, AX200 has support for Bluetooth 5.2 and also includes support for the latest WPA3 security.
If your laptop doesn’t support the latest WiFi 6E or you just want a WiFi 6 card, then this Intel AX200 card will be the best upgrade for your laptop.
Features:
- WiFi 6 Laptop Card.
- Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) support.
- Maximum speed of up to 2400 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 574 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band.
- Support for MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies.
- Bluetooth 5.2 support included.
- Compatible with any Laptop or Desktop with standard M.2 Key A or Key E slot.
3. Alfa Network High-Efficiency Intel AX200U
Alfa is a well-known brand when it comes to networking devices. This one is a laptop WiFi card with an Intel AX200U chip inside. It is a dual-band WiFi card that is compatible with the latest WiFi 6.
Alfa AX200U is equipped with MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies for a lag-free WiFi experience and offers a maximum speed of up to 2.4 Gbps.
It has a half-size mini PCIe form factor with a built-in Bluetooth 5 module. Using the IPEX/U.FL antenna connectors, this WiFi card can also be used with legacy devices to offer you the latest wireless technologies.
Moreover, Alfa AX200U is also backwards compatible with the older IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards.
If your device supports this half-size mini PCIe form factor, then you can check out this laptop WiFi card for a great WiFi 6 experience.
Features:
- WiFi 6 compatible Intel AX200 module.
- Dual-Band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) support.
- Maximum speed of up to 2.4 Gbps.
- Support for MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies.
- Half-size mini PCIe form factor.
- Built-in Bluetooth 5 module.
- Backwards compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards.
4. Intel Wireless-AC 9560
Note: This module should be used with Intel SoC which supports Connectivity Integration (CNVi). If your device doesn’t support CNVio, then check out the next 9260 model in this post.
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 is a dual-band laptop WiFi card. It supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi including wave 2 features such as 160MHz channels.
Moreover, this card has MU-MIMO technology for simultaneous device connections and offers a maximum speed of up to 1.73 Gbps.
You can also connect all your favourite Bluetooth devices, like controllers, headphones, wireless keyboards etc. using the integrated Bluetooth 5 module.
Apart from all these features, Intel 9560 supports long battery life compared to other legacy 802.11ac devices.
It has M.2 2230, M.2 1216 Form Factor and M.2: CNVio System Interface Type. If this is compatible with your device, then give this laptop WiFi card a try.
Features:
- Dual Band (2.4 and 5 GHz) 160 MHz Laptop WiFi card.
- Maximum speed of up to 1.73Gbps.
- Bluetooth 5 included.
- MU-MIMO technology included.
- M.2: CNVio System Interface Type.
- M.2 2230, M.2 1216 Form Factor.
5. Intel Wireless-Ac 9260
Intel Wireless-AC 9260 is a dual-band laptop WiFi card. It offers a maximum speed of up to 1.73 Gbps and is compatible with Intel 8th Generation CPUs and higher.
Intel 9260 is equipped with Bluetooth 5 module that offers great connectivity for all your Bluetooth enabled devices. It also supports MU-MIMO for stable and reliable wireless network connectivity.
Intel 9260 has M.2 2230 form factor that enables system configuration and platform usage flexibility with the use of a standard Key A or E socket for attaching the module.
This laptop WiFi card is a great alternative for those devices that aren’t compatible with the Intel 9560 module (devices without M.2: CNVio System Interface Type).
Features:
- Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Laptop WiFi card.
- Maximum speed of up to 1.73Gbps.
- Compatible with Intel CPU 8th Generation and higher.
- Support for downlink MU-MIMO.
- Bluetooth 5 included.
- M.2 2230 Form Factor.
6. Intel Dual Band Wireless-Ac 8265
The last on the list is Intel Wireless-AC 8265 WiFi card for laptops. It is a dual-band card that offers a maximum speed of up to 867 Mbps.
Intel 8265 is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 technology and has M.2 2230, M.2 1216 Form Factor. It offers reliable performance and even supports older operating systems such as Windows 7.
This card doesn’t offer any latest features compared to other laptop WiFi cards mentioned in this list. However, if you want a simple WiFi card or an upgrade/replacement card for your old device, then you can check out this Intel 8265 module.
Features:
- Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5GHz) Laptop WiFi card.
- Maximum speed up to 867 Mbps.
- Integrated Bluetooth 4.2 technology.
- Supports MU-MIMO.
- M.2 2230, M.2 1216 Form Factor
Conclusion
This concludes the best laptop WiFi cards list. As I mentioned before, these network cards can perform at their full potential if they are paired with good WiFi 6 routers.
Also, you can check my other articles related to wireless devices here.
If you like this post, then follow Techsphinx on Facebook and Twitter for more reviews, tricks, tips and tutorials.
This article needs update or correction? Report the issue here so I can update it.
