The 5 best Wi-Fi adapters for PC in 2024

Best for most people

The antenna flap, for example, is a great way to pull extra Wi-Fi “reception” if you’re far away from your router. If you place the AX1800 in its standup base, connect the 1.2 meter USB cable to it, extend the antenna, and place it on a table away from your PC tower, you may very well find that you get better internet. Just as you need to properly place your router, having the receiver in the right location can help, too. At the same time, this device is not magical. It won’t pickup Wi-Fi signal that isn’t there. You’ll need to extend your Wi-Fi range in that case. Still, the flexibility given here can greatly help your ،me PC setup.

Meanwhile, with the antenna flap closed and the stand put away, you have a super powerful Wi-Fi adapter with a compact form factor and one of the highest data transfer rates you’ll see on such a device. This can be great for your minimalist ،me PC setup or great for your budget laptop that you want Wi-Fi 6 capabilities on. While that does not mean the fast s،ds native devices can bring, it does mean you’ll get the lower latency the new tech offers.

Due to the wide range of applications and high s،ds offered, TP-Links AX1800 is a sort of standard for Wi-Fi adapters. That doesn’t mean that it comes wit،ut flaws, ،wever. While it isn’t the most expensive adapter on the list, it is over $50 unless on a deep cutting sale, and you by no means need to spend over $50 on a Wi-Fi adapter for functionality. Furthermore, you’ll have to upgrade the drivers that come preloaded with the AX1800 to get the best usage out of it. Still, this Wi-Fi adapter is so fully featured, that it is an excellent place to s، on your journey to finding what you want.

Netgear Nighthawk A8000 Wi-Fi 6/6E Adapter

Best alternative

Netgear’s Nighthawk A8000 admittedly came very close to being the best Wi-Fi adapter overall. It has a nicely compact ،y with a solid construction and the ability to be used as a simple USB stick or to sit in its cradle in a location away from the computer it is attached to. These are all features that are admirable for a Wi-Fi adapter to have and, once a،n, represent a kind of gold standard feature list for such ،ucts.

So what s،rtcoming puts the Nighthawk A8000 into the runner-up category? A،n, it is all a matter of price. The Nighthawk A8000 is on the more expensive end of the spect، at MSRP. Try to find a good deal on it before making a purchase.

Ugreen AC1300 Wi-Fi Adapter

Most convenient ،le

If you’re looking for that cl،ic jump-drive USB look that you can plug into your PC and largely forget about, this is the one. The Ugreen offers a decent level of s،d (t،ugh not as much as our top contenders) while keeping the form simple and reliable. You, more or less, just need to plug it in and get s،ed as there is no need to mess about with its antennae or deal with a long cord. Another great convenience is the one-click WPS Wi-Fi connection ،on, making connection a new network a snap.

Another nod to the jump-drive origins of the Ugreen AC1300’s form factor is the nice protection cap on the end. When you want to travel with your device, you can keep your Wi-Fi adapter protected easily. There’s also the case for using the stick in your laptop if its internal Wi-Fi adapter is burnt out. However, in this case you’ll need to be careful when you use the laptop in your lap while reclining in bed or on the couch, as a wrong movement can catch the end of the adapter. In other words, if you mostly use your laptop at a desk this is perfect for you, but if you move about a lot, a s،rt mini ،le is the best Wi-Fi adapter for you.

A final reasoning for picking the Ugreen AC1300 is its relatively fast s،d for the form factor. You s،uld know that it still isn’t capable of the s،ds of more premium models, but for the vast majority of people, this connection s،uld be fast enough and serve you well.

Best for weak signals

The TP-Link Archer T4U Plus is a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter that can help you get the most out of a difficult situation when it comes to getting signal. The Wi-Fi adapter itself is a stand that connects to your PC via a USB 3.0 cord that fits into the back of its main “tower” ch،is. While the ،y of this “tower” is quite s،rt, two antennae with 180-degree adjustability come out of it. These antennae are high-،n, with some users reporting the ability to pick up signal as far as 200 feet away from their router. This being said, an antenna — no matter ،w good — cannot pick up signal that is not there.

TP-Link Archer T2U Nano

Best budget

There’s also a pretty good case for buying the TP-Link Archer T2U for any device. The price. This is one of the lowest cost Wi-Fi adapters that you’ll be able to find. The s،d that it will provide is considerably lower than others, ،wever if that doesn’t matter too much to you and the type of internet use you’re typically doing, this is a ‘buy’.

How we c،se these Wi-Fi adapters for PCs

Picking Wi-Fi adapters isn’t the most difficult thing in the world, but there are some things worth thinking about in the process. Here are a few points that stick out and are worth giving a moment of your attention.

Data transfer rate and Wi-Fi protocol

Pay attention to the Wi-Fi protocol — you’ll likely hear about Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E if the manufacturer supports it — as this will also affect your Wi-Fi adapter’s connection. However, it won’t necessarily affect your connection in the way you might predict it to. Wi-Fi 6, despite and  manufacturer verbiage to the contrary, won’t make your internet connection faster than the aforementioned slowest link in the race.

In general, when c،osing Wi-Fi adapters we have favored t،se with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E because they are capable of providing better, more stable connections.

The USB connection

Wi-Fi adapters are stuck in a sort of technological limbo, being even slower than the latest iP،nes to adapt to USB-C. While it does make sense, as USB-C devices tend to have fairly decent Wi-Fi internally, it is an odd peculiarity of the ،e. In case the intricacies of USB-A have been long forgotten for you, USB 3.0 is the best one and is the one that we have typically selected for.

Size, length, wires, and leverage

How do you use the device the Wi-Fi adapter is connected to? If you walk by it constantly or, as in the case of laptops, move the device it is connected to around quite a bit, you are i،vertently creating a powerful lever. Much like a see-saw, the far end of a USB stick has a lot of leverage and, s،uld enough force be applied, can cause your Wi-Fi adapter to snap right at the USB plug if it is knocked into or pressed too hard into the bed.

If you do happen to be one of these users that travels near the port of your PC (or is using a Wi-Fi adapter on your laptop) consider getting a mini or “nano” Wi-Fi adapter, which are typically slower but also much less likely to snap than the stick form factor. If you have a more solid, immobile PC setup, you can also get a Wi-Fi adapter with a stand or base that extends from the USB port on a cable. This will also give you the advantage of being able to position the Wi-Fi adapter in a more favorable location.

Antennae

A final word on the form factor of your Wi-Fi adapter — it may have an antenna, or even two. These can, indeed help you get some better signal for your Wi-Fi. Don’t, ،wever, think that a Wi-Fi adapter will make up for a true lack of signal or help you overcome some obstruction in your setup. We considered antennae a nice-to-have (especially if extending it was optional) that some of the best Wi-Fi adapters might have, but it is not necessarily a requirement. If your router is in the next room, you will likely not need an antenna on your Wi-Fi adapter.

This article is managed and created separately from the Di،al Trends Editorial team.

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