Almost any peripheral that manages to connect via USB is much more practical to install and configure than the peripherals that must be connected via PCIe on the motherboard of the computer. In Wi-Fi adapters the exact same thing happens, we have Wi-Fi adapters that connect to USB , but also those that connect via PCI-E on the computer board . Are there performance differences between them? Which one should I buy to get connected via Wi-Fi at maximum speed? Today in this article we give you all the keys.
Wi-Fi adapters with USB interface
As we have discussed, this type of wireless network adapter is characterized by being portable and very easy to install. It does not discriminate at all as to what kind of computers you can connect to. Whether it is a desktop computer or a laptop, this adapter works in a few minutes, especially if you have Windows 10 since most chipsets that incorporate are recognized by the operating system automatically. In case it doesn’t install automatically, you need to follow a few instructions and download some drivers for it to work properly. Anyway, practically all the adapters that we can find in the market have clear instructions and even a configuration wizard that tells you step by step what you should do.
For those who do not have much technical knowledge, this is a great alternative to have Wi-Fi connectivity without complications. Even the most knowledgeable users choose the USB adapter because it is much more practical and is the order of the day when faced with any connectivity emergency.
Unfortunately, one of the negative points of this type of device is that the signal reception and speeds are lower compared to PCI-e adapters . Some USB adapters do not have an external antenna, although there are others that do, and these are of great help so that we can get more out of our Wi-Fi connectivity.
Another situation that can compromise the effectiveness of these adapters is the path between the adapter itself and the Wi-Fi router . You should have the least amount of interference possible for optimal signal reception. This also applies to PCI-e adapters but to a lesser extent.
Does your USB Wi-Fi adapter have the latest proprietary USB standard? If it has versions prior to 3.0, the bandwidth could be compromised, since today with Wi-Fi 5 the USB 2.0 interface is too short, so it is necessary to verify that the adapter Wi-Fi uses the USB 3.0 standard.
Wi-Fi adapters with PCIe interface
Today, there are multiple online resources, and several free of charge, that teach you how to mount your desktop from scratch. In addition, we can also learn to repair them and thus be able to save some money that you can invest in other things. However, there are people who do not have the same interests as you to take the time to do so.
We make mention of this because the Wi-Fi PCI-e (PCI Express) network adapters will provide us with better wireless connectivity, both in stability, Wi-Fi signal reception and also real speed that we can achieve. Thanks to the Wi-Fi adapters by PCIe, we will be able to make the most of the wireless network. However, the act of setting it up and running it takes time and some knowledge.
The reason these adapters tend to be preferred in performance is because of the number of external antennas they have. Most of those we can find have two or even three or four antennas. Which allow the reception of the Wi-Fi signal to be much better so that we can have high-speed connectivity.
In addition, some models have an antenna base so that we can place them on the table, and not behind the computer tower. Therefore, this option is the best in terms of performance, but it is the worst in terms of installation and configuration since we will need certain knowledge to do it.
| Conditions / Type | PCIe Wi-Fi adapter | USB Wi-Fi adapter |
|---|---|---|
| Conditions / Type Maximum performance | Better PCIe Wi-Fi Adapter | Worst USB Wi-Fi Adapter |
| Conditions / Type Price | More expensive PCIe Wi-Fi adapter | Cheaper USB Wi-Fi Adapter |
| Conditions / Type I connect near the router | Better PCIe Wi-Fi Adapter | Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter |
| Conditions / Type I connect away from the router | Better PCIe Wi-Fi Adapter | Worst USB Wi-Fi Adapter |
| Conditions / Type I don’t know how to unmount my PC | Worst PCIe Wi-Fi Adapter | Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter |
| Conditions / Type I want to use it on my laptop | Worst PCIe Wi-Fi Adapter | Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter |
Wi-Fi 6, MU-MIMO and WPA3: What you should look to choose the best
To choose the best Wi-Fi card, regardless of its USB 3.0 or PCI-e interface, we must look at certain aspects that are very important today:
- Wi-Fi 6 : the latest wireless standard will allow us to enjoy the improvements in speed and efficiency in the signal, thanks to this new standard we will be able to transfer data at real speeds of more than approximately 800Mbps. An important aspect is that it has compatibility with 160MHz of channel width in 5GHz, to achieve double the speed of cards compatible with 80MHz.
- MU-MIMO (if possible) : This technology allows us to transfer from the AP to multiple clients at the same time, improving the overall speed that the Wi-Fi network is capable of providing. It is mandatory that, in order to use MU-MIMO, both the AP or Wi-Fi router and Wi-Fi cards are compatible, otherwise we will not notice any improvement.
- MIMO : MIMO stands for Multiple Input, Multiple Output . It is a technology that provides us with a much more robust signal quality and with less possibility of dispersion. This works because it takes advantage of the differences in signal reception by the antennas (in this case, the Wi-Fi network adapters) that are located next to each other, or even further away from each other. MIMO is primarily responsible for higher data transfer rates, resulting in a much better wireless connectivity experience. As we know, wireless networks do not depend on cables but on devices that have the capacity to receive the signal efficiently, affecting the quality of it as little as possible. The use of different channels when transmitting data and / or spatial multiplexing make a quality connection possible. As we discussed, this is possible, even if the antennas are distant from each other. MIMO is implemented when there are multiple transmitters (Wi-Fi signal emitters) and multiple receivers (Wi-Fi antennas), to increase transmission speeds. Here is the detail that we discussed that it is more convenient to have more Wi-Fi antennas in our adapters. The reason antenna diversity exists is that there is not always a 100% line of sight between transmitter and receiver. That is, we always have interference that causes the signal to not reach the receiver properly. If my Wi-Fi network adapter has multiple receivers, these help them to make the best decision regarding which data signals to process to reach our computer and which to discard. The more they exist, in addition to more transmitters, the speeds will increase .
- Beamforming : This technology allows to “focus” the wireless signal in a certain place, in order to achieve the best signal reception. Both routers and APs and Wi-Fi cards have this technology from Wi-Fi 5 to have better Wi-Fi coverage, and therefore higher speed.
Currently there are a large number of options for both USB and PCI-e Wi-Fi adapters, in this article we have a ranking of the best Wi-Fi adapters where you can see all our analyzes carried out so far ordered by rating, with the aim of make the best decision.
