Best PCIe WiFi Expansion Card with Bluetooth & Dual-Band 5 GHz AC

In recent times, Wi-Fi is usually the standard way to connect to the internet and several other networks (VPNs, Intranet, etc.). To access the internet on your PC, your computer must have Wi-Fi capability. An Ethernet cable is generally a decent way to establish a connection to a local network. However, in cases when you need internet connectivity on the go or wish to play high-intensity gaming, it is not a practical idea to have wires running throughout your home. In such cases, a wireless network card, however insignificant in cost, will enable flawless connection to your network, wirelessly. This connection will be established anywhere within the range of the wireless router is installed.

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Related: Best 802.11AX PCIe + Bluetooth 5.0 Expansion Cards

In order to make sure the Bluetooth and wireless connectivity are robust, the PCI-E Wireless cards are used on desktop PCs. They are often referred to as PCIe Wi-Fi Expansion card. They can be easily installed in your computer case through a spare PCI expansion slot. Moreover, they facilitate a powerful connection to a nearby wireless network. During the situation when your PC does not have wireless capability, and you still wish to access the internet, then these Wi-Fi expansion cards work well. These cards are dedicated to enhancing the strength of the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to your computer. There would be no hassles to install them, and once installed, they will serve your PC with the necessary connectivity options.

Some desktop PCs and mini-ITX motherboards come with a built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi function, while others don’t. Sometimes, your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity is not that fabulous or is stuck at 2.4 GHz. Maybe, your new 5 GHz Dual Band Router needs to be utilized to its fullest potential. So the most natural solution is to install a PCIe Bluetooth and Wi-Fi card. Since a good Wi-Fi & Bluetooth combo is rare, we will help you choose the best PCIe Wi-Fi Expansion Card available on the market.

There are two ways to add external Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality to your desktop computer, namely USB or PCIe. But the easiest and the cheapest option is to get the Bluetooth 4.0/WiFi PCIe Expansion card. Installing an internal Bluetooth/Wi-Fi card is somewhat not as easy as that of an external dongle. But it is not even that complicated either; even newbies can do this stuff with proper guidance.

Also Read: Top USB 3.0 based Dual-Band WiFi Adapters

To install the PCIe card, you would need to know how to open your desktop computer. The instructions will come from your desktop vendor since each chassis is different. The second prerequisite is to have an empty, available PCIe slot for installing the Wi-Fi card.

Once you have figured that out, you should be able to insert the PCI-e(Express) and install the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi card. Once the installation is complete, the PCI-e wireless adapter is going to give you the necessary connectivity that you are planning to achieve. Usually, these expansion cards pack two antennas, where one is going to boost your Wi-Fi signal reception, while the other one is used for Bluetooth signal increasing. Some cards might have more than two antennas to add the reception strength even further.

Also, do look for MU-MIMO based expansion cards, since they are fast and can open multiple channels for faster downloads. The MU-MIMO cards are affordable these days, and the spatial multiplexing gain over Wi-Fi makes it a compelling buying option.

Table of Contents

Best PCIe Wi-Fi Expansion Card for PC

Fenvi	Wi-Fi + Bluetooth PCI-e Card 8265	Buy From Amazon
ASUS	PCE-AC55BT B1 Wireless	Buy From Amazon
Gigabyte	GC-WB867D-I REV 1	Buy From Amazon
Ubit	WiFi AC 1200Mbps, PCIe Wireless Network Card	Buy From Amazon
BrosTrend	PCIe 1200Mbps WiFi Adapter Card	Buy From Amazon
QNINE	1167Mbps Wireless Network Card x1 PCI-e	Buy From Amazon
ASUS	PCE-AC88 AC3100	Buy From Amazon
MSI	WiFi/Bluetooth PCI-E Adapter	Buy From Amazon
FebSmart	PCI Express WiFi Bluetooth Adapter	Buy From Amazon

The market is full of Wi-Fi PCI-e adapter and Bluetooth PCI-e adapters. But when it comes to Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi PCI-e adapter combo, there are not many good options in the market. So in this article, we are going to list out with the best ones in the market.

Also, the 5 GHz band allows users to get 2x -3x more bandwidth over its predecessor, the 802.11 N standard. Since all the devices on the market are moving towards this new standard, we have individually listed them here on our list.

1. Fenvi Wi-Fi + Bluetooth PCI-e Card 8265

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Moving on to the high-end best Wi-Fi + Bluetooth PCI-e cards, we have the Fenvi 8265. It provides faster speed and better coverage than the above Wireless adapter. It supports dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz operation. It works on the 2×2 MU-MIMO technology.

It delivers up to 3 times faster Wi-Fi speeds (up to 867 Mbps) than 802.11n. Plus, it offers three times more bandwidth per stream for more users and devices. It has dual-mode Bluetooth, 4.2 BLE. It has dual antennas that stick outside the pc cabinet for even better signal reception. It is compatible with Windows 7, 8, and 10 Mac and Linux OS.

2. ASUS PCE-AC55BT B1 Wireless-AC1200 Bluetooth 4.2 PCIe/mPCIe adapter

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ASUS PCE-AC55BT B1 adapter offers high-speed wireless internet connectivity. It comes with Wireless-AC dual-band for low latency streaming and high performance online gaming. With Bluetooth 4.2 and BLE connectivity, you can connect your mice, keyboards, headsets, and more with your desktop PC wirelessly.

It comes with an external antenna base for optimum signal reception. The flexible dual-band connection delivers speed up to 867 Mbps on the 5GHz band. Plus, the dual-mode Bluetooth to connect to the latest BLE product and works with Windows 7, 8, 10, and Linux OS. Inside the package, you will get an AC adapter, Gigabit network cable, warranty card, and Wireless LAN adapter.

3. Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I REV Expansion Card

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Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I REV is a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter that follows IEEE 802.11ac standards. Plus, complete Bluetooth 4.2 to connect almost all the latest Bluetooth devices. It provides a high-speed wireless connection up to 867 Mbps.

The external antenna dramatically increases the signal reception capabilities. Wi-Fi dual-band operation allows users to switch between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band as per the load requirement. This PCI-e Wi-Fi + Bluetooth adapter support Intel Wireless Display to let you enjoy wireless life at home and work. Gigabyte GC-WB867D is the most reliable Wi-Fi + Bluetooth PCI-e card for PC.

4. Ubit WiFi AC 1200Mbps, PCIe Wireless Network Card

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Equipped with high-speed connectivity, you can relish flawless internet connection in your PC. With low latency occurring at 5 ms, you can view UHD video and enjoy multiplayer online games in a hassle-free manner. It is found that this wireless network card from Ubit comes with dual-band technology and features a 3-antenna design. It supports dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels to let user flawlessly enjoy HD video streaming, file sharing, and online gaming. In addition to that, there will be a noticeable improvement in wireless coverage due to the two antenna arrays. These antenna arrays also facilitate dominant Wi-Fi performance and stable Wi-Fi connectivity. Within no time, your PC gets connected to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz wireless network.

Features:

With the use of this Wi-Fi card, you can add high-speed 867mbps Wi-Fi connectivity to a desktop computer via a PCI express (PCI-E 1x) slot.
Implementation of the Bluetooth 4.2 technology enables excellent data transmission speed between devices. It is found that this speed is approximately 2.5 times higher than that of Bluetooth 4.0. The included Bluetooth technology offers higher security and quick transfer rate.
In this wireless network card, there is a built-in Intel chipset. This chipset is dedicated to enhancing the wireless network reliability and performance.
For its operation, there is no need for driver installation. Moreover, it comes with a quick setup and hassle-free installation using bundled CD utility.
The card motherboard comes with the short circuit prevention design. This design makes sure the computer motherboard or PCI-E adapter would not be burnt.
The package comes with all the necessary accessories like the two 5dBi antenna, a Bluetooth signal cable, 2U Half Height Baffle, a driver CD, and mounting screws.

Cons:

Some compatibility issues with Windows 7

5. BrosTrend PCIe 1200Mbps WiFi Adapter Card

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The BrosTrend 1200Mbps wireless network card takes the comprehensive benefit of the advanced 802.11 AC Wi-Fi and PCI Express network interface technology. In addition to these technologies, the card comes with the two external 5dBi Wi-Fi antennas along with a magnetic antenna base equipped with an extension cable of length 3.3 feet. All these components and the advanced technology make sure you effortlessly establish a lag-free and powerful wireless connection. You will find a boost in the Wi-Fi range and improvement in the Bluetooth connectivity as well. For daily use and gaming purpose, this PCI Express wireless card is the perfect one.

Features:

With the use of this Wi-Fi card adapter, you will attain 867mbps wireless speed on the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band. Moreover, you would get 300mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. It is quite simple to get this robust wireless connectivity by just plugging this PCIe Wi-Fi card to any available PCI-E slot present on the motherboard of the PC.
Due to its PCI Express interface, it is found that this wireless network card guarantees a more stable Wi-Fi connection than the USB Wi-Fi adapters. Hence, this wireless card is recommended for lag-free video streaming, online gaming, and web surfing, etc.
An extended Wi-Fi connection is facilitated by positioning its antennas in a spot with the optimum wireless signal reception.
It comes with a flexible installation because the magnetic antenna base is capable of supporting installation horizontally or vertically on a surface. This kind of flexible installation allows you to perceive the optimal wireless connection.

Cons:

Only Email Support
Detection issues on certain PCIe Motherboards
Needs an available x1 PCIe slot

6. QNINE 1167Mbps Wireless Network Card x1 PCI-e

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Now you can enjoy wireless connectivity on a wired PC with the help of this PCIe wireless adapter from QNINE. What makes this wireless network card unique is its support for a wide range of Windows System. The hassles to rely only on the wired connection for accessing the internet will now be removed. Also, there are no troubles with the installation and set up the process. All you need to do is follow the instructions and experience strong wireless connectively subsequently.

Features:

This QNINE wireless network card comes with the 1200Mbps super-fast wireless transmission rate. This rate is suitable for quick downloads, lag-free video streaming, and internet gaming.
With the help of the Bluetooth 4.2 function, it is quite easy to connect many other Bluetooth devices. Along with the Bluetooth connectivity, this wireless network card supports use with WIFI simultaneously.
The dual-band4GHz/5GHz prevents the issues of wireless interference and network congestion. In this way, you are benefitted from stable Wi-Fi connectivity.
It can support Windows XP, Win7, Win8, Win8.1, and Win10.

Cons

Bluetooth connection sometimes is unstable due to interference

ASUS PCE-AC88 AC3100

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This is one of the most powerful options for the best in terms of the fastest Wi-Fi cards. The card is known for speedier reception quality. You can be assured of a beautiful 2100Mbps speed in 5GHz band and 1000Mbps on 2.4GHz group, which is a great option compared to the other cards currently available.

The speeds above should be one of the best pointers to assist you in achieving a better future proof design. You would find the custom heatsink to be one of the great options in the long run. The four R-SMA antennas with a magnetic base can be one of the perfect options for a high degree of flexibility and MU-MIMO functionality.

A few of the most influential factors in favor of the product would include super-fast speeds, highly effective heatsink, and long-range reception. However, the price tag may be a little expensive. The drivers may be an issue in some cases.

MSI WiFi/Bluetooth PCI-E Adapter

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Compatible with Windows, 7, 8.1, and 10, the Wi-Fi card is equipped with 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz operating frequencies. The dual-band 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi is one of the most influential factors in favor of the platform. You can be assured of speeds much higher than the 802.11n protocol.

The Wi-Fi card should also provide you access to smart MU-MIMO technology that assists you in ineffective bandwidth allocation. The Wi-Fi range extender option is one of the excellent choices. Yet another excellent option that should be helpful enough is Intel Wireless Display and Intel Smart Connect Technology. The added Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity would be yet another addition.

FebSmart PCI Express WiFi Bluetooth Adapter

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An extremely affordable option, this s what should make it a great choice among the Wi-Fi cards with Bluetooth compatibility. The easy setup option with access to an improved and secured WiF signal is what would make it a genuinely formidable option. The plug and play compatibility on Windows 10 should make it one of the most preferred options.

The Wi-Fi card does offer you a Bluetooth 4.2 compatibility. The speeds available would read 2.4GHz at 300Mbps and 5GHz at 867Mbps. The added heatsink should help you keep the core components of the Wi-Fi card cooler enough. The Wi-Fi card has been observed to be one of the excellent options for varied application areas such as Audio transmission, Internet surfing, online gaming, and 4K Ultra HD video streaming.

Conclusion

To perceive excellent internet connectivity and Bluetooth connectivity in your PC without any instability concerns, the discussed PCIe Wi-Fi expansion cards work effectively. They provide a substantial improvement in the Wi-Fi speed and Bluetooth connectivity to suit a wide range of applications.

We hope you like our list of the best PCIe Wi-Fi Expansion Card available on the market. For feedback or suggestions, do drop us a comment below in the comment section. Cheers!

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