While mobile phones usually get the newest version of Wi-Fi connectivity before anything else, the PC market is never far behind. With Wi-Fi 7 arriving and being fully supported in Windows, the majority of new motherboards equipped with wireless connectivity will feature Wi-Fi 7 chips. The (slightly) older Wi-Fi 6E is being phased out, and you might be wondering if you need to upgrade your motherboard to stay current.

If you decide you really do need Wi-Fi 7, you can probably add it to your current motherboard one way or another, and not have to spend a large amount in the process. Even PCIe adapters are fairly inexpensive; the M.2 cards that come pre-installed on motherboards are even more so. Additionally, USB adapters are always available if you don't mind being slightly limited by speed.

That's good news, because depending on the age of your current CPU, you may need to acquire a new motherboard, CPU, and possibly new RAM to enable Wi-Fi 7 on your PC. That's a not-insignificant outlay for slightly faster wireless, and you might want to consider getting an adapter card if possible and planning your next system upgrade while using it.

5 It's better for the environment

Reuse and reduce, all in one upgrade

We're big on reusing and recycling components, and the real question is, does your current CPU and motherboard still do the job? For many users, you won't need to upgrade your motherboard to use Wi-Fi 7. The only snag is that Windows 10 doesn't have native support for Wi-Fi 7, so with it going EOL at the end of the year, this is as good a time as any to upgrade your operating system.

If you'd rather switch to Linux, as of kernel 6.14, Wi-Fi 7 is supported over 320MHz channels, and several chipsets from MediaTek and Realtek have been added. Intel has Linux drivers for its Wi-Fi 7 adapters, although they are only compatible when paired with Intel CPUs. Still, either option lets you continue using your motherboard by adding a Wi-Fi 7 adapter and getting the benefits of increased speed and stability.

4 It's cost-effective

A new motherboard might mean a new CPU and RAM as well

Upgrading your household to using Wi-Fi 7 isn't a budget upgrade. The best Wi-Fi 7 routers are all over $200 new, and that's before you consider the cost of client devices to connect to that router. Many of those client devices will be upgraded over time, as you upgrade older smartphones and the like, but your computer is one of the few devices you can add Wi-Fi 7 to without replacing the entire system.

With most PCIe Wi-Fi 7 adapters priced around $50, and USB and M.2 variants slightly less, the clever move is to add an adapter or swap out the existing M.2 wireless card for its Wi-Fi 7 counterpart. At least, if you can find one, because the Intel-only BE200 is easily found, the Qualcomm and MediaTek versions that work with AMD motherboards are harder to come by.

But whatever adapter you choose, it'll still be substantially cheaper than upgrading the whole system. Wi-Fi 7 only really started being used on motherboards with LGA1851 for Arrow Lake, or AM5 X870/X870E, which all start upwards of $200. While AMD Ryzen 7000 series owners could easily upgrade the motherboard, any Intel owners are better off upgrading the wireless chip instead. You might need new RAM too, or even a new PSU if yours is lower wattage, driving the price of a wireless upgrade up ever higher.

3 It's an easy upgrade

You might not even need any tools

Upgrading your motherboard is a multi-step process that includes unplugging cables, unbolting the CPU cooler, unscrewing the old motherboard, removing the RAM and CPU, and then reversing this process to install the replacement. It's a good afternoon's work, and I've put off many upgrades because of the annoyance of having to do the same steps twice.

But depending on which Wi-Fi 7 adapter you get, it could be as simple as finding a vacant USB port and plugging it in. Even a PCIe card doesn't take long, although you do need to remember the internal USB cable so that Bluetooth works as well. Changing the existing wireless card takes a little longer, and you'll likely need to remove your motherboard, but you can keep the CPU cooler on, saving some steps during reassembly.

2 Performance parity

The PCIe adapters are just as fast

We've tested PCIe Wi-Fi 6E cards, and they're plenty fast, often faster than the M.2 cards installed on motherboards, because the larger adapter cards usually have better cooling solutions. Real-world speeds are always going to differ from theoretical maximums, but even Wi-Fi 7 USB adapters can be faster than Wi-Fi 6 PCIe adapters, and not that far behind PCIe Wi-Fi 7 ones.

Wi-Fi 7 appears to have better wall penetration compared to Wi-Fi 6, which could mean that even USB adapters are faster than the wireless card your motherboard currently has. And you'll be able to use it on any Windows-based computer, from handhelds to laptops, and possibly on Macs or Linux-based computers as well.

1 They work with older systems

Adapters will work on motherboards without M.2 Wi-Fi slots

On-board Wi-Fi on motherboards is now handled by tiny M.2 cards with a dedicated slot near the I/O panel. That's good for when you're building a new PC because it makes things easier for compatibility, as Wi-Fi 7 cards are more annoying than ever. The vast majority of available M.2 or PCIe Wi-Fi adapters are only compatible with Intel CPUs, which poses a problem for AMD users.

While Qualcomm and MediaTek both offer M.2 cards that work with AMD, the supply hasn't been particularly fluid, and it has been easier to obtain a motherboard with one installed than to acquire the adapter on its own. Some of the PCIe adapters have the Qualcomm card inside them, so as long as you read the listing to see if it says "Intel Only" or "works with AMD" before purchasing, you should be fine. Additionally, the Wi-Fi 7 USB adapters appear to be compatible with any computer; however, they're limited to USB speeds, and the 160MHz and 320MHz bandwidths may not be available in your area.

You don't need a new motherboard to get Wi-Fi 7

While you might be tempted to upgrade your motherboard to get Wi-Fi 7 and the benefits it promises, you don't need to. You might not even need Wi-Fi 7, but if you've upgraded your router and want the fastest Wi-Fi available, you can add it to your computer by either changing the Wi-Fi card or adding an adapter. That'll give you some more time with your current motherboard and CPU before the upgrade itch strikes again, and more time to plan the next build.