Upgrading wireless card/adapter

Ahmed Khawar Raja · April 28, 2021

I have a Lenovo G50-80 (5th gen i5) with an Intel 3160NGW wireless card. This card has BT(Bluetooth) 4.0 which does not work well with my Airpods 2 (keep disconnecting). I have tried laptops(with the same OS) with BT 4.1 and 4.2 and the Airpods work much better with them. I would to upgrade to at least BT 4.2, preferably 5.0. My card appears to be a M.2 Key-E (see attached image).

If I find another card with the same connector, would it work? Is there is anything else to check for to ensure compatibility (like I do not know what the characters A01-19 on the card mean). I have attached links of two cards I found (a safer option Intel 7265 BT 4.2 and an Intel 9620 BT 5.0). I will be very thankful to any inputs and recommendations.

Intel 7265: https://bit.ly/3vuHcvM

Intel 9260: https://bit.ly/3sUvs4g

P.S. I have tried a BT 5.0 USB dongle but that did not work for the Airpods. Do you suggest that I try again with another dongle?

Radium_Angel · April 28, 2021

1 minute ago, Ahmed Khawar Raja said:

Lenovo

In a generic laptop, I'd say this should present no problem. But Lenovo has a nasty habit of whitelisting cards, so whatever you put in, may not work because Lenovo are being jerks about things.

All the same, if you can return the card, then you have nothing to lose by trying.

Either one of those cards should work (i.e. it will fit in the laptop connector)