Do I need an antenna and how big is the difference between BT 4.0 and 5.0?

[Pixelfie]

I'm looking for a wifi card so I can have Bluetooth in my PC. I prefer integrated over USB. Will I need an antenna? And how big is the difference between BT 4.0 and 5.0? Will mainly connect it to a Dualsense and Soundcore Liberty Air 2
 

Asrock B460M Pro4

[flibberdipper]

Pretty much any card you buy new will have some form of antenna, be it dongle-style or ones you plug straight into the card. For your use, BT5.0 isn't really necessary.

 

BUT, with how cheap AX200 cards seem to be getting (take this Gigabyte one for example at $40 USD), I'd almost start to lean towards one of those. Super overkill just to be used as a glorified Bluetooth adapter, sure, but if you ever get a WiFi 6 capable router that's reasonably close to your PC, regular 'ol Gbe starts to look a bit less appealing.

 

Though of course you could save a few smackeroos and get something like this Asus one. I've got one myself and have no complaints other than the fact that the damn hockey puck antenna doesn't have magnets in it, when it totally could (and should!).

[Pixelfie]

4 minutes ago, flibberdipper said:

Pretty much any card you buy new will have some form of antenna, be it dongle-style or ones you plug straight into the card. For your use, BT5.0 isn't really necessary.

 

BUT, with how cheap AX200 cards seem to be getting (take this Gigabyte one for example at $40 USD), I'd almost start to lean towards one of those. Super overkill just to be used as a glorified Bluetooth adapter, sure, but if you ever get a WiFi 6 capable router that's reasonably close to your PC, regular 'ol Gbe starts to look a bit less appealing.

 

Though of course you could save a few smackeroos and get something like this Asus one. I've got one myself and have no complaints other than the fact that the damn hockey puck antenna doesn't have magnets in it, when it totally could (and should!).

How about this AX200 for €20? Seems good to me and has an included antenna

https://www.amazon.nl/Intel-AX200-Wi-Fi-Desktop-999VGD/dp/B085M7VPDP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ax200&qid=1624314581&sr=8-3

[flibberdipper]

1 hour ago, Pixelfie said:

How about this AX200 for €20? Seems good to me and has an included antenna

https://www.amazon.nl/Intel-AX200-Wi-Fi-Desktop-999VGD/dp/B085M7VPDP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ax200&qid=1624314581&sr=8-3

As long as you've got a slot capable of having something keyed like this plugged into it, I can't really see any reason not to. Hell now that I know these things exist, it makes me wish my board could make use of one.

 

Just make sure your board is keyed for A + E. It probably isn't, though.

[Pixelfie]

7 hours ago, flibberdipper said:

As long as you've got a slot capable of having something keyed like this plugged into it, I can't really see any reason not to. Hell now that I know these things exist, it makes me wish my board could make use of one.

 

Just make sure your board is keyed for A + E. It probably isn't, though.

I think it's key E (B460M Pro4), so that means it doesn't work?

[flibberdipper]

5 hours ago, Pixelfie said:

I think it's key E (B460M Pro4), so that means it doesn't work?

Nope, that means it will work. I didn't even realize until I fired up the ol' Googleinator to double check, but ASRock even put an M.2 slot just for WiFi (next to the PCIe x1 slot).