Intel BE200 WiFi 7 Module Review vs Qualcomm NCM865

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As Wi-Fi technology continues to evolve, the latest advancement comes in the form of WiFi 7, promising faster speeds, lower latency, and improved connectivity. For laptops and PCs, there is currently the Intel BE200 or Qualcomm NCM865 that can be used to upgrade your device. They have similar specifications but differ in the devices they support.

Intel BE200 vs AX210 Specification:

Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (Gig+)
Launch Date: Q3’23 vs Q4’20
Weight (in grams): 2230: 3.07+/-0.15G | 1216:0.75+/-0.04G vs 2.8
Supported OS: Windows 11 / 11, Linux vs Windows 10 / 11 64-bit, Linux
Antenna: 2×2 vs 2×2
TX/RX Streams: 2×2 vs 2×2
Bands: 2.4 | 5 | 6 GHz vs 2.4 | 5 | 6 GHz
Frequency Support: 320 MHz vs 160MHz
QAM: 4K QAM vs 1024 QAM
Max Speed: 5.8 Gbps vs 2.4 Gbps
Compliance: FIPS vs FIPS | FISMA
Bluetooth Version: 5.4 vs 5.3
Board Form Factor: M.2 2230 | M.2 1216 vs M.2 2230 | M.2 1216
Package Size: 22mm x 30mm x 2.4mm, 2mm x 16mm x 1.7(+/-0.1)mm vs 22mm x 30mm x 2.4mm, 12mm x 16mm x 1.65mm
System Interface Type: M.2: PCIe | USB vs Wi-Fi(PCIe) | BT(USB)
MU-MIMO: Yes vs Yes
Multi Link Operation: Yes vs No
OFDMA: Yes vs Yes
Support Intel vPro: Yes vs Yes

Intel BE200 vs Qualcomm NCM865:

The MSI Herald-BE NCM865 uses the Qualcomm NCM865 WiFi 7 module, which has similar specifications to the Intel BE200. The main difference is that the Intel BE200 does not support AMD-based systems, while the Qualcomm NCM865 does not support Linux.

To utilize Multi-Link Operation (MLO), both the Wi-Fi 7 router/access point and the client devices must support this feature. Currently, Windows does not support MLO, but it is expected in Windows 11 version 24H2. Few mobile devices, apart from the Xiaomi 14, support MLO.

Compatibility & Installation:

The Intel BE200 may not support AMD-based systems but should work on most Intel systems. Installation of the module is fairly simple, requiring the removal of antenna clips, retaining screw, and swapping the module out.

Overall, both the Intel BE200 and Qualcomm NCM865 offer superb performance and advanced features expected from WiFi 7 modules. The choice between them depends on specific needs and system compatibility.