MSI Herald-BE NCM865 WI-FI 7 (Wi-Fi 7, 802.11BE, Bluetooth 5.4, PCIe, Multi-Link Operation Technology, External Antenna)

The MSI Herald-BE NCM865 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Combo Adapter presents a promising upgrade for users looking to enhance their connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 capabilities. However, it comes with some notable caveats that potential buyers should consider.## Compatibility and Installation ##One of the most critical points to note is that the MSI Herald-BE NCM865 is only compatible with Windows 11. Users running Windows 10 will find themselves unable to utilize this adapter.Installation of the card itself is relatively straightforward; it can be installed in a desktop with an available PCIe slot or in a laptop with an E-key M.2 slot. However, users must remember to connect the power cables to the USB input during installation to ensure proper functionality.## Driver Installation Challenges ##While the initial setup is simple, the driver installation can be a nightmare. The package includes a CD-ROM for driver installation, which feels outdated in today's digital age where many devices no longer come with optical drives. Users may struggle to find and install the correct drivers manually, especially since they are not available through Windows Update. For those facing difficulties, download the driver from the original homepage: https://www.msi.com/PC-Component/HERALD-BE-WIFI-7-MAX/support.## Performance ##Once installed and properly configured, the MSI Herald-BE NCM865 offers impressive performance with speeds reaching up to 5.8 Gbps and support for tri-band frequencies (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) utilizing Multi-Link Operation (MLO) technology. This makes it a solid choice for users looking to future-proof their network capabilities.## Conclusion ##In summary, while the MSI Herald-BE NCM865 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Combo Adapter provides excellent performance and easy installation, its exclusive compatibility with Windows 11 and troublesome driver installation process may deter some users. If you are ready to navigate these challenges, this adapter could be a worthwhile investment for enhancing your wireless connectivity.

Chasing more internet speed. Updated all my routers and computers to Wifi6 and thought I'd give this wifi 7 card a test even before upgrading my main router.It is a PCIe card with will fit the PCIe (1 or 16) slot on your motherboard. Speed tests are much different from the WIFI 6 card on my primary PC, but really didn't expect it to be. The card installs easily and MS installs the drivers or you can download them from MSI.I have a MSI MB with integrated wifi-6 and used the antenna which came with this card as a test. The antenna alone helped increase my internet speed. It has a magnetic base which the 6 antenna doesn't. So, good antenna.Will update info on speed when I upgrade my router to WIFI 7. Very good price and worth it, even if you are sticking with wifi6 for a while. Good quality, good antenna and works well so far. Using it now.

The Wi-Fi 7 doesn't work yet because Windows has not approved it yet. Supposedly 24H2 version of windows. But this does install on an AMD system. I have it in a Lenovo Yoga laptop and working correctly. I didn't post speed/links because they won't be valid until Windows updates to support Wi-Fi 7. Otherwise its just wifi 6E speedsd. It doesn't have any issues saturating my 1.2gig connection over wifi if I'm halfway close so that's a good sign.Again, it booted and installed for those with AMD systems. I did shuck it and stuck the old Intel AX210 in the other housing and that works. Shucking it was the only way to get this card right now since you can't buy it by itself.Pro's: Works with AMD!, easy to install, wifi 7Con's: Windows isn't updated yet to support wifi 7. It's coming, though.Overall, this is a solid deal if you want a wifi 7 card installed in a PC or a laptop that is AMD based. If you're willing to shuck it from the drive. Easy enough to do, you get a pretty solid card/antenna to go with it. I've got it connected to an Orbi RBE973S and its blazing fast. I can't wait to see what it can do when 7 is enabled on windows.

Powerful wifi PC card. It solved my wifi signal issues and has given me a smooth consistent wifi signal. No drop off great for gaming PC. Easy to install. Works great.

The product worked great for 2 months, I started using Bluetooth recently for the past 2 weeks with my Beats ear plugs, and suddenly I got disconnected and Windows won't recognize the Bluetooth device anymore. I saw code 43 which usually means hardware failure, I swapped the card with another and it worked fine, it was not a driver problem either I tried all the solutions online and using AI as well I determined hardware failed.

The MSI Herald-BE WI-FI 7 MAX works fine with Linux. The performance is good for both, wifi and bluetooth. However, it doesn't support monitor mode (a feature of the NIC that allows users to monitor and inspect network traffic on their networks).

Very easy to install if your board has the space. Worked flawlessly after downloading drivers from MSI website. The drivers are more of a pain than installing the board. Antenna is magnetic with screw holes if you wanted to mount it.