Though they didn’t make a difference in our tests, these technologies will help you in the future as more devices adopt them, and they should ease network congestion in the long run.

MU-MIMO (multiple user, multiple input/multiple output) lets the router and compatible devices communicate with each other simultaneously so devices don’t need to wait their turn to communicate with the router. Beamforming aims the Wi-Fi signal to and from the router to your adapter, like how a spotlight is a more focused beam of light than the diffused illumination that comes off a naked light bulb. Beamforming and MU-MIMO: As the number of Wi-Fi devices grow, router and adapter manufacturers have to come up with ways to compensate for all those signals crossing through your living space.

Smaller adapters won’t snag on cords or pop loose if inadvertently catch them on your arm, but they tend to have smaller antennas and weaker radios.

Good compact case and sturdy build quality: Both will help you enjoy using your USB adapter.

If you’re paying more, you might as well consider upgrading your standalone router, running an Ethernet cable to the PC, or installing a new mesh network in your home. Paying more doesn’t necessarily mean better performance the pricier adapters didn’t win all of our tests.

Good price: This factor is very important-you shouldn’t have to pay more than $35-$65 for a USB adapter.

Good range: A good Wi-Fi adapter should be able to maintain a strong connection and reasonably quick file transfer speeds even when it’s several rooms away from your router.

Our test measures in megabytes per second (MB/s), and 12 MB/s translates into 96 Mbps, which is about as fast as the average broadband Internet connection, so we looked for that threshold on our tests. We tested each adapter to see how it could do in a real home. For example, an AC1200 adapter is rated to provide 300 Mbps (megabits per second) on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz bands, but no adapter can achieve that. We started by looking at each adapter’s AC rating: while those numbers are generally pretty misleading, they do tell you each adapter’s maximum theoretical throughput. You need throughput to download updates and stream videos at the quality you’re paying for.

Good throughput: Think of the tasks you do the most where you’re waiting and watching a spinning pinwheel.

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