Intel released its new 23.30.0 Wi-Fi 7 driver for 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 and 22.160.0 driver for 32-bit Windows 10 a few days ago, fixing some known issues and extending wireless bandwidths. This also includes Windows 11 updates for the new Wi-Fi 7 adapters, the BE202 and the BE200, made readily available before January 2024. The new drivers can be downloaded from Intel's website.
The main updates are provided for its latest Wi-Fi 7 adapters- the BE200 and the BE202. With this update, these adapters now support all 6 GHz bandwidth on Windows 11 while having limited functionality on Windows 10. It mentions that some Wi-Fi 7 features are not enabled as Windows 11 does not support it yet. But it does function with Wi-Fi 6E as it includes 320 MHz/ 4K QAM.
One notable bug that Intel hasn't addressed renders it unusable when paired with an AMD-based system.
Intel stated that it was able to fix the following issues and provided updates:
- Enhanced QoS Management
- Enhanced Power Management based on network latency.
- Regulatory updates for Taiwan, Bahrain, China, Japan, and South Korea.
- On some systems, blue screen might occur which are associated the Intel Wireless driver.
- On some systems, Windows System Event ID 5002 might occur after resuming from Standby mode.
- When lid on some systems, the wireless adapter may stop working and show a yellow bang in Device Manager.
- On some systems, Wi-Fi list might show "No Wi-Fi networks found" when connecting to wireless AP.
- On some systems, wireless adapter couldn’t connect the monitor via Miracast.
When the adapter was available, Users with BE200 and BE202 Wi-Fi 7 adapters noticed incompatibility with AMD-based systems, something Intel hasn't mentioned on its specifications page. The latest driver's release notes didn't specifically say if it fixed the issue on AMD PCs, rather vaguely mentioning 'some PCs,' which could also mean it enabled compatibility with Intel CPUs older than 12th gen. At the time of release, users with Intel CPUs from the 12 gen were the ones who could use these Wi-Fi 7 adapters on Windows 11.
These adapters were made available for purchase and bundled with some motherboards before January 2024, when the Wi-Fi 7 standard was finalized. At the time, Ghostmotley confirmed he tested the BE200 and the BE202 Wi-Fi 7 adapters on AMD systems with no success. They are compatible with Intel 12-gen-based PCs and above. Fast forward to today, he is still uncertain if Intel intentionally locked away this compatibility or if the AMD AGESA bug prevents these chipsets from working.
Intel has been silent regarding the compatibility issue to date. AMD did not issue a disclaimer about this incompatibility for its users and motherboard vendors, putting users in a situation where they need to find out after the purchase. Despite having four variations of the BE200 adapter, there's no official clarification if any of these are compatible with AMD systems. Even with the new driver updates, being vague about its fix doesn't help its users. This is where Intel needs to step in and inform its users if they are working on a solution- or if its BE200/ BE202 works only with Intel-based PCs with Windows 11.
So, if you're on an AMD-based system and looking to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, it is best to stick with Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 QCNCM865 or MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7927/ RZ738 Wi-Fi 7 adapters.
