Windows 11 24H2 isn’t here yet, but it’s coming, and OEMs are preparing for it. AMD and Intel have already posted their Windows 11 24H2-ready wireless drivers, but a recent update from Intel further improves its WLAN driver. It also expands Wi-Fi 7 support for more capable new hardware.
Intel’s WLAN 23.70.2 driver is available for Windows 11 and Windows 10 in 64x format, and one of the biggest changes is support for Wi-Fi 7 features. However, Intel warns that Wi-Fi 7 features won’t be available after installing the update unless you’re running a preview version of Windows 11 2024 Update.
“The Wi-Fi 7 features are currently not available pending global availability of the operating system ( Windows 11 24H2 ). Therefore, after installing the drivers, the Intel Wi-Fi 7 products will work with Wi-Fi 6E features on Windows 11,” Intel warned in the support document, which was first spotted by Windows Latest.
So, what’s new in Intel WLAN driver 23.70.2? According to the official release notes, it includes Wi-Fi support for products like BE201. It also improves Wi-Fi drivers for regulatory detection. In addition, Intel is changing how QoS management offload works in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
For those unaware, QoS management improvements could allow Intel to better handle the wireless internet traffic, but it again depends on how you use your device.
“For optimal performance, users are advised to update to the latest version,” Intel noted.
You can grab the offline installers for WLAN driver 23.70.2 from Intel’s website or you can also use the chipmaker’s support and assistant web app.
Windows 11 24H2’s rolling out is much closer than we think
Windows latest understands that Windows 11 2024 Update (24H2) is much closer than we think, and it could begin rolling out some devices as early as late September.
Microsoft is working closely with the OEMs to ship the final bits of the operating system, including an enablement package for those already on Windows 11 24H2.
Copilot PCs have mostly reported an overall positive experience with Windows 11’s big update, but there are still some rough edges that you need to be aware of. For example, some people who installed Windows 11 24H2 through Insider Preview program have complained of performance issues on Intel and AMD PCs.
“Second attempt at using Windows 11 24H2, and again I must roll back to 23G2. With 24H2, I initially noticed high CPU usage (15% vs 3%) for the Rainmeter App compared to 23h2. The bigger issue is trying to play Elder Scrolls Online. While moving every few seconds the FPS will drop to >20FPS for a few seconds. Looking at Afterburner, the GPU usage drops for a moment during that time (constant dips in GPU usage),” one of the affected noted in a post on Feedback Hub spotted by Windows Latest.
It’s likely Windows 11 2024 Update will get more stable in the coming weeks, but it’s still not worth replacing Windows 11 23H2 with 24H2 on your primary hardware.