My experience has been that the PCI type are no better or worse than the USB kind (used two of each, none major brand). If you go USB, I'd recommend the kind with the short form factor, in case you have to use a front USB port. The full-length one I have now (Rosewill) is too long for up front (in the way and waiting to get broken) and the reception sucks when it is plugged in back. As it is, I never get above 3 bars in signal strength, and I have my router's tx power bumped about 15% above normal. This is on a machine about 35 ft. away from the router.