This disclosure provides methods, devices and systems for link adaptation in wireless communications. Some implementations more specifically relate to transmitter-based modulation and coding scheme (MCS) selection. A transmitting device transmits a test packet, over a wireless channel, to a receiving device. The receiving device generates one or more signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) estimates for the wireless channel based on the received sounding packet. In some aspects, each SINR estimate may be associated with a particular modulation order. In some other aspects, each SINR estimate may be generated based on a transmitter configuration or a receiver type to be used for subsequent communications between the transmitting device and the receiving device. The receiving device transmits feedback, including the SINR estimates, to the transmitting device. The transmitting device then selects an MCS to be used for subsequent communications with the receiving device based on the SINR estimates and associated modulation orders.