Finally! Super-cheap, super-fast 5Gbps Ethernet adapters are flooding the market – but is it too little too late for gigabit wired connectivity outside of business applications?
RealTek unveiled a new range of RTL8126 5Gbps Ethernet PCIe and M.2 adapters at Computex 2023 (yes, last year), promising extremely fast wired internet connections.
Those adapters are finally here is now going on sale – and at quite reasonable prices too. The first module, available on Amazon for $27 is the 5,000 Mbps network card B+M Key for PCIe adapters, which works with Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The adapter is ideal for those who build their own PC and want to use the best PC parts. While an Ethernet connection may not be the sexiest part of them all, it’s certainly important to get the most out of the installation.
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An Ethernet adapter is just one component you need to build a premium PC for gaming, fun, or business use.
Unfortunately, there is currently only limited information about the adapters online, and some users on Reddit noted that equivalent adapters from Intel are listed on eBay for a pretty reasonable price.
According to CNX softwareone forum user tried a similar card and achieved transfer speeds of 4.7 Gbps in both directions, but speeds dropped to 3.43 Gbps (Rx) and 3.31 Gbps (Tx) in PCIe Gen2 mode.