RealTek unveiled a new range of RTL8126 5Gbps Ethernet PCIe and M.2 adapters back at Computex 2023 (yes, the year before last), promising extremely fast wired internet connections.
Those adapters are finally now going on sale – and at pretty reasonable prices, too. The first module, available on Amazon for $27, is the 5,000Mbps Networking Card B+M Key to PCIe adapters, which works with Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.
The adapter is ideal for those who are building their own PC and want to make use of the best PC parts to do so. While an Ethernet connection might not be the sexiest part of all, it's definitely important to get the most out of the setup.
Build your PC with freedom
An Ethernet adapter is just one component that you will need to build a top-of-the-line PC for gaming, pleasure, or business.
Unfortunately, there is currently only limited information about the adapters online right now, and some users on Reddit noted that equivalent adapters from Intel are listed on eBay for a fairly reasonable price.
According to CNX Software, a forum user has tried a similar card and reached 4.7Gbps transfer speeds in both directions, but speeds dropped to 3.43Gbps (Rx) and 3.31 Gbps (Tx) in PCIe Gen2 mode.
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