The Killer 2.5G Ethernet to USB-C Adapter offers blazing fast connectivity and intelligent networking for gamers and power users on the move

Thin and light laptops are fast becoming the order of the day thanks to the availability of highly energy-efficient processing that does not require a massive cooling setup to deliver great performance. While this immensely helps with portability, the downside is that OEMs have to cut down on port selection in order to achieve the slimness targets that are demanded by the market.

In pursuit of thin and light utopia, we are seeing a trend where OEMs don't mind leaving out the Ethernet port, the popular arguments being:

• It hinders creating extremely thin and portable designs.
  
• Laptops focus on mobility, so wireless performance is more paramount.
• Those who still prefer wired internet can use some sort of USB dongle or docking station.

While these are not completely invalid reasons, wired Ethernet is still the best choice when it comes to raw performance, particularly for gamers and power users. Sure, we do have many high-end gaming routers on the market that narrow the gap between Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but performance-conscious users and pro-gamers still swear by wired Ethernet. Also, users may want to have an upgraded networking experience that is much faster than the default Wi-Fi and Ethernet NICs on their devices without having to upgrade the whole laptop.

Besides, there's also the issue of security. Plugging into enterprise systems for diagnosis or data transfer is often enabled only via Ethernet, which can make not having an Ethernet port a huge disadvantage. 

But what if your device either does not have an Ethernet port or only has a low-performing one? The new Killer 2.5 Gigabit RJ-45 to USB-C 3.1 Ethernet Adapter (US$49.99 on Amazon) is the answer for all your high-performance and secure networking needs.

As mentioned before, Killer's benefits don't just stop with unhindered 2.5G throughput. In fact, a good majority of ISP pipes around the world offer just about a 10th or even less bandwidth, which further highlights the importance of Killer's renowned packet prioritization features.

The Killer 2.5 Gigabit RJ-45 to USB-C 3.1 Ethernet Adapter features the same Killer Prioritization Engine that made Killer network interface cards (NICs) popular in gaming laptops. The Killer Prioritization Engine is aimed at optimizing game traffic and ensuring it gets prioritized over other network packets, thereby enabling low-latency gameplay even during peak bandwidth use.

Often, wanting to binge on our favorite online series in 4K means cutting down on all other parallel network traffic, including other communications, game updates, and downloads. With the Killer Prioritization Engine, that is no longer a concern as the algorithm intelligently prioritizes network packets to ensure you get the best of both worlds.

Another Killer technology that gamers appreciate is GameFast, which suspends processes that are not essential for gaming. This can free up to 10% CPU cycles and 20% memory during online play, enabling better utilization of hardware resources.

Working alongside the GameFast feature is Killer Extreme Game Mode Technology and Killer Intelligence Engine. It is not always possible to connect to a relatively decongested network, so Killer's Extreme Game Mode kicks in to ensure that game traffic is not hampered due to other network activities. Killer Intelligence Engine is a boon for gamers and enthusiasts, who need a reliable way to assess where bottlenecks lie along the network path.

Now that we know the potential of this nifty Ethernet adapter, how about some real-world usage to put Killer's claims to test? We used an assortment of test devices to check for compatibility. We compared the Killer 2.5G Ethernet Adapter to similar devices including:

• Amazon Basics USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (ASIX AX88179)
  
• Anker Premium USB-C Hub A8302 
• Dell DA200 USB-C Hub

iperf3 was used to measure total throughput. We also recorded power draws under idle and load conditions along with temperatures. 

The Killer 2.5G Ethernet Adapter is based on the E3100 chipset, which is available in three variants — E3100, E3100G, and E3100X. Windows detects the Killer 2.5G Ethernet Adapter as an E3100U. We can confirm that the Killer 2.5G Ethernet Adapter works out-of-the-box with full 2.5G functionality in Windows, macOS, iOS, and Ubuntu without having to install any drivers.

For testing with iperf3, we used a desktop powered by the Intel Core i7-8086K as the server. This server PC is equipped with an Intel X550 10 Gbit NIC and is connected to a Netgear GS110EMX Ethernet Switch that offers two 10G ports. The other client test devices include:

• Apple MacBook Air M1 Entry (macOS)
  
• Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 (macOS)
  
• Acer Swift 3 (Ryzen 7 4700U, Windows 10)
• Honor MagicBook (Core i5 - 8250U/NVIDIA MX150, Windows 10)
• Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (2018, iOS)
• BMAX Y11 Convertible (Ubuntu 20.04)
  

The Killer E3100U 2.5G Ethernet to USB-C Adapter performed as expected in iperf3 total throughput tests. We recorded a consistent 2.38 Gbits in both iperf3 receive and transmit tests. The rest of the Gigabit adapters max-out close to the 950 Mbps mark.

Power consumption may be the last thing one would think of while purchasing an Ethernet to USB adapter, but every percent of the battery counts while on the move. We tested power draws of all of the USB adapters both in idle and under load. Power draws were tested with both the MacBook Pro 16 and the Honor MagicBook and are summarized in the table below.

Do note that USB devices draw power as per need so there may be minor differences in voltage (and thereby, power) readings. We had issues in running the Amazon AX88179 and the Dell DA200 hubs in macOS, so we recommended considering load readings under Windows for these devices.

Overall, we find the Killer 2.5G Adapter to be very economical in terms of power draws under idle and load conditions across both macOS and Windows laptops.

All measurements are in W

The shrinking chassis profiles of modern ultrabooks means a loss of port selection, particularly the Ethernet port. While USB 3.1 Type-C and Thunderbolt 3/4 offer great expandability and Ethernet, most USB and Thunderbolt docks on the market are limited to Gigabit speeds and lack any form of network packet prioritization.

Killer aims to alleviate these issues with the 2.5G Ethernet to USB-C Adapter. This adapter is designed to offer the maximum bandwidth for gamers and power users, who prefer the low latency of Ethernet over Wi-Fi. Apart from offering maximum raw throughput, the Killer 2.5G adapter offers the full suite of Killer software enhancements including the acclaimed Killer Prioritization Engine, GameFast, Killer Extreme Game Mode, Killer Intelligence Engine, and DoubleShot Pro. All these functions can be intuitively managed via the Killer Control Center 2.0 app.

In our testing, we saw the Killer 2.5G living up to its throughput claims in iperf3 transmit and receive tests. We also observed that the device consumes power economically and operates coolly under load, which is great for mobile users.

With the Killer 2.5 Ethernet USB-C Adapter, you are not merely adding an Ethernet port to your laptop. Rather, you are getting a complete package that offers intelligent data prioritization with low-latency and high throughput to help you make the best use of available bandwidth for work and entertainment.

Buy the Killer 2.5G Ethernet to USB-C Adapter to Amazon