Ubiquiti launches 5G Ethernet adapter for $49

Ubiquiti is now offering USB-C network adapters that offer multi-gigabit Ethernet via an RJ45 connector. In accordance with the 802.3bz standard, also known as NBase-T, it has a bandwidth of 5 Gbps. The adapter is also backward compatible with 2.5GbE and 1GbE, which is a requirement of the standard anyway.

That said, shoppers have to be a little bit careful with the name, because Ubiquiti Networks calls the accessory the 5G Ethernet Adapter, similar to the more expensive 10G Network Adapter. However, the adapter has nothing to do with 5G cellular connections.

There are no special requirements for the adapter. While the 10G adapter needs USB4, Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4 to reach its full potential, the 5G adapter only requires USB 3.2 Gen 1 via USB Type-C, which should also have 5 Gbps. However, slight performance losses are to be expected. Either way, it should still be significantly faster than a 2.5GbE adapter.

Interestingly, only the 10G adapter is declared as new by Ubiquiti, even though it was announced back in April 2025. Notebookcheck found the 5G adapter purely by coincidence, as there was no official announcement. This gadget has probably been available since mid-July.

With a price of $49, the adapter is a bit more expensive than similar products from other brands. For instance, Ugreen’s 5GbE adapter is currently available on Amazon for around $38.

This is significantly cheaper than the 10G adapter, which costs $169. According to information from Ubiquiti's 5G/10G comparison overview, the adapter is based on the Realtek RTL8157 chipset. Lastly, it weighs 1.34 oz and is made of plastic and aluminum.