- The integrated design of the 2M USB-C USB-C cable maintains your clean desktop and your solid network connection
- The management of plug-and-play on the platforms makes this cable perfect for fast and hassle configurations
- The cable works, but hardware compatibility and the limits of the mobile operating system can kill the experience early
Plugable revealed the USB-C-E1000-2M, a $ 20 USB-C cable at Gigabit Ethernet which provides a longer wired network connection without the need for dongles, fragile ports or unreliable Wi-Fi.
It is designed to connect smartphones and tablets to wired ethernet networks, offering a more stable connection to access network storage systems or working with NAS devices.
That said, it is a fairly niche product – its usefulness depends more on specific workflows and hardware compatibility than on the cable itself.
Plug-And-Play simplicity or reconditioned utility?
Basically, the USB-C-E1000-2M is a 2 meter cable with a USB-C cap at one end and an Ethernet Gigabit connector to the other. Unlike typical adapters or dongles, it combines the two ends with a single cable.
Plugable says that this design helps to prevent common problems such as loose connections, wear of ports and signal falls caused by poorly seated dongles. It also reduces congestion, which is useful in cleaning desktops or shared workspaces.
The cable uses the Realtek RTL8153E chipset, a widely used and reliable component also present in many cheaper adapters.
Although the length of 2 meters offers additional flexibility for layout and placement, it does not improve performance or adds new features beyond what standard adapters already provide.
For those who hope that this cable will transform a phone or tablet into an entirely integrated part of their domestic network, by transferring large files to portable hard drives or by synchronizing data with NAS systems, the experience may not be transparent.
The equipment allows connection, but its operation depends on the device, the operating system, the application authorizations and the NAS compatibility.
It works with Windows, MacOS, Chromeos and Linux without the need for additional drivers. Android compatibility varies depending on the device, and iOS support is always limited to specific scenarios.
At a price of $ 19.95 with a limited discount, the USB-C-E1000-2M is affordable, but not essential for most users. This solves a problem that many do not think as long as Wi-Fi does not break down, but it is worth buying depends entirely on your configuration.