The Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter is as good as having an Ethernet port on your MacBook. Connect it to your cable, plug it into your Mac, and you no longer need to worry about the vagaries of Wi-Fi — you have a solid and secure wired internet connection.
Even better, it supports very fast internet connections for those with hefty connectivity demands.
I tested the affordable USB-C to Ethernet adapter in my home office and on the road to be sure it’s worth the money.
Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter review
Wi-Fi is wonderful … except sometimes it’s crap. It’s really not the best solution for offices with dozens of computers, and wireless networking is inherently less secure. It’s also often slower and spottier than a hard-wired connection. That’s why many companies turn to Ethernet instead.
But the days when Apple built Ethernet ports into MacBooks are long, long over. Fortunately, adding high-speed wired networking to your notebook is as easy as plugging in the new Plugable USBC-E5000 5Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter.
And because it uses USB-C, it also works with iPads and even recent iPhone models.
This compact, high-performance adapter can be added to the USB-C port of most macOS, iPadOS, Windows or ChromeOS computers to add a faster, more stable wired connection, eliminating costly upgrades while significantly boosting performance. Ideal for use in a home office, creative studio, or enterprise setting, this adapter provides a stable, high-speed wired connection without complicated setup.
- Secure internet access at 5Gbps (625 MBps)
- Slim and light but rugged
- Plug and play
- None
Table of contents: Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter review
- A travel-ready USB-C to Ethernet adapter
- No setup required
- Very speedy internet access
- Final thought: Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter
- Pricing
A travel-ready USB-C to Ethernet adapter
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Plugable’s recently released USB-C to Ethernet adapter is small enough that you can slip it into your notebook bag, and it takes up essentially no space while it waits for you to need it.
To get specific, the body of this product that houses the Ethernet port is 3 inches long, 1 inch wide and 0.3 inches thick. On one end is a 4.75-inch cable with a USB-C connector on the end. The body is wrapped in an oval of aluminum, which makes it match the look of a MacBook or iPad, and also tough enough to stand up to frequent travel.
The Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter is a dongle, and I get that some people dislike those on general principles. But do what I did while testing the device: I put it on the end of the Ethernet cable in my office and left it there. That’s the other advantage of it being so small. I don’t even think of it as an adapter anymore — the combo is now simply my wired internet connection.
No setup required
The USBC-E5000 is plug-and-play. Setup is as simple as connecting it to the USB-C port on a Mac or iPad, then plugging in an Ethernet cable. There’s no driver to install.
The USB-C to Ethernet adapter also works with most Windows and ChromeOS computers. I even confirmed it works with my USB-C iPhone.
Very speedy internet access
Unlike some rival products, Plugable’s is not limited to 1 Gbps. The USB-C to Ethernet adapter offers 5 Gbps data transfers. If it helps you understand that speed better, that’s 625 MB per second.
Not to point out the obvious, but getting that speed requires a 5 Gbps-capable network infrastructure, of course. It’s possible your home network doesn’t run that fast, though your office should.
Which brings up an important point: the USBC-E5000 actually runs faster than I can test. During my testing, the adapter consistently offered roughly 930 Mbps (116 MBps), but that’s as quick a network as I have access to. But at least you can be sure the product isn’t a dud.
And if you need a reminder of the advantage of wired internet, a Wi-Fi connection on the same network topped out at 464 Mbps — about half the speed.
Final thoughts: Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter
Photo: Plugable/Cult of Mac
At home, I generally use Wi-Fi. But when I travel to a conference or a meeting, I must have wired internet access — Wi-Fi is either spotty, painfully slow or both. For years, that meant a bulky multiport hub with an Ethernet port. But Plugable’s USB-C to Ethernet adapter is the opposite of bulky. It’s even pocket-size if you need it to be.
I can tuck it into my gear bag and be ready to connect where I need to, and that’s not always in business settings. I’ve rented a few vacation homes over the years that promised Wi-Fi but didn’t deliver. Knowing I can always connect directly to the router is reassuring.
★★★★★
Pricing
The Plugable USBC-E5000 5 Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter costs $39.95.
Buy it from: Amazon
Alternatively, if you’re OK with a slower connection in a less rugged chassis, the Plugable USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter costs only $22.95. I reviewed it, too.
This compact, high-performance adapter can be added to the USB-C port of most macOS, iPadOS, Windows or ChromeOS computers to add a faster, more stable wired connection, eliminating costly upgrades while significantly boosting performance. Ideal for use in a home office, creative studio, or enterprise setting, this adapter provides a stable, high-speed wired connection without complicated setup.
- Secure internet access at 5Gbps (625 MBps)
- Slim and light but rugged
- Plug and play
- None
Plugable provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
