Realtek has come up with a range of 10GbE chips that promise to make ultra-fast networking accessible to everyone. It all starts with 10GbE controllers that can be integrated into motherboards at just $10 each. Until now, it cost an average of $80 to equip a motherboard, which meant that these chips were intended for servers. They are therefore rarely, if ever, found on conventional motherboards. Or you have to go for the very top of the range, like the MSI MEG Z890 Godlike (French article) we tested recently, which features a Marvell chip. Thanks to its competitive controller chips, Realtek has just presented three different controllers. The idea is to equip existing consumer motherboards, provide external USB adapters and also offer solutions for 10GbE on routers/switches at a good price.
Designed around a tiny 9 x 9 millimetre PCB, the RTL8127 adopts a classic PCI Express Gen 4 x2 interface to adapt to a wide range of situations and fit into desktops and laptops alike. Bear in mind that this chip is “multi-gig”, i.e. capable of handling data rates from 10Mb to 10GbE.
10GbE should replace 2.5Gb very soon
The other important piece of the puzzle is the RTL8261C. Its aim is to bring down the price of routers and network accessories. It is a variant of the RTL8127, designed for 5G CPE, PON and WiFi 6/7 routers, switches and cable modems. The RTL8261C chip is optimised to consume just 1.65W, while being compatible with USXGMII/SFI (XFI), 5000Base-X, 5000Base-R, 2500Base-X, 1000Base-X and HiSGMII/SGMII standards.
Realtek offers other 10GbE solutions based on these chips (including a USB to Lan 10GbE adapter).
But the sharp drop in prices that has been announced should very quickly help to make 10GbE a standard that will take the place of 2.5 GbE in particular. So if you’re planning to rebuild your home network, take these changes into account – they should happen very, very quickly. Realtek predicts that its partners will start integrating the RTL8127 controller on new motherboards at the end of 2025, with PCIe and M.2 cards arriving in 2026. Routers and switches based on the RTL8159 should be available in the second half of 2025.
