The XikeStor SKN-U310GT is a USB to 10Gbase-T adapter built around the Realtek RTL8159 chipset. The reality of using these is that for most USB ports, you will not get full 10GbE speeds. Still, it is pretty easy to go faster than 5GbE adapters once the proper drivers are installed. Also, unlike a PCIe adapter, an advantage of this one is that you can simply plug it into an Ethernet cable connected to a 10GbE switch and get higher speed networking to a variety of devices that may be visiting your setup. We have had this adapter for some time, and figured it would be worth doing a mini review of it.
Here is an Amazon affiliate link to where we purchased our unit.
XikeStor SKN-U310GT Hardware Overview
The adapter features a compact aluminum enclosure with a silver finish, measuring 99 x 42 x 22 mm. The build quality is solid, with the metal chassis surround serving as both protection and heat dissipation for the internal components.
The front face houses the 10Gbase-T RJ45 port, which supports standard Ethernet speeds from 100Mbps up to 10Gbps. If you have a 2.5GbE or 5GbE port you are connecting to, this device will connect at those speeds as well.
The opposite end features a USB Type-C connector that serves as both the data interface and power input. This is a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port capable of up to 20Gbps theoretical bandwidth, though the RTL8159 chipset limits actual network throughput to 10Gbps. For some systems, USB 3.2 Gen2x2 20Gbps ports are common. On the other hand, if you have a Mac with USB4, then you will be stuck at USB 3 10Gbps speeds. You might think that a 10Gbps USB port is well matched for a 10GbE device. With the USB overhead, you can get over 5Gbps speeds, but you will not get full 10GbE speeds over a 10Gbps USB port. Needless to say, USB 3 5Gbps ports will leave you under 5Gbps of network throughput.
The side profile shows the slim form factor and clean lines of the aluminum enclosure. There are no status LEDs visible from this angle, keeping the aesthetic minimal.
The opposite side maintains the same clean design. The aluminum chassis has a brushed finish that resists fingerprints and provides a good grip.
The included USB-C to USB-C cable allows direct connection to modern laptops, tablets, and desktops with USB-C ports. The cable quality appears adequate for the intended use. This is not a super-long cable by any means.
Overall, a nice part about this device is that you are just using USB Type-C to do the physical connection making it versatile and accessible for many who do not want, or cannot, open a system to install a NIC.
Next, let us fire the NIC up and get it working.
