Aquantial offers a line of multi-gig Ethernet networking adapters to supercharge your network, and now it has one that is specially tuned for gamers—the new Gamer Edition AQtion AGN-107 NIC (network interface card).
Like the AQtion 10G Pro NIC, this new card is a 10GBASE-T Ethernet adapter that is in compliance with the IEEE 802.3an standard. Both deliver 10Gbps performance over compatible wired networks. The biggest difference with the Gamer Edition is that it comes with exclusive access to software that allows you to prioritize gaming traffic over your network. It's also clad in black with a powder-coated bracket to boot, whereas the Pro version is green.
"The combination of the gamer edition AQN-107 with the new Aquantia software will allow gamers to prioritize gameplay over other LAN activity. The reduction in lag and latency provides the reaction time advantage which can mean the difference between living on to play more and a 'Game Over' situation," Aquantia says.
Aquantia also touts the card as being handy for Twitch streamers in particular, with the ability to dynamically control upload and download speeds through the accompanying software's prioritization interface.
The benefit of a 10Gbps network adapter is much faster data transfers compared to more common Gigabit (1Gbps) LAN setups. However, it's reliant on supporting hardware—you need a 10Gbps switch. Most wireless routers have a four-port switch using the 1Gbps standard, though some of the higher end models come with a 10Gbps port as well.
For home consumers, these are great for transferring data between systems and a network attached storage (NAS) device, though again the higher speed is dependent on the NAS box having a 10Gbps port.
AQuantia's new card plugs into a PCIe x4 slot in your PC and has a single RJ45 port. It is backwards compatible with legacy cabling and Ethernet standards, so you could adopt it into your current network even if your other hardware is not 10Gbps compliant.
The card is exclusively available on Amazon for an "introductory price" of $89.98. It's not clear what the post-introductory price will be.
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