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Trendnet introduces first 450Mbps wireless gaming adapter

Trendnet adds a gaming adapter to its 450Mbps Wireless-N networking portfolio.

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
Dong Ngo
2 min read
Trendnet's first 450Mbps gaming adapter, the TEW-687GA.
Trendnet's first 450Mbps gaming adapter, the TEW-687GA. Dong Ngo/CNET

LAS VEGAS--If you plan on getting one of those new 450Mbps wireless routers and access points from Trendnet, such as the TEW-691GR or the TEW-692GR, you'll need wireless clients or adapters that can take advantage of the new higher speed.

Today the company announced a product of the sort, something it calls the "first 450Mbps Wireless-N gaming adapter," the TEW-687GA.

This is a wireless device that adds wireless capability to Ethernet-ready devices, such as computers, gaming consoles, televisions, media players, and so on. Traditionally, these devices have required a network cable to connect to a network.

Gaming adapters like this, also known as wireless bridges, have been on the market for years since the early days of wireless networking. The TEW-687GA, however, differentiates itself from the rest by being one of the first, if not the first, to offer a ceiling speed of up to 450Mbps, as opposed to its peers' cap of 300Mbps. Like other 450Mbps wireless networking devices from Trendnet, the TEW-687GA can offer this faster speed because it supports three spatial streams per antenna.

Trendnet TEW-687GA 450Mbps bridge -- photos

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Trendnet says that the TEW-687GA could achieve a sustained real-world throughput speed of 150Mbps. A 300Mbps adapter typically offers a top sustained speed of just around 90Mbps.

Other than that, the TEW-687GA gaming adapter supports the usual features found in other recent wireless networking products, such as advanced multiple input/output antenna technology, Wi-Fi Protected Setup, and Quality of Service technology that prioritizes gaming, Internet calls, and video streams.

The TEW-687GA 450Mbps Wireless-N gaming adapter will be available by the end of the month and is slated to cost $150.