In this review, I check out yet another FAST 2-in-1 Wireless CarPlay & Android Auto Dongle from ByteWave. You can buy this wired-to-wireless adapter for $23.99 with a coupon CODE: ICHSLJYL from Amazon US – https://amzn.to/432q9Uj, for £27.99 with a coupon CODE: 22XH6W6Z from Amazon UK – https://amzn.to/3Z9lNcR, and from Amazon CA – https://amzn.to/4k7b76y.
TLDR: The Bytewave 2-in-1 adapter offers fast, stable wireless CarPlay and Android Auto with a compact design, strong performance, and basic configuration, making it an excellent pick, especially for Android users.
Bytewave (also known under the Cuarko brand) has returned with another wireless adapter—this time, it’s a 2-in-1 model designed to convert your wired CarPlay or Android Auto system into a wireless one. If their previous wireless adapters are anything to go by, this unit should deliver a fast and reliable experience. Let’s find out how it performs.
What’s in the Box
Inside the box, you’ll find a paper instruction manual, the Bytewave adapter itself, and two black USB extension cables: one female-to-male USB-A adapter and one USB-A to USB-C adapter for modern CarPlay or Android Auto ports.
Design and Build
This mocha-coloured adapter shares the same small and compact design as Bytewave’s previous models. It features dual USB connectors—one at each end—with a cap covering the unused port. Passive cooling vents line the sides, and subtle 2-in-1 branding is printed on one side to reflect its dual compatibility. It’s compact enough to tuck away in even the smallest storage compartments in your car, while still looking sleek and premium. The extension cables are only necessary if you’re limited on space or can’t plug the adapter directly into your car’s USB port.
Inside, we have Bluetooth 5.3 for quick pairing speed and reliability, a new dual-core processor for increased performance and speed, and 5.8GHz Wi-Fi for a fast pairing process with both iOS and Android devices, whilst also keeping the connection maintained and reliable.
Setup and Boot Time
Inserting the Bytewave adapter into my Cupra Born’s wired CarPlay/Android Auto port revealed its boot menu in around 11 seconds. A basic launcher screen appeared, guiding the pairing process. Like other newer 2-in-1 adapters, the boot screen appears over both CarPlay and Android Auto protocols. Interestingly, the Android Auto version had slightly sharper resolution than the CarPlay variant, and tapping this screen takes you back to your vehicle’s infotainment interface.
Wireless CarPlay Performance
Pairing my iPhone for wireless Apple CarPlay took a swift 7 seconds, and the full boot into CarPlay completed in 13 seconds—placing the Bytewave adapter in 2nd place in my performance sheet, just behind the now-discontinued MINIX CP85. Display and touch responsiveness were smooth and snappy, running at 60fps. Amongst all the fast claims of this adapter, it was sad to see that this adapter only supported a Gen 4 Wi-Fi spec with poor signal quality dBm and SNR (signal to noise ratio) reading. However, with a maximum bandwidth of 150 Mbps, the spec didn’t quite align with its rapid launching speeds, but a newer generation would have helped with signal reliability.
The adapter’s IP config menu offers a basic but functional set of configuration options. It includes GPS passthrough for iOS and Apple Maps, but lacks any audio delay tweaking features. That said, thanks to its strong out-of-the-box performance, I never felt like it needed one. Call quality and latency were also solid, and overall, I had no issues with the CarPlay experience.
Wireless Android Auto Performance
Connecting to Android Auto via Bluetooth took 11 seconds, whilst total boot time into Google’s automotive platform took 16 seconds. This puts the ByteWave adapter, again, in 2nd place—behind the Minix and ahead of the Bruxe, CarlinKit and Ottocast 2-in-1 adapters. Just like with CarPlay, display clarity and touch responsiveness were very good, with Android Auto offering slightly less delay and better call quality, which is typical for Android-based connections.
Both CarPlay and Android Auto supported navigation pass-through to the instrument cluster in my Cupra Born. However, HUD Augmented Reality functionality was only present in Waze on Android. Apple Maps and Google Maps on Android lacked this extra level of display support.
My Impressions
Currently, the Bytewave 2-in-1 adapter ranks second on my performance leaderboard, just behind the MINIX CP85 and ahead of more esteemed brands such as CarlinKit Mini SE Pro, Ottocast Mini and the recently reviewed newcomer, the Bruxe 2-in-1 adapter. It met expectations on both platforms, offering quick boot times, smooth interaction, minimal audio delay, and high-quality wireless connectivity across the board.
The adapter’s configuration menu is a bit limited, and that’s really its only weakness. However, it performs reliably out of the box, and unless your vehicle requires deeper compatibility tweaks, you’ll likely never need to enter the settings menu at all.
If you’re after a small, no-fuss 2-in-1 wireless adapter, the Bytewave is definitely worth considering for converting both CarPlay and Android Auto wired connections to wireless. Like most adapters, there isn’t any multi-user support on this adapter, requiring users to disconnect from the secondary device. Right now, the ByteWave is the overall fastest available 2-in-1 adapter to beat, and with its low-bar price tag, it’s a tough one to beat for other brands to compete with.
Good job, ByteWave!
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Brief overview
0:26 – Unboxing
0:50 – Features, Size & Design
2:05 – Installation & Demo
3:00 – Wireless Apple CarPlay
3:27 – CarPlay Performance Comparison
5:02 – Config menu & Updating Adapter
5:31 – Microphone & Calling Delay Test iPhone
6:21 – Wireless Android Auto
7:20 – Android Auto Performance Comparison
9:21 – Calling Delay Test Android
9:43 – My Impressions
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