In this video, I check out the Carabc Wireless CarPlay Adapter. You can buy this adapter for $51.59 on sale ($65.49 RRP) from Amazon US 👉🏻 https://amzn.to/3qXZj0d, for £51 with coupon (£59 RRP) from Amazon UK 👉🏻 https://amzn.to/3NP3fti, for €54 with voucher (€62 RRP) from Amazon DE 👉🏻https://amzn.to/43ivrJt.
It can also be purchased from their offical store : https://www.carabc.cn and https://www.carabc.top
This adapter works only in wired CarPlay vehicles to offer a wireless connection between your iPhone and your Carplay system and it will not convert CarPlay to Android Auto for Android phones.
In the box you get a paper manual, there is the wireless adapter itself, and you also get 2 USB cables, one USB A to C cable and one USB C to C cable for more modern vehicles.
Looking over the adapter, its matt grey round casing makes it stand out amongst all the square adapters that are out there. There is Carabc branding on the top, along with a small status light that glows and flashes white when powering and connecting to the adapter.
Around the edge, there is only one USB-C port to power the adapter. There is no power passthrough port and all updates occur over the air via its IP config menu.
Running this adapter in my Golf7, with retrofitted Harman MIB2.5 system, this adapter manages to rub shoulders with the Ottocast U2 Air, which out of its sale price can cost double the price of the Carabc. So what you have here is a good bang for your buck. It has the same/similar IP config menu system, meaning it’s rather basic use, making it hard when you’re trying to address any compatibility or performance issues – AutoKit adapters are better at that. But if it works, it works, and you shouldn’t really need to dive into the IP config menu.
Like the Air, there’s no GPS passthrough with this hardware/software combo. So make sure your iPhone is out of your pocket or bag and up on a dash/vent/screen mount for the best GPS performance during any running navigation apps.
There’s no power pass through either on this adapter, so there’s no chance to charge your phone if you only have one USB port in the car, and no chance to update manually as all updates occur over the year – which can be risky whilst updating.
With all this aside, though, the Carabc is a solid performer at a price that is far easier to swallow than some slower, poorer-performing adapters that are out there. Bravo Carabc!
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Brief overview
0:25 – Unboxing
0:36 – Design & Features
1:04 – Testing
2:28 – Updating the adapter
4:48 – My Impressions
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