A plastic Minion dressed in denim s has unexpectedly turned into one of the most sought-after networking devices on the secondary market. Davolink's Kevin, an officially licensed tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router shaped like the animated movie character, has completely sold out across regular retail channels. Resellers on eBay are now listing units for roughly $300.
That marks a steep markup from its recent going rate. Before stock disappeared, Amazon had discounted Kevin to $63, down from an original retail price of roughly $129.
The sudden run on stock followed a widely circulated post on X by hardware creator Charles Lohr, who described the novelty device as one of the best Wi-Fi 6E options available for the money. The attention prompted a quick run on remaining US inventories.
Davolink, a South Korean firm known primarily for enterprise networking hardware, originally introduced the novelty line in 2023. The lineup features two distinct characters that double as mesh networking units. Bob is a compact dual-band Wi-Fi 6 unit rated at AX1800 speeds. Kevin, the taller figure driving the recent scramble, houses full AXE5400 tri-band hardware covering the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz wireless frequency bands.
Solid Specs Behind the Gimmick
Underneath the yellow casing, the hardware specifications explain why technical audiences took notice. Kevin offers maximum theoretical throughput of up to 2,402Mbps across both its 5GHz and 6GHz channels, alongside support for wide 160MHz channels and WPA3 wireless encryption. Physical connectivity includes a 2.5Gbps WAN port on the back for high-speed fiber internet connections.
Testing from display and hardware testing outlet RTINGS concluded that Kevin works well as a router for an apartment or condo, highlighting fast peak performance and dependable 4K media streaming.
Yet the unusual chassis introduces noticeable compromises. RTINGS flagged that signal throughput drops sharply across extended distances, making it a poor fit for sprawling single-family houses. The wired layout is equally restrictive: owners get only a single 1Gbps LAN port for wired peripherals alongside the 2.5Gbps input. The tall chassis also demands deliberate vertical shelf clearance.
Mesh setups come with restrictions as well. Davolink skipped broader EasyMesh compatibility, meaning users can expand Kevin's coverage only by linking it to the smaller Bob satellite, which lacks the faster 6GHz spectrum altogether.
Whether Davolink plans to replenish US inventory for Kevin at retail prices remains unannounced, leaving buyers who want cartoon-themed multi-gigabit wireless at the mercy of secondhand markups.
GDFiled by The Gadgets Desk
Audio, wearables, cameras, tablets, chargers and every other device worth carrying or plugging in.
More from this desk →
Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.