Looking for the most affordable 10G NICs compatible with PCIe 1 slots?
Looking for the most affordable 10G NICs compatible with PCIe 1 slots?
I discovered this on Uniko's hardware (you might need a translation tool to convert it online). The device uses the well-known elcheapo Acquantia line, now branded by Intel. It's an ACQ113 NIC controller, similar to other models in the series without the x1 interface instead of x4 PCIe. It appears to have trouble reaching full 10G speed (maximum around 9G), but it should still suffice for many applications. You might want to check the BIOS for any PCIe settings that could help improve performance, such as increasing the maximum packet size. Existing x4 10G NICs can fit in an x1 slot, though this often required modifying the connector or removing some of the card's lanes.
I don’t agree with the claim that ACQ chips are a cheap brand. Intel acquired them because their own 10G-T designs struggled with power consumption and heat, and they weren’t as efficient. Historically, Intel produced strong SFP+ 10G chips, but their base-T versions were less reliable. Most 10G-T clients on my network use ACQ, just like Apple does for their integrated Macs. They perform well in practice. Testing with iPerf3 shows you can reach line speed without needing jumbo frames. Regarding the dremelling issue, affordable slot adapters can help resolve that problem.