StarTech.com 10G PCIe SFP+ Card – Single SFP+ Port Network
StarTech.com 10G PCIe SFP+ Card – Single SFP+ Port Network Adapter – Open SFP+ for MSA-Compliant Modules/Direct-Attach Cables – 10 Gigabit Fiber PCIe NIC – PCI Express SFP+ Network Card (PEX10GSFP)
Increase your network speed
This PCIe network card lets you take advantage of improved bandwidth in data-intensive applications such as multimedia streaming and large file transfers.
This fiber NIC offers data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps which improve speeds and reduces load times.
Scalable network connection
Featuring an open SFP+ slot, you have the flexibility to make changes as needed just by swapping the module in use, whether it is fiber, copper, or direct attach cables (DAC).
The card complies with MSA, allowing use with modules from StarTech.com or 3rd parties that support MSA.
Enhance your existing hardware
The 10Gb network card easily connects via an available x4 PCI Express 3.0 expansion slot.
The card is shipped with a standard-profile bracket and includes a low-profile bracket for installation in various types of computer chassis.
It supports a wide variety of OSes including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
| Weight: | 54.4 g |
| Dimensions: | 9.4 x 1.78 x 12.19 cm; 54.43 Grams |
| Brand: | StarTech.com |
| Model: | PEX10GSFP |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | StarTech.com |
| Dimensions: | 9.4 x 1.78 x 12.19 cm; 54.43 Grams |
Seconding another reviewer: this is Plug and Play on macOS (tested on 14.4) using a Thunderbolt PCIe expansion slot. In my case it was the OWC Flex 1U4. Previously had used a PCIe to m.2 drive card, swapped it out for this to see how 10Gbe works over thunderbolt. Works great. Definitely some overhead bandwidth tax with Thunderbolt but cheaper (and much cooler) than adapters for 10Gbe over copper.
I bought two of these… one went into an Intel Xeon/MSI server and the other into an AMD/ASRock workstation, and they both connect to a 10 Gbps Ubiquiti switch (USW-Aggregation). Testing with iPerf shows I am getting maximum throughput speed (9.48 Gbps, using 10GBASE-SR transceivers, not using jumbo frames) and I have had absolutely no problems with these NICs. I would buy again.
I was sent the StarTech.com 10G PCIe SFP+ card and it has been a great addition to my network setup. The single SFP+ port has allowed me to easily connect my network devices using MSA-compliant modules or direct-attach cables. The 10 gigabit fiber PCIe NIC is extremely fast and has greatly improved the speed and efficiency of my network. The PCI express design of the card ensures that it can be easily installed in any compatible system. Overall, I am very satisfied with this SFP+ network card and would highly recommend it to anyone in need of a high-speed, reliable networking solution.
Zero issues using this on server 2019. Connects at 10g, transfers close to that rate as well.
After a few long tests, I found this is a pretty good10G NIC. The chipset it uses is a Marvell AQC100 chipset. I have not really had much issue with Marvell chip set from when I use it. For what I use it for, it does not really underperform compared to other bigger name brand NICs. This one is pretty easy to install and it detected right away. I did not have to install any drivers or had to do any troubleshooting. The NIC is well built and does not seem like it has any issues. It does not run at a bad temperature and so far it has been stable. I have not had to need to do any troubleshooting such as driver crashes or connection loss. In terms of performance, it was able to achieve the 10 Gbps. I stress tested it a few times and it was able to achieve that speed every time reliably. The SFP+ compatibility has not been an issue for me but I only used it on my one device. I am unsure what it would be like for other devices. I actually installed this to have for my work station at home. So far I have been pretty happy with this. It seems pretty well built and achieves what it is advertising. I am not really sure how well this will work on a full server and application but it works for what I need it to. It is definitely a cheaper unit then other name brands but all of it is dependent on what you need it for.
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This is an amazing find, I have been looking for months even longer for a replacement of my soniflare card which Mojave no longer supports. After doing some research I found the startech card which works out of the box with native Apple Mac drivers as you can see from the photos. This is literally plug-in and play no drivers have to be downloaded no settings need to be changed. For the price this is an excellent find compared to Sonnet Presto which is 3 to 4 times the price and does not use native drivers, therefore you have to install them which can always be problematic!!
Well my headline says it all. I am the clumsiest person you will ever meet who hates installation of any kind. But I had no issue installing this startech.com card at all. After installing the card, my computer recognized the card right away, and it was working before I knew it. It’s been about 5 months since I installed this, and haven’t had any issues of crashes or dropping at all. For the price offered, I think the cost performance is good in terms of overall quality including performance vs price. No complaints whatsoever.
Given that fiber SFP modules are far less expensive than 10Gb copper modules, the combined price makes this a very cost effective option. Of course, copper is still and option with this as well. This is a solid card that does the job. Recommended.
I am upgrading some networking components around the house in anticipation of 10G fiber-optic Internet service being offered in our network soon (at least, that’s what I’ve been told). My existing Netgear router has a single 10G SFP+ port, so I obtained this StarTech 10G card, a couple of fiber-optic SFP+ modules, some fiber-optic cable, and a keystone jack for the wall plate near the computer in which I installed the card. Next, I’m looking at a Mikrotik router and a Mikrotik switch.
As far as the StarTech network card goes, installation was simple; I installed the card, booted the computer, and it was recognized and a driver installed so quickly that I didn’t even see any alerts. The 10Gtek SFP+ module [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BP4M8LV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1] snicked in easily and securely, and it was recognized with no fuss (as I understand can be a problem with these modules).
Installing the fiber-optic cable was a little more involved, mainly because I had to string it through the garage below the room where the computer is and up through a wall to connect to a wall plate. This was the first time that I’ve installed fiber, so I had to read up on it—things like minimum bend radius, types of fiber connectors, maximum length, protecting the ends from dust, etc. The cables I used [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8AAI3M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1] were surprisingly inexpensive; they were about the same price as ethernet cables. In the end, I didn’t have any problems; once I had everything connected, it just worked.
I do worry a bit that the cables are a bit too fragile for home use—if I accidentally kick the cable underneath the desk, will it fail? It does seem less forgiving than good old ethernet, but it was worth it to try it out. And of course, you can use a 10G ethernet module with this card, probably with the same performance as a fiber module.
So, easy installation, no incompatibility issues, and awesome performance.
I use Mac computers and hardware for my WFH setup almost exclusively and have been looking to connect my switch functions to a fiber cable to increase overall speed and compatibility between my devices; there are hardly any SFP installs that work effectively with Mac devices until now. This one is small and compact which makes the actual installation easy no matter the size of your existing computer because it doesn’t clog up space. It is fragile but also sturdy because the metal used is heavy and non-bending.
A concern I’ve had in the past with these cards is the excessive heat they create. Because I am constantly running this, I was prepared for it to overheat but it has effective heat controls that don’t make it a nuisance to sit with.
Look no further if you have a Mac device that you want to increase switch connectivity and fiberoptic compatibility with–the connection is reliable and only made better by the added bonus of heat resistant hardware, increased security, and long distance coverage. This essentially eliminates the need to install security privacy on other devices and is a one stop shop for switches.
Unlike many (much more expensive) mac-compatible solutions, this is based on the Marvell AQC100 chipset. Not only are these Marvell-based cards small and fast (PCIe 3X4), these sfp+ cards seem to produce less heat than many other manufacturers nics. Apple provides the driver, as their built in 10G ethernet macs use a Marvell AQC107s chipset. The AQC100 operates on the same driver… so this is unlikely to be broken in future Mac OS updates. Many other mac compatible cards require a new driver to be written by the vendor when Mac OS is significantly updated (sometimes leaving the cards unsupported altogether). Others have not written Arm drivers, making them incompatible with Apple Silicon Macs.
Though there are many versions of this card by many manufacturers, software-wise, the included Mac OS driver for this card only loads for specific vendor IDs. That mean some competitor’s cards are not Mac compatible… this Startech card is one that works, and it is on the lower end of the price spectrum amongst nearly identical cards from various vendors.
The combination of PCIe 3 (4 lanes), a tiny board size, a single sfp+ configuration, affordable price and low heat make this card a great choice for workstations on a Fiber network. My card was compatible with a generic LC multimode transceiver I had lying around… so it doesn’t seem picky with module branding. This links without issue to my Aruba s2500-24P and my QNAP unmanaged multigig switch. Running an RJ45 SFP+ transceiver will cause a bit more heat, but the 5 speed 10Gbase-t version of this card is available from a few vendors (startech makes one too) with appropriate thermal management, usually for less money. If you aren’t on a fiber network, that card is a better, cheaper choice.
I have tested this in Mac OS X in a TB1 enclosure, an M1 Mac with Monterey over a TB3 enclosure, Windows 10 Pro, Ubuntu Linux and Free BSD. The only OS I tried that this didn’t work with was pfsense, which loaded the atlantic driver but wasn’t available as an interface (this seems to only work with AQC107-based 10Gbase-T cards).
Speeds on my network are similar to my PCIe 3 Mellanox and Intel cards.
This is a decent 10G NIC. It uses a Marvell AQC100 chipset. Marvell isn’t one of my favorite vendors, usually I try to stick to Intel, QLogic, or Emulex for Ethernet NIC’s. However, those brands are also usually more expensive, so this NIC is a decent value as long as it has all the features you need.
It’s been stable so far, no driver crashes or connectivity losses. It hits 10 Gbps of throughput in my testing. The SFP+ compatibility seems pretty good as well. I’ve tried a couple different branded and a generic DAC, all were fine. Also tried a couple branded optical SFP+ adapters with no issues as well.
I still don’t yet have enough trust in Startech to put one is a server application but would be a great card for a workstation or other similar application, for my anyway.