Testing & Methodology
Testing a wired network interface’s performance is straightforward and without too much hassle. For this review, I’ve chosen PassMark’s advanced network test and Jperf/Iperf. The combination gives me a lot of customisation options to shape the traffic to my liking.
The PassMark tests are run for 5 minutes each. Here, I will test TCP and UDP connections with variable and fixed packet sizes. After those are done, I’ll turn to Jperf/Iperf and have it run TCP benchmark test with 4, 8, and 16 simultaneous connections.
Hardware System One
- Supermicro C7Z97-OCE
- Intel Xeon E3-1230Lv3
- Corsair Vengeance 16GB 1866MHz
- OCZ VX500 512GB SSD
- Sapphire R7 240 2GB
- be quiet Dark Power Pro 11 850W
- Noctua NH-D15S
- Lian Li T60
Network
We would like to thank our sponsors for supplying us with the equipment needed to perform these tests.
Software
- PassMark PerformanceTest Advanced Network Test
- Jperf/Iperf
I for sure was expecting to see tests with different cables. Like cat5e, cat6 and cat7 at different lengths to see what speed you could expect from your different existing cabling. Would have been very useful information.
Does anybody know the powerusage in idle and at 10 gbit?
I was looking forward to getting faster than 1GB up and running here. I have 10 PCs. Bought three of these adapters and connected to MS510TX. Sadly, the performance and reliability of the adapter is lacking. I get frequent disconnects (identified by an even log aqnic disconnect id 14 error) that takes down my VPN. After waking from sleep these adapters are extremely slow to re-establish connections, and at system start up take around 6 seconds to establish connections. Transfers across CAT6A are erratic.
Hi Yanta
I sadly don’t think you’re alone. The XG-C100C was among the first generation of consumer 10GbE and they don’t seem too reliable in the long run. Mine has stopped working in 10GbE mode and only delivers 1GbE by now. A sad truth.
If I was you, I would try and RMA them, if still possible warranty wise.
This might need some more research, see how widespread the problem is or whether it’s just us that are unlucky.
I did RMA one of the cards. The one I got back has the same issues. ASUS support here in Australia is non-existent. As they are Based in Sydney, and I am in Melbourne, warranty has so far proven to be unenforceable. A waste of $450.
There is a firmware update available on the Aquantia website but I haven’t been brave enough to to flash one of the adapters in case it bricks the card.
There is also a driver update available, but it actually results in several websites being inaccessible, funnily enough, ASUS’s being among them, and blocks access to my ASUS router. Is that Karma or what? The 2.5G on the ASRock motherboards, which use the Realtek Dragon chipset are far more reliable than this card.
It also runs very hot. I have a 12cm fan blowing across it and it idles at 45 celsius with 17 celsius ambient.
hi, thanks a lot for this test.
do you think i can connect two pc with this card for file transfer without router ?