Yesterday, 01:51 PM
The key here is finding a mini PC that still has a PCIe slot (or OCuLink) so you can drop in your existing 10GBase-T NIC, since native 10G copper in compact machines is still rare.
1️⃣ Minisforum MS-01
• Comes with a Core i9-13900H or Xeon E-series mobile chip.
• Built-in PCIe slot to add your 10G NIC.
• Very quiet, compact, and extremely power-efficient at idle compared to your desktop.
• Reliable and built for homelab/pro use.
• Usually ~1200–1300 USD depending on config.
This is probably the cleanest drop-in replacement you’ll find.
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2️⃣ QNAP TBS-h574TX
• Technically a NAS, but with a powerful Intel Core i5 and PCIe slot.
• Supports 10G networking and doubles as a management server/NAS hybrid.
• More expensive (~1400–1500 USD) and less flexible OS-wise, but worth mentioning if you like the idea of ZFS and storage baked in.
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3️⃣ Alternative: Mini PC + USB 10G Adapter
If PCIe/OCuLink isn’t viable for you, you could look at a high-efficiency Ryzen or Intel NUC 13 Pro (Core i7 or Ryzen 7), and pair it with an external Thunderbolt-to-10GBase-T adapter.
• Not ideal for heavy 10G loads (latency can be higher), but works for management workloads and light file transfer.
• ~800–1000 USD + ~200 USD for the adapter.
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Why Not an Off-the-Shelf Embedded 10G?
Most embedded boxes with built-in 10G tend to either use SFP+ (not ideal for you) or be very underpowered and not comparable to your i5-13500.
1️⃣ Minisforum MS-01
• Comes with a Core i9-13900H or Xeon E-series mobile chip.
• Built-in PCIe slot to add your 10G NIC.
• Very quiet, compact, and extremely power-efficient at idle compared to your desktop.
• Reliable and built for homelab/pro use.
• Usually ~1200–1300 USD depending on config.
This is probably the cleanest drop-in replacement you’ll find.
⸻
2️⃣ QNAP TBS-h574TX
• Technically a NAS, but with a powerful Intel Core i5 and PCIe slot.
• Supports 10G networking and doubles as a management server/NAS hybrid.
• More expensive (~1400–1500 USD) and less flexible OS-wise, but worth mentioning if you like the idea of ZFS and storage baked in.
⸻
3️⃣ Alternative: Mini PC + USB 10G Adapter
If PCIe/OCuLink isn’t viable for you, you could look at a high-efficiency Ryzen or Intel NUC 13 Pro (Core i7 or Ryzen 7), and pair it with an external Thunderbolt-to-10GBase-T adapter.
• Not ideal for heavy 10G loads (latency can be higher), but works for management workloads and light file transfer.
• ~800–1000 USD + ~200 USD for the adapter.
⸻
Why Not an Off-the-Shelf Embedded 10G?
Most embedded boxes with built-in 10G tend to either use SFP+ (not ideal for you) or be very underpowered and not comparable to your i5-13500.