QNAP Thunderbolt to 10Gbase-T Adapter (QNA-T310G1T) Reviewed

9

Features

9.0/10

Ease of Use

9.0/10

Performance

9.0/10

Pros

• Cheap upgrade to 10Gbps
• Works with Mac OS

Cons

• Fan noise under load

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For some time now, I have been stuck with 1Gbps network connectivity on my iMac to my QNAP NAS’s that are on a 10Gbps network. Sure, there are some thunderbolt to 10Gbps adapters, but these have been either expensive or too large for a smallish computer desk. Thankfully, this has all changed now with QNAP entering the market with their QNAP QNA-T310G1T adaptor. Designed for Thunderbolt 3 users who want faster connectivity to storage devices and 10Gbe networks, we couldn’t wait to get hands on.

Packaging and accessories

QNAP took a minimalist approach with the packaging of the QNA-T310G1T. Inside the box, you will find a simple guide and a 50cm USB-C cable. Apart from the guide and the USB cable, you don’t really need anything else.

Easy to connect

Connecting the QNAP QNA-T310G1T to our iMac was easy as there aren’t a lot of ports on the adaptor to connect to, so making a mistake would be unlikely. The USB-C connects the QNA-T310G1T to the Thunderbolt 3 port on the iMac and the ethernet port to a 10GbE-capable switch.

Requirements

The QNAP QNA-T310G1T can be used for both Windows and Mac OS. However, there are still some things to be mindful of. For Windows, ensure that you install the correct Aquantia drivers. The Aquantia AQC107 is what you need for the QNA-T310G1T. The Aquantia AQC100 driver is used for the other model – QNA-T310G1S. With Mac OS, you should be running 10.13.3 or later.

Performance

With the right connection and setup, the speed is fast. Just remember not to connect Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 because it will not work. The Thunderbolt 3 network and file transfer speed are quite good. My issues with speed were due to the limitations of using platter based HDDs.

Final thoughts

The Thunderbolt™ 3 and 10GbE connectivity adaptor is the first for QNAP, and it met our expectations. The speed, performance, and design of the QNA-T310G1T are worth the cost considering it’s one of the affordable ones.

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