I picked up a few network cards while using a Tmall discount that knocked 40 off a 300 RMB order. Some items were always meant to be returned, and this PCI gigabit NIC batch was part of that experiment.
The three cards tested here were based on the Realtek 8111H, Realtek 8111F, and Intel I211-AT. This is not a polished lab-style review, just a practical comparison based on actual use and a few quick tests under a NAS system.
The first thing worth mentioning is the most expensive one: the Intel I211-AT card. Its listed price was 49.9 RMB, and the final paid price came to about 41.25 RMB.
With the system sitting at a default baseline of around 6% CPU usage and 34% memory usage, transfer speed reached about 113 MB/s. During transfer, CPU usage was generally around 12% to 15%, though 16% did show up at times. Power draw was usually around 35 W, with 36 W and 37 W also appearing.
For reference, the motherboard’s built-in 100 Mbps NIC showed CPU usage figures like 3%, 4%, 8%, 2%, and 7% while idle, with memory still around 33%.
In iperf3exe testing, the Intel I211-AT delivered the best results overall. One thing I noticed, though, was that it could be unstable right after boot. Once the machine had fully settled after startup, performance became steady and stayed that way.
This was the iperf3 result when the Intel I211-AT was in that less stable state:
I also ran a self-hosted Speedtest, shown below for the Intel I211-AT:
As for the Realtek 8111F, there is not much to dwell on beyond the basics. I only did a simple check. Baseline CPU usage was also around 6%, memory around 34%, and transfer speed around 113 MB/s. Under load, CPU usage went up to roughly 17% to 18%, and power consumption hovered around 34 W, 35 W, and 36 W. Its price was 20 RMB, which made it the cheapest option in the group.
The Realtek 8111H was priced at 25 RMB, with the actual final cost coming in a bit lower after discounts.
During testing, the readings jumped around quite a bit: 13, 14, 35%, 13, 15, 19, 14, 10, 8, 5, 4, 3, 5. Power draw moved between about 35 W, 36.9 W, 34 W, and 33 W on this black card.
Compared with the Intel card, packet handling did not feel as steady.
Here are the results.
Worst run during testing:
Best run during testing:
After installation, all three cards worked with the NAS system’s built-in drivers, which is important if you want a hassle-free setup.
In the end, I kept the Intel gigabit PCI NIC. It cost more, but it was a little more stable. That said, the Realtek 8111H still offers very good value for the price.
One last thing that stood out to me: it is surprising to see a 2017 motherboard still shipping with only a 100 Mbps onboard Ethernet port.