FebSmart
PCIE GEN 4.0 X16 Interface to 2X 100GbE QSFP28 Optical Ports Intelligent RDMA Network Adapter, NIC Ethernet Adapter, Mellanox ConnectX-5 EX MT28808A0 2X QSFP28 100Gb/s Ethernet Controller (CX516A)
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-05-12. Price and availability subject to change.
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks classifies PCIE GEN 4.0 X16 Interface to 2X 100GbE QSFP28 Optical Ports Intellig… as a solid pick with broad community endorsement in the networking cards category, based on 5 verified Amazon reviews and our ranking model that weights rating × review-volume × price-fit. FebSmart's positioning sits comfortably above the category median. Use the Compare tool to put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives before clicking through to Amazon.
Common buyer scenarios for networking cards of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the Amazon listing before purchase. Prices, stock, and Prime eligibility update directly from Amazon's catalog and may have moved since this page was last verified.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Solid 4.4★ customer rating
- ✓ Backed by FebSmart's warranty and support channels
- ✓ Ships via Amazon with Prime eligibility and the standard returns policy
Cons
- ✗ Limited review volume so far — fewer data points on long-term reliability
- ✗ Confirm socket / form-factor / power-rating compatibility against your build before ordering
- ✗ Price, stock, and Prime eligibility update from Amazon and may have changed since this page was last verified
Key Features
- 1. CX516A is a PCIE GEN 4.0 X16 interface to 2X 100GbE optical ports intelligent RDMA enabled converged network adapter for Web 2.0, Cloud, Storage and Telcom platforms. Powered by Mellanox ConnectX-5 EX MT28808A0 2X QSFP28 100Gb/s Ethernet Controller, bring latest RDMA, SR-IOV, RoCE V2, Network Overlay, Open VSwitch offloads, Multi-Host, Socket Direct technology into Data Centers.
- 2. Major Chipset: Mellanox ConnectX-5 EX MT28808A0 Ethernet Controller. PCIE Interface: PCIE GEN 4.0 X16. Ethernet Interface: 2X 100GbE QSFP28 Optical Ports. Network Speed: 100GbE, 50GbE. SR-IOV: 512 Virtual and 16 Physical Functions. Storage Protocols: SRP, iSER, NFS, RDMA, SMB Direct, NVMe-OF. Remote Boot Method: Ethernet, iSCSI, PXE, UEFI. Overlay Network: VXLAN, NVGRE, and GENEVE.
- 3. Support IEEE 802.3cd, 50GbE, 100GbE, 200 GbE. IEEE 802.3bj, 802.3bm 100GbE. IEEE 802.3by, 25GbE, 50GbE. IEEE 802.3ba 40GbE. IEEE 802.3ae 10GbE. Jumbo frame (9.6KB). IEEE 802.3az Fast-Wake Mode. IEEE 802.3ap. IEEE 802.3ad, 802.1AX. IEEE 802.1Q, 802.1P. IEEE 802.1Qau. IEEE 802.1Qaz. IEEE 802.1Qbb. IEEE 802.1Qbg. IEEE 1588v2. 25GbE, 50GbE Ethernet Consortium for 50GbE, 100GbE,200GbE PAM4 links.
- 4. Compliant with PCIE GEN 4.0 standard, 16GT/s per lane. PCIE X16 Interface, 256Gb/s bandwidth in total, ensure 2X QSFP28 optical ports achieve 100Gb/s concurrently. Compatible with PCIE 5.0 and PCIE 4.0 PCIE X16 slot in full speed 2X 100GbE. When put CX516A on PCIE 3.0 X16 slot, speed will be limited to 2X 50GbE or 1X 100GbE.
- 5. Comply with Open Fabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED) and Open Fabrics Windows Distribution (WinOF-2) standard. Supports Passive or Active 100GbE QSFP28 AOC, DAC cables. Also support 100GbE QSFP28 transceivers with optical cables.
- 6.Plug and play on Windows 11, 10, 8.x 32/64bit and Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 64bit systems. Support RHEL, Cent OS, Free BSD, VMware and other Linux kernel-based systems. ATTENTION: The FebSmart CX516A is an OEM alternative engineered to substitute the Mellanox original model MCX516A-CDAT in server deployment.
Full Specifications
| Brand | FebSmart |
|---|---|
| Color | Matte Green |
| Model Number | CX516A |
| Compatibility | Linux |
| Built-In Media | Low Profile Bracket |
| Mfr Part Number | CX516A |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop |
| Data Link Protocol | IEEE 802.3 |
| Data Transfer Rate | 100 Gigabytes Per Second |
| Hardware Interface | PCI Express 4.0, PCIE x 16 |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 5.71"L x 4.72"W x 0.71"H |
| Minimum Required Operating System Version | Windows 10 |
Ready to buy?
PCIE GEN 4.0 X16 Interface to 2X 100GbE QSFP28 Optical Ports Intelligent RDMA Network Adapter, NIC Ethernet Adapter, Mellanox ConnectX-5 EX MT28808A0 2X QSFP28 100Gb/s Ethernet Controller (CX516A) is available on Amazon with Prime shipping and the full Amazon returns policy. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-05-12. Price and availability subject to change.
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