Jumpexx

I keep seeing new B-series and even A-series boards listing 2.5GbE, and cheap unmanaged 2.5G switches popping up everywhere. Is this finally the year home NAS builds stop being bottlenecked by gigabit, or is it just another checklist spec? I'm planning a NAS and wondering if I should chase 2.5G now or stay gigabit and spend the money on drives. Also, do I need Cat6, or is existing Cat5e fine? And should I care whether it's Realtek or Intel on the board?

The controller matters more than the port speed on the box! Realtek RTL8125 is everywhere and fine for most people, but Intel i226-V had dropout drama on some early revisions. If you're buying a board for a 24/7 NAS, look at cooling on the NIC and BIOS updates! Have you tried forcing 2.5G on both ends and checking for PCIe ASPM issues? Also, cheap switches can have tiny heatsinks and fans that whine. I want to know what switch models people are actually happy with!