Qotom Q30952UE

The Qotom Q30952UE is a metal network box for people building their own firewall or router, with two 10G SFP+ ports and six 2.5GbE ports on one end. Its chip is the Intel Core i5-8260U, which Intel launched in late 2019, so it suits routing better than heavier work. The case looks fanless but has an audible fan inside, so keep it out of a room you spend time in.

Pros and Cons

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Qotom Q30952UE Comparison Chart

	Qotom Q30952UE	Qotom Q30952UE	Qotom Q30952UE
Price	List Price: $400.00 Amazon Prices: Loading prices...	List Price: $490.00 Amazon Prices: Loading prices...	List Price: $560.00 Amazon Prices: Loading prices...
Version	Barebone/Core i5-8260U	4GB/128GB/Core i5-8260U	8GB/256GB/Core i5-8260U
Performance Rating	3.3	2.0	2.9
CPU Mark	7,127	7,127	7,127
Operating System	No OS	No OS	No OS
Processor	Quad-core 1.60 Ghz (max 3.90 Ghz) Intel Core i5-8260U	Quad-core 1.60 Ghz (max 3.90 Ghz) Intel Core i5-8260U	Quad-core 1.60 Ghz (max 3.90 Ghz) Intel Core i5-8260U
GPU	Integrated Intel UHD Graphics	Integrated Intel UHD Graphics	Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
RAM	0 GB DDR4 SO-DIMM, single-channel (One SO-DIMM slot, DDR4-2400)	4 GB DDR4 SO-DIMM, single-channel (One SO-DIMM slot, DDR4-2400)	8 GB DDR4 SO-DIMM, single-channel (One SO-DIMM slot, DDR4-2400)
Internal Storage	0 GB	128 GB SSD	256 GB SSD
Dimensions width x length x thickness	7.72 x 4.8 x 1.85 inches (196.09 x 121.92 x 46.99 mm)	7.72 x 4.8 x 1.85 inches (196.09 x 121.92 x 46.99 mm)	7.72 x 4.8 x 1.85 inches (196.09 x 121.92 x 46.99 mm)
Weight	2.8 lbs (1.27 kg)	2.8 lbs (1.27 kg)	2.8 lbs (1.27 kg)
WiFi	--	--	--
Bluetooth	--	--	--
Ethernet	8 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	8 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	8 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps
HDMI	1 HDMI Port	1 HDMI Port	1 HDMI Port
DisplayPort	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.2)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.2)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.2)
VGA	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports
USB Ports	1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3 3x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x USB-A 480Mbps	1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3 3x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x USB-A 480Mbps	1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3 3x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x USB-A 480Mbps
Thunderbolt Ports	No	No	No
OCuLink	No	No	No
Internal SATA Ports	1 SATA port, includes 2.5" drive bay (2.5-inch drive mounts to the lid)	1 SATA port, includes 2.5" drive bay (2.5-inch drive mounts to the lid)	1 SATA port, includes 2.5" drive bay (2.5-inch drive mounts to the lid)
Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader
Headphone Jack	front	front	front
Fanless	No	No	No
VESA Mount	Yes	Yes	Yes
In the Box	12V 7A power adapter, SATA data and power cable, rubber feet	12V 7A power adapter, SATA data and power cable, rubber feet	12V 7A power adapter, SATA data and power cable, rubber feet
Expandability	Up to 32GB DDR4 (one SO-DIMM). M.2 2280 SSD, 2.5-inch SATA drive, M.2 B-key with SIM holder, M.2 E-key.	Up to 32GB DDR4 (one SO-DIMM). M.2 2280 SSD, 2.5-inch SATA drive, M.2 B-key with SIM holder, M.2 E-key.	Up to 32GB DDR4 (one SO-DIMM). M.2 2280 SSD, 2.5-inch SATA drive, M.2 B-key with SIM holder, M.2 E-key.

See every Intel Core i5-8260U configuration in the chart

Eight network ports, one memory slot

The case measures about 7.7 x 4.8 x 1.9 inches and weighs about 2.8 pounds, most of it finned metal that works as the CPU heatsink. One end carries all eight network ports. The other end has the 12V barrel jack, the RJ45 serial console, three 5Gbps USB-A ports, one 480Mbps USB-A port, a 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI 1.4, and DisplayPort 1.2. The box can also mount on a VESA bracket.

Memory is one DDR4 SO-DIMM slot with a 32GB limit, even though Intel rates the chip for two channels and 64GB. The M.2 2280 slot runs at PCIe Gen3 x1 because the network controllers use many of the available lanes, so a fast NVMe drive would not reach its rated speed. A bundled SATA data and power cable lets you mount a 2.5-inch drive to the lid. Two more M.2 slots take a B-key cellular module, with a SIM holder, and an E-key Wi-Fi card. The box includes no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth hardware of its own.

Qotom sells three versions of the Q30952UE: barebone, 4GB with a 128GB SSD, and 8GB with a 256GB SSD. The warranty is one year. The unit ServeTheHome received came without an operating system, and Qotom lists support for Windows 10 and Linux. ServeTheHome’s unit had I226-V controllers, but Qotom names both I225-V and I226-V for the RJ45 ports, so check the controller if your firewall software depends on it. Qotom also sells the same chassis with 10th-generation chips under other model numbers, such as the Core i3-10110U (Q31031UE) and Core i7-10710U (Q31073UE).

A 2019 four-core chip in a box that idles at 13W to 16W

The Core i5-8260U has four cores and eight threads, runs from 1.6GHz to 3.9GHz, and scores 7,127 on PassMark’s CPU Mark. That is below the eight-core Intel Core i3-N300 in the iKOOLCORE R2 at 7,979 and about a third of the Core i5-12600H in the MINISFORUM MS-01 at 22,044. ServeTheHome sums the chip up as “a low-power quad-core CPU, so it just is not as fast as many of the newer options out there.” The chip is rated at 15W and can run at 25W for short periods. ServeTheHome measured the whole box at 13W to 16W idle, and the X710 controller alone adds 5W to 8W.

Reviewer Insights

ServeTheHome

ServeTheHome tested a unit Qotom sent, published as both an article and a video. Its published benchmarks are CPU tests rather than firewall throughput runs. The video says the box can run 10G NAT between the two SFP+ ports without trouble and that the 2.5GbE ports are no issue, while also wishing for more headroom as you pile more onto it. Patrick from ServeTheHome said he likes the network layout, calling the X710 a data center style controller and saying most operating systems now support the I226-V out of the box.

The CPU sits against the case for passive cooling, and a small fan on the bottom panel moves air over the memory, storage, and bare SFP+ cages. ServeTheHome puts “fanless” in quotes: “We have that in quotes because, well, there is a fan inside.” It also says “the fan is just too loud in the 39-41dba range.” Patrick takes the same line in the video: “If it was just a little bit quieter, I think the system would be just phenomenal, but it’s a little bit too loud.” The fan uses a tiny connector, so a standard four-pin fan does not plug straight in. Qotom says the fan can be removed, though Patrick raises that only as a maybe for very low-power components.

Maximum power draw measured 45W to 55W. Under sustained load the chip gets a few seconds at 25W, then drops to 15W, which keeps it relatively cool. Patrick wanted more memory: “I wish that there were two SODIMM slots in here so you could put like 64 GB memory if you wanted.” ServeTheHome found the BIOS dated, though its max non-Turbo performance setting can reduce the jitter that turbo state changes introduce in a network device. The review’s summary reads “To me, the big trade-offs are the CPU’s age, the BIOS’s age, and the fan noise.”

Should you buy it?

The Q30952UE fits someone who wants SFP+ and six 2.5GbE ports in one box, plans to install their own firewall or router software, and can put it in a closet or a rack where a 39 to 41 dBA fan will not matter. The console port and the Intel controllers suit that job, and the barebone version lets you reuse DDR4 memory and an SSD you already own. Add the delivery charge to the list price before comparing it with other boxes. Skip it if you want it to run many services besides routing. The MINISFORUM MS-01 and MINISFORUM MS-A2 also have two 10G SFP+ ports, with far faster chips and dual-channel memory but only two 2.5GbE ports. The iKOOLCORE R2 is a smaller firewall box without 10G, and the Mini PC Comparison Chart lists more options.