Network Cards under $250

5 network cards under $250 from StarTech.com and Synology. Most cost $155 to $249, and half cost less than $183.

LpxlqklypSpec score 8.1

40 Speed, 2 Ports, PCIe, QSFP

+Dual-port design with two 40 Gbps ports

+PCIe 3.0 x8 interface

+Includes two QSFP+ modules

$170.26

as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details

Lpxlqklyp

25 Speed, PCIe, Mellanox

+Rated at 25 Gbps for high-speed networking

+Uses a PCIe bus for installation in a desktop or server

+Built on a Mellanox chipset

$182.91

as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details

Odlnmoiox

2 Ports, PCIe, SFP+, Mellanox

+Two SFP+ ports for network connections

+Mellanox ConnectX-3 chip

+Installs in a PCIe slot

$248.78

as of 11/04/2026 03:07 PST - Details

Lpxlqklyp

40 Speed, Mellanox

+40G network speed for high-bandwidth connections

+Mellanox chipset for ConnectX-3 VPI compatibility

+Available in short and long bracket configurations

$155.15

as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details

Lpxlqklyp

25 Speed, PCIe, Mellanox

+25 Gb Ethernet speed for fast wired networking

+PCIe 3.0 interface for desktop or server slots

+Mellanox ConnectX-4 chipset for high-speed networking

$249.90

as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details

Compare specs

Speed	Ports	Interface	Port type	Controller	Spec score	Price
40	2	PCIe	QSFP	Mellanox	8.1	$170.26 as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details
25		PCIe		Mellanox	n/a	$182.91 as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details
	2	PCIe	SFP+	Mellanox	n/a	$248.78 as of 11/04/2026 03:07 PST - Details
40				Mellanox	n/a	$155.15 as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details
25		PCIe		Mellanox	n/a	$249.90 as of 11/04/2026 09:09 PST - Details

Spec scores, pros and cons, and prices are explained in the How it works section of the About page.