Tometek sent me their TC300-TTG system for me to check out. This box is interesting because it has 4 SFP+ 10Gbps interfaces as well as an Intel Atom C3758R CPU. This will be first system with an a modern Atom processor that I get to test.

One interesting aspect is that this system does not have an integrated GPU so it means you have to use the serial console in order to install operating systems. I found that this process was not quite as smooth as I had hoped for certain operating systems. The serial installation of OPNsense, for example, was flawless. However, for Proxmox, Ubuntu, and Debian, I had to modify the boot parameters in order to get the operating systems installed.

The boot parameters you need to add according to Tometek: nomodeset acpi_osi="Linux" noresume console=ttyS0,115200n8

I also had some issues getting the SFP+ interfaces working properly. OPNsense seemed to work out of the box, but I had trouble with the Linux based operating systems. It seemed to help in Debian to install the latest ixgbe drivers, but I'm wondering if the SFP+ DAC cables I tested weren't the most compatible cables. I have read that the SFP+ interfaces can be picky with certain DACs/SFP+ modules (I have experienced this with other equipment).

The TC300-TTG is a quiet fanless system. It is impressive that it is fanless because SFP+ interfaces get hot. Tometek stated that because the unit does not have an integrated GPU, it produces less heat. It seems to get about as hot as the Protectli VP6650 that I tested.

Although the TDP is 26W, I noticed it would idle at around 13W with only a single Ethernet interface plugged in. As you start using more interfaces and if you add a SATA disk, the power consumption will increase of course.

Overall, this could make a nice mini-PC server once you have all the software installed via serial console and use compatible SFP+ modules/DAC cables.

Disclosure: Tometek sponsored the TC300-TTG but opinions are my own.

Tometek website:
https://www.tometek.com/product/tc300...

Alibaba link (not an affiliate link):
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detai...

Intel ixgbe driver:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/...

ixgbe driver installation instructions:
https://www.xmodulo.com/download-inst...

STH discussion about the X553:
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-x5...

Chapters:
00:00 Tometek TC300-TTG
04:29 Inside the TC300-TTG
05:45 Power consumption
07:32 Installing various operating systems
15:17 10Gbps speed tests
19:38 Note about installing ixgbe drivers in Linux
21:14 Conclusion

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/hot-tubes
License code: PHU47L9RL44D1FFS

EP47