SFP vs QSFP Transceivers – X Differences to Know
QSFP-transceiver SFP (small form factor pluggable) and QSFP (quad form factor pluggable) are two transceiver modules commonly used in optical communication applications. Although they’re both form-factor pluggable devices (which means you can insert and remove them from a network device without powering it off), both modules have some differences. In this article, we will discuss these differences as well as where you can buy SFP and QSFP modules at affordable prices. 1. Form Factor The primary difference between SFP and QSFP is in their physical size and shape, referred to as form factor. SFP only has a single port for data transmission and receiving, allowing a single fiber connection. QSFP transceiver has multiple ports for receiving and transmitting data, allowing parallel fiber connections. 2. Data Rates The data rate tells the amount of data these modules support per second. SFP transceivers can support up to 10 GB/s (gigabytes per second) of data— therefore, they are