Differences and Trends in 100G, 400G, and 800G Optical Transceivers

What Are 100G, 400G and 800G Optical Transceivers?

Optical modules play a pivotal role in modern network communication infrastructure, enabling the seamless conversion of electrical signals into optical ones. Understanding their fundamental structure and operational principles is paramount to appreciating their role in facilitating high-speed data transmission.

100G Optical Transceivers

The 100G optical transceiver is an optical module with a rate of 100G. G here is the unit of optical signal transmission rate (Gbps). The commonly used one is the QSFP28 package, which has four independent optical signal transmission and reception channels, and the transmission rate of each channel is 25G.

400G Optical Transceivers

The 400G optical transceiver supports a transmission rate of 400 gigabits per second (Gbps), which is an extremely high data transmission rate capable of meeting the demands of large-scale data centers and high-performance computing. The 400G optical module typically adopts various interface types, including QSFP-DD (Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density), OSFP (Octal Small Form Factor Pluggable), and others. These interface types provide high-density port configurations and increased bandwidth.

800G Optical Transceivers

The 800G optical transceiver is a high-speed data transmission device that offers an extremely high data transfer rate, capable of meeting the rapidly growing demands of data traffic. Typically, the 800G optical module adopts new-generation interface types to support higher bandwidth requirements and transmission rates. These may include emerging interface standards such as QSFP-DD and OSFP.

Differences Between 100G, 400G, and 800G Optical Transceivers

Transmission Distance: 100G optical modules typically support a transmission distance of up to 100m in multi-mode optical fiber and up to 100km in single-mode optical fiber. For 400G optical modules, the transmission distance in multi-mode fiber is limited to around 100m, while in single-mode fiber, it can extend to tens of kilometers. Similarly, 800G optical modules also accommodate various transmission distances, including short-distance multimode fiber (MMF) and long-distance single-mode fiber (SMF), to cater to diverse application scenarios.

Power Consumption and Cost: As the module speed increases, the power consumption becomes higher, and the cost will also increase. The 800G module has high transmission rate and high power consumption, and requires more powerful heat dissipation and power supply system support.

Performance: 100G optical module is suitable for medium-scale data transmission needs and has stable performance. 400G optical modules provide higher data transmission rates and are suitable for large-scale data centers and high-bandwidth demand scenarios. The 800G optical module has the highest transmission rate and is suitable for scenarios with extremely high bandwidth requirements, such as ultra-large-scale cloud computing, artificial intelligence, etc.

Advantages and Applications of 800G Optical Transceivers

The 800G optical module boasts powerful performance, doubling network throughput and significantly enhancing data transfer rates and processing capabilities in data centers and cloud computing. Additionally, it reduces costs and energy consumption while improving network stability and reliability. This makes the 800G optical module a popular choice in the data center and cloud computing markets. With the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the widespread adoption of 5G networks, the demand for high-speed, high-capacity networks is continually increasing. This will further drive the market demand for 800G optical modules.

FS offers a wide range of high-performance and diverse 800G optical transceivers, available in QSFP-DD and OSFP form factors. Additionally, we provide modules supporting both Ethernet and InfiniBand protocols, ensuring perfect compatibility tailored to the specific needs of our customers. These modules are suitable for high-speed network environments such as data centers, cloud computing, and large-scale networks, meeting the demands for high bandwidth and large-capacity data transmission.