NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-E003E26 100Gb/s QSFP28 Passive Direct Attach Copper Cable – 3m, EDR InfiniBand, Low Latency, Near-Zero Power for Data Center Interconnects

The Mellanox MCP1600-E003E26 is a high-performance passive copper cable designed for 200Gb/s InfiniBand HDR (High Data Rate) applications. Part of the LinkX series, this QSFP56 direct attach cable integrates eight high-speed copper pairs operating at 50Gb/s PAM4 modulation per lane, delivering aggregate bandwidth of 200Gb/s. The assembly includes an EEPROM with product configuration data accessible via SFF-8636 I²C management interface. With 0.1W typical power consumption and passive design, it significantly reduces data center power and cooling costs compared to active optical cables or transceiver modules. Ideal for short-reach interconnects (up to 3 meters), the cable supports hot-pluggable installation and meets rigorous IBTA InfiniBand HDR compliance.

• Up to 200Gb/s aggregate data rate (4x 50Gb/s PAM4)
• Fully compliant with IBTA InfiniBand HDR specification
• Passive copper design – no active components, zero latency penalty
• Hot-pluggable QSFP56 form factor per SFF-8665
• Low power consumption: < 0.1W (max) from single 3.3V supply
• EEPROM with product identification and serialization (I²C interface)
• Robust cable construction: 26 AWG conductors, LSZH outer jacket
• Operating case temperature range: 0°C to 70°C
• Superior BER performance: < 1E-15 with Mellanox InfiniBand HDR systems
• RoHS compliant, Lead-Free (LF) and Halogen-Free (HF) PCB

The MCP1600-E003E26 leverages 4-lane PAM4 modulation at 50Gb/s per lane, enabling 200Gb/s throughput over passive copper infrastructure. It adheres to SFF-8665 mechanical requirements and SFF-8636 management interface. Each cable undergoes stringent production testing including high-speed eye diagram validation, insertion loss, and crosstalk screening to guarantee out-of-the-box reliability. The 26 AWG gauge ensures optimal signal integrity at 3-meter distance while maintaining minimum bend radius: single bend 47mm, assembly/repeated bend 94mm, facilitating flexible deployment in high-density racks.

• Top-of-Rack (ToR) switching: Connect InfiniBand HDR switches to compute nodes within the same rack.
• High-Performance Computing (HPC): Short-reach links between GPU servers and leaf switches in clustered environments.
• Data Center Interconnects: Cost-effective point-to-point connections for storage nodes and management networks.
• AI/ML Clusters: Ultra-low latency links essential for distributed training workloads.

Designed for seamless interoperability with Mellanox/NVIDIA InfiniBand HDR adapters, switches, and QSFP56 ports. Also backward compatible with QSFP56-based 100Gb/s and 50Gb/s systems when used with appropriate speed negotiation. Compatible with leading server platforms and third-party QSFP56 ports that follow SFF-8665 / SFF-8636 standards.

• Lower cost: Eliminates transceiver components, reducing bill-of-materials.
• Zero added latency: Passive transmission ensures minimal signal delay.
• Reduced power budget: Consumes <0.1W per end versus several watts for active optics.
• High reliability: No optical interfaces to clean or fail.
• Easy cable management: LSZH jacket, flexible bend radius simplifies routing in high-density racks.

Hong Kong Starsurge Group provides global delivery and multilingual technical support. Every MCP1600-E003E26 cable comes with a 1-year limited hardware warranty covering parts repair or replacement. Pre-sales engineering consultation, compatibility validation, and after-sales RMA services are available. For volume orders, customized labeling and packaging options can be arranged.

• Do not exceed minimum bend radius (47mm static bend; 94mm repeated bend) to avoid signal degradation.
• Ensure proper electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions during installation.
• Operate within specified case temperature (0–70°C) to maintain long-term reliability.
• Use only with compatible QSFP56 ports supporting 3.3V supply and I²C management.

About Hong Kong Starsurge Group Co., Limited

Founded in 2008, Starsurge is a technology-driven provider of network hardware, IT services, and system integration solutions. Serving government, healthcare, manufacturing, education, finance and enterprise clients worldwide, we deliver network switches, NICs, wireless access points, controllers, DAC cables and more. With a customer-first approach, Starsurge ensures reliable quality, responsive support, global delivery, and custom software development. Our experienced technical team helps clients build scalable, future-proof network infrastructure.

Why partner with Starsurge? Multilingual support, tailored sourcing, and rigorous quality control. For volume pricing or custom DAC lengths, contact our sales engineers.

Contact for RFQ →

• ✔ Confirm required length (3m for MCP1600-E003E26) and AWG for signal integrity.
• ✔ Verify switch/ adapter port type: QSFP56 (HDR) required for full 200Gb/s.
• ✔ Check operating temperature range inside rack (0°C to 70°C).
• ✔ Ensure LSZH jacket compliance for plenum or restricted airspace installations.
• ✔ Confirm pulltab color and orientation if specific datacenter handling needed.
• ✔ Request factory test reports for large-scale deployments.

• MCP1600-E001E30 – 1m 30AWG version for shorter rack connections
• MCP1600-E0015E30 – 1.5m 30AWG passive DAC
• MCP1600-E002E26 – 2m 26AWG passive DAC
• NVIDIA Mellanox QM8700 Switch – 40-port HDR InfiniBand switch ideal for paired DAC cables