New Intel E610 NICs Shown for Low Power 10Gbase-T and 2.5GbE

It's not that impressive, IMO. The 'optics' modules which go into SFP+ sockets on fibre cards can draw only 2.5W per module/socket/port. While easily doing 40/50/80/100Gbps, depending on the used fibre standard.

So that would be 5W for two ports.

That intel thing does up to 10Gbps per port, while not having to light up lasers. For two ports that may add up to maybe half a Watt.

Which would leave 600mW for the SOC driving that stuff and PCIe 4x4. IRL they'd saved some more somewhere else, on the PHYs, or something, giving maybe 1W for the SOC.

Nicely done, but not revolutionary.