MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN vs TP-Link TL-SX1008

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN scores 7.8/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SX1008 at 5.8/10.

The MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN leads on management, noise and efficiency and firmware and support.

They score the same on port speeds, port count and uplinks and poE.

The biggest difference is management, where the MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN scores 9/10 to the TP-Link TL-SX1008's 3/10.

MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN

7.8/10verdict: buy

The MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN is for homelabbers and sysadmins who need a few 10G SFP+ links on a small, silent switch. It suits anyone who wants to link a server, NAS or workstation at 10G and is happy to configure RouterOS or SwitchOS. It is not aimed at buyers who need many ports, PoE output or fast routing for a gigabit internet connection.

Typically about £121.19 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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TP-Link TL-SX1008

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SX1008 is for homelabbers and small offices who want eight 10GbE copper ports with no configuration. It suits people linking a NAS, servers and workstations over standard RJ45 cabling, including 2.5GbE and 5GbE devices. It does not suit anyone who needs VLANs, SFP+ uplinks or a silent switch.

Typically about £319 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN	TP-Link TL-SX1008
Port speeds	30%	9/10	9/10
Management	20%	9/10	3/10
Port count and uplinks	15%	6/10	6/10
Noise and efficiency	15%	8/10	4/10
PoE	10%	5/10	5/10
Firmware and support	10%	7/10	5/10
Overall		7.8/10	5.8/10

Specifications

Spec	MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN	TP-Link TL-SX1008
Ports	Four SFP+ ports plus one 10/100/1000 Ethernet port	8 x RJ45 ports
Port speeds	Gigabit copper port; SFP+ cages support up to 10 Gbit per port; 1.25 Gbit SFP modules also supported	Auto-negotiating 100Mbps / 1Gbps / 2.5Gbps / 5Gbps / 10Gbps on every port
Management	RouterOS or SwitchOS selectable via dual boot; configurable through WebFig or WinBox	Unmanaged
PoE budget	No published PoE output budget; accepts PoE (802.3af/at) input on its Gigabit port with 12–57 V input; maximum consumption 18 W, or 10 W without attachments	None listed
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	Four SFP+ cages; modules not included	None listed (no SFP/SFP+)
Switching capacity	82 Gbps switching capacity; 41 Gbps non-blocking throughput	160 Gbps switching capacity, 119.04 Mpps forwarding rate, 16K MAC table, 12 Mbit packet buffer, store-and-forward
Cooling	Passive, fanless, metal case	One fan with intelligent fan-speed adjustment; not fanless

Strengths and weaknesses

MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN

+ Four SFP+ cages with up to 10 Gbit per port
+ Fanless metal case; owners praise silent, low-power running
+ Choice of RouterOS or SwitchOS via dual boot
− Only five ports, and SFP+ modules are not included
− Owners report weak routing for gigabit internet
− Copper SFP+ modules reportedly run hot in the fanless case

Skip it if:

Buyers who need PoE output to power cameras or access points
Anyone who wants to route a gigabit internet connection
Buyers who need many ports or copper multi-gig without SFP+ modules

Read the full MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN review ›

TP-Link TL-SX1008

+ 10GBASE-T with multi-rate 100M to 10G on all eight ports
+ Plug-and-play setup with no configuration needed
+ ServeTheHome reports line-rate 8x10GbE at 64-byte frames
− Unmanaged: no VLANs or web management
− Fan is not silent; one owner calls it high-pitched
− No SFP+ uplinks, and owners say it is pricey for 10G

Skip it if:

Buyers who need VLANs or web management
Anyone who needs SFP+ uplinks or PoE
People placing a switch in a quiet room

Read the full TP-Link TL-SX1008 review ›

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