Skip to content
sudopicks
esc

NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch vs TP-Link TL-SX1008

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch scores 6.0/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SX1008 at 5.8/10.

The NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch leads on management, noise and efficiency and firmware and support.

The TP-Link TL-SX1008 leads on port speeds and port count and uplinks.

They score the same on poE.

The biggest difference is noise and efficiency, where the NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch scores 9/10 to the TP-Link TL-SX1008's 4/10.

NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Essentials Switch (GS305v3)

NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

6.0/10verdict: good, not the best

The GS305v3 is for anyone who needs a few extra wired Gigabit ports with no setup. It suits a desk, a media cabinet or a small office where silence matters. It does not suit people who need VLANs, PoE, SFP uplinks or more than five ports.

Typically about £13.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

TP-Link TL-SX1008

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightNETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchTP-Link TL-SX1008
Port speeds30%6/109/10
Management20%5/103/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/106/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/104/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.0/105.8/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchTP-Link TL-SX1008
Ports58 x RJ45 ports
Port speedsGigabit (5 x 10/100/1000Mbps ports, Auto Uplink)Auto-negotiating 100Mbps / 1Gbps / 2.5Gbps / 5Gbps / 10Gbps on every port
ManagementUnmanagedUnmanaged
PoE budgetNot applicable (PoE budget N/A)None listed
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedNone listed (no SFP/SFP+)
Switching capacityNon-blocking bandwidth 10 Gbps160 Gbps switching capacity, 119.04 Mpps forwarding rate, 16K MAC table, 12 Mbit packet buffer, store-and-forward
CoolingFanlessOne fan with intelligent fan-speed adjustment; not fanless

Strengths and weaknesses

NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

  • + Fanless and silent, as owners report
  • + Plug-and-play with no software or configuration
  • + Listed maximum draw of 2.34W, with 802.3az support
  • − Unmanaged, so no VLAN or QoS
  • − Only five ports and no SFP uplink
  • − Gigabit only, with no 2.5GbE or 10GbE

Skip it if:

  • Homelabbers who need VLANs, QoS or other management features
  • Buyers who need PoE to power access points or cameras
  • Anyone who needs more than five ports, SFP uplinks or links faster than Gigabit
Read the full NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch 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 ›

More comparisons

Compare all network switches · Best network switches