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NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch vs Zyxel XMG1915-10E

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Zyxel XMG1915-10E scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch at 6.3/10.

The NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch leads on firmware and support.

The Zyxel XMG1915-10E leads on port speeds, management and port count and uplinks.

They score the same on noise and efficiency and poE.

The biggest difference is port count and uplinks, where the Zyxel XMG1915-10E scores 8/10 to the NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch's 5/10.

NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS108)

NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

6.3/10verdict: good, not the best

The NETGEAR GS108 is for anyone who needs eight more wired Gigabit ports with no configuration. It suits a desk, a media cabinet or a small lab where quiet running matters. It does not suit buyers who need VLANs, PoE or ports faster than Gigabit.

Typically about £24.99 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

Zyxel XMG1915-10E

Zyxel XMG1915-10E

7.4/10verdict: buy

The Zyxel XMG1915-10E is for people who want 2.5GbE on most ports and 10G uplinks in a quiet, fanless switch. It suits homelabbers and small offices whose devices bring their own power, since it has no PoE. It does not offer copper 10GbE, so buyers who want that need to look at SFP+ modules or other models.

Typically about £189 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 GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchZyxel XMG1915-10E
Port speeds30%6/108/10
Management20%6/107/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/108/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%7/105/10
Overall6.3/107.4/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchZyxel XMG1915-10E
Ports8 Gigabit RJ-45 copper ports8 x 100M/1G/2.5G RJ-45 plus 2 x 1G SFP/10G SFP+ (10 total)
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps on each port100 Mbps, 1 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps on the eight copper ports; SFP+ slots take 1G or 10G
ManagementUnmanaged, no VLANsSmart Managed
PoE budgetNone (PoE ports n/a, PoE budget n/a)None (0 PoE ports)
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)None listed; Gigabit copper only, no SFP or SFP+ port2 x 1G SFP / 10G SFP+
Switching capacity16 Gbps80 Gbps switching capacity; 59.5 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanlessFanless

Strengths and weaknesses

NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

  • + Fanless, with acoustic noise listed as 0
  • + Plug-and-play setup with nothing to configure
  • + Limited lifetime warranty and 90 days of support
  • − Gigabit only, with no 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP uplink
  • − Unmanaged, so no VLANs
  • − Owners report failures in older revisions after a few years

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs or any switch management
  • Anyone powering access points or cameras who needs PoE
  • Users with 2.5GbE or 10GbE devices, or who want an SFP uplink
Read the full NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch review ›

Zyxel XMG1915-10E

  • + Eight 2.5GbE copper ports
  • + Two SFP+ slots take 1G or 10G
  • + Fanless, quiet, low power draw
  • − No PoE ports
  • − No copper 10GbE ports

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE to power access points or cameras
  • Buyers who want copper 10GbE ports rather than SFP+ slots
  • Buyers who need more than ten ports on one switch
Read the full Zyxel XMG1915-10E review ›

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