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NETGEAR GS308E vs TP-Link TL-SG108E

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The NETGEAR GS308E and TP-Link TL-SG108E both score 6.2/10 overall.

The NETGEAR GS308E leads on management.

The TP-Link TL-SG108E leads on firmware and support.

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

NETGEAR GS308E

NETGEAR GS308E

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The NETGEAR GS308E is for people who want a small, silent eight-port Gigabit switch with basic VLAN support. It suits homes, bedrooms and desks where a fan would be a nuisance and plug-and-play setup matters. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs PoE, faster than Gigabit ports or deep Layer 3 management.

Typically about £24.97 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

TP-Link TL-SG108E

TP-Link TL-SG108E

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SG108E is for home and homelab users who want a small, silent eight-port gigabit switch with basic VLAN support. It suits setups that need a few separate networks, not strict isolation. It is a poor fit if you need PoE, fibre uplinks, faster-than-gigabit ports or Spanning Tree.

Typically about £45 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 GS308ETP-Link TL-SG108E
Port speeds30%6/106/10
Management20%7/106/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%4/106/10
Overall6.2/106.2/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS308ETP-Link TL-SG108E
Ports8 x Gigabit RJ45, no 10G port8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports
Port speeds8 x 1G ports, auto-negotiating; no 2.5G or 10G ports10/100/1000 Mbps
ManagementWeb-managed Easy Smart interface; VLAN, QoS, cable health check and loop preventionEasy Smart; web user interface and Windows management utility; port-based, 802.1Q and MTU VLAN (32 VLANs active out of 4K IDs), port mirroring, loop prevention, IGMP snooping, cable diagnostics
PoE budgetNone (PoE ports and PoE budget N/A)not listed
Switching capacity16Gbps bandwidth16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table
CoolingFanless (0 fans, 0 dBA at 25°C)Fanless, metal casing

Strengths and weaknesses

NETGEAR GS308E

  • + Fanless, with 0 dBA listed
  • + Web-managed with VLAN, QoS and loop prevention
  • + Plug-and-play setup; maximum draw of 3.7W
  • − Gigabit only, with no 2.5G or 10G ports
  • − Owners criticise firmware update frequency and process
  • − Layer 2 only, modest web UI and no mobile app

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE for access points, cameras or phones
  • Anyone with 2.5GbE or 10GbE devices or who wants SFP uplinks
  • People who need advanced Layer 3 features or a polished management UI
Read the full NETGEAR GS308E review ›

TP-Link TL-SG108E

  • + Fanless metal casing, so no fan noise
  • + 802.1Q VLANs and port mirroring on a web UI
  • + Owners report VLANs working on current firmware
  • − Gigabit only, with no SFP/SFP+ uplink published
  • − VLAN 1 cannot be removed and no Spanning Tree
  • − Owners describe VLAN setup as fiddly

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE for access points, cameras or phones
  • Anyone who needs strict VLAN isolation, Spanning Tree or a management interface off the user ports
  • Users who want 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP/SFP+ uplinks
Read the full TP-Link TL-SG108E review ›

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