Skip to content
sudopicks
esc

NETGEAR GS308E vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The NETGEAR GS308E scores 6.2/10 overall, ahead of the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE at 5.9/10.

The NETGEAR GS308E leads on port speeds.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE leads on management and firmware and support.

They score the same on 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

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

The UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE is for people already running, or planning, a UniFi setup who want a small, silent managed switch. It suits a desk, small office or home network with a few PoE devices such as access points or cameras. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs faster than gigabit speeds, fibre uplinks or lots of PoE power.

Typically about £111 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 GS308EUbiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
Port speeds30%6/104/10
Management20%7/108/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%4/105/10
Overall6.2/105.9/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS308EUbiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
Ports8 x Gigabit RJ45, no 10G port8 RJ45 ports in total, of which 4 are PoE+
Port speeds8 x 1G ports, auto-negotiating; no 2.5G or 10G ports10/100/1000 Mbps on all ports
ManagementWeb-managed Easy Smart interface; VLAN, QoS, cable health check and loop preventionLayer 2 managed, configured through the UniFi Network Controller, in-band Ethernet management
PoE budgetNone (PoE ports and PoE budget N/A)52 W total PoE budget; up to 30 W per PoE+ port (802.3at)
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedNo SFP or SFP+ port; RJ45 networking ports only
Switching capacity16Gbps bandwidth16 Gbps switching capacity; 8 Gbps non-blocking line rate
CoolingFanless (0 fans, 0 dBA at 25°C)Fanless; heat dissipation 27.3 BTU/hr excluding PoE output

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 ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

  • + Fanless and quiet, praised by owners
  • + Layer 2 management with VLANs through UniFi Network Controller
  • + Easy setup and quick provisioning, per owners
  • − Only four of eight ports supply PoE
  • − Gigabit only, with no SFP or SFP+ uplink
  • − 52 W PoE budget may strain demanding devices

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP+ uplinks
  • Anyone powering many or high-demand PoE devices
  • People who want L3 routing on the switch itself
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE review ›

More comparisons

Compare all network switches · Best network switches