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QNAP QSW-1105-5T vs Zyxel XGS1210-12

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Zyxel XGS1210-12 scores 6.9/10 overall, ahead of the QNAP QSW-1105-5T at 5.8/10.

The QNAP QSW-1105-5T leads on noise and efficiency.

The Zyxel XGS1210-12 leads on port speeds, management and port count and uplinks.

They score the same on poE and firmware and support.

The biggest difference is management, where the Zyxel XGS1210-12 scores 6/10 to the QNAP QSW-1105-5T's 3/10.

QNAP QSW-1105-5T

QNAP QSW-1105-5T

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

This switch is for people who want to move a small wired network from gigabit to 2.5GbE without any setup. It suits a desk, a home office or a homelab corner where noise matters and VLANs are not needed. Buyers who want management features, PoE or extra uplinks need a different model.

Typically about £93.14 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

Zyxel XGS1210-12

Zyxel XGS1210-12

6.9/10verdict: buy

The Zyxel XGS1210-12 is for homelabbers and small offices that want a quiet, fanless switch with a couple of faster links. It suits someone connecting a server or NAS over 2.5GbE copper or 10G SFP+ while the other devices stay on Gigabit. It is a poor fit if you need PoE or LACP bonding.

Typically about £125 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

CriterionWeightQNAP QSW-1105-5TZyxel XGS1210-12
Port speeds30%7/108/10
Management20%3/106/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/107/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall5.8/106.9/10

Specifications

SpecQNAP QSW-1105-5TZyxel XGS1210-12
Ports5 ports12 total: 8 x RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps, 2 x RJ-45 100/1000/2500 Mbps, 2 x SFP+
Port speeds2.5GbE on all five ports; standards include 100BASE-T, 1000BASE-T and 2.5GBase-T8 copper ports 10/100/1000 Mbps; 2 copper ports 100/1000/2.5G; SFP+ cages take 1G or 10G optics
ManagementUnmanagedWeb-managed; port-based VLAN, 802.1p and port-based QoS, IGMP snooping, static link aggregation, port mirroring, management VLAN, HTTP/HTTPS
PoE budgetNone; not a PoE switchNo PoE
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listed2 x SFP+ (1G/10G)
Switching capacitySwitching capacity 25Gbps; non-blocking throughput 12.5Gbps66 Gbps switching capacity; 49 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanlessFanless

Strengths and weaknesses

QNAP QSW-1105-5T

  • + 2.5GbE on all five ports
  • + Fanless, and owners praise how quiet it is
  • + Plug-and-play, with no configuration needed
  • − Unmanaged, so no VLANs or traffic control
  • − No PoE and no separate uplink ports listed
  • − Owners complain about cost per 2.5GbE port

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs or other management features
  • Anyone who needs PoE for access points or cameras
  • Homelabbers who want more than five ports or faster uplinks
Read the full QNAP QSW-1105-5T review ›

Zyxel XGS1210-12

  • + Two SFP+ cages take 1G or 10G optics
  • + Fanless, and owners praise it as quiet and compact
  • + Two 2.5GbE copper ports alongside eight Gigabit ports
  • − Static link aggregation only; no LACP
  • − Owners report heat under heavy load
  • − No PoE

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need LACP link aggregation
  • Anyone who needs PoE for access points or cameras
  • Buyers putting it in a warm, unventilated cupboard under heavy load
Read the full Zyxel XGS1210-12 review ›

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