Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›
all judged against network switches at a similar priceThe TP-Link TL-SG108E scores 6.2/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 at 6.0/10.
The TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 leads on port speeds.
The TP-Link TL-SG108E leads on management and firmware and support.
They score the same on port count and uplinks, noise and efficiency and poE.
The TL-SG105-M2 is for people who want a simple five-port switch with 2.5GbE on every port. It suits a desk, a small home network or a homelab that needs faster links but no VLANs or PoE. It is a plug-in switch with no management interface listed.
Typically about £43 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
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
| Criterion | Weight | TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | TP-Link TL-SG108E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port speeds | 30% | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Management | 20% | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Port count and uplinks | 15% | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Noise and efficiency | 15% | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| PoE | 10% | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Firmware and support | 10% | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Overall | 6.0/10 | 6.2/10 |
| Spec | TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | TP-Link TL-SG108E |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 5 RJ45 ports | 8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports |
| Port speeds | 100Mbps / 1Gbps / 2.5Gbps, auto-negotiated, auto MDI/MDIX | 10/100/1000 Mbps |
| Management | Unmanaged | Easy 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 budget | No | not listed |
| Switching capacity | 25 Gbps switching capacity; 18.6 Mpps forwarding rate; 16K MAC table; 1.5 Mb packet buffer | 16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table |
| Cooling | Fanless | Fanless, metal casing |
Skip it if:
Skip it if: