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TP-Link TL-SG108E 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 TP-Link TL-SG108E scores 6.2/10 overall, ahead of the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE at 5.9/10.

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

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE leads on management.

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

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

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

CriterionWeightTP-Link TL-SG108EUbiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
Port speeds30%6/104/10
Management20%6/108/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.2/105.9/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG108EUbiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
Ports8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports8 RJ45 ports in total, of which 4 are PoE+
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps10/100/1000 Mbps on all ports
ManagementEasy 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 diagnosticsLayer 2 managed, configured through the UniFi Network Controller, in-band Ethernet management
PoE budgetnot listed52 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 capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table16 Gbps switching capacity; 8 Gbps non-blocking line rate
CoolingFanless, metal casingFanless; heat dissipation 27.3 BTU/hr excluding PoE output

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

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 ›

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