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TP-Link TL-SG108E 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 TP-Link TL-SG108E at 6.2/10.

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

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

They score the same on management 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

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

CriterionWeightTP-Link TL-SG108EZyxel XGS1210-12
Port speeds30%6/108/10
Management20%6/106/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/107/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.2/106.9/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG108EZyxel XGS1210-12
Ports8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports12 total: 8 x RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps, 2 x RJ-45 100/1000/2500 Mbps, 2 x SFP+
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps8 copper ports 10/100/1000 Mbps; 2 copper ports 100/1000/2.5G; SFP+ cages take 1G or 10G optics
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 diagnosticsWeb-managed; port-based VLAN, 802.1p and port-based QoS, IGMP snooping, static link aggregation, port mirroring, management VLAN, HTTP/HTTPS
PoE budgetnot listedNo PoE
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listed2 x SFP+ (1G/10G)
Switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table66 Gbps switching capacity; 49 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanless, metal casingFanless

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 ›

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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