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TP-Link TL-SG108E vs Zyxel XMG1915-10E

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Zyxel XMG1915-10E scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG108E at 6.2/10.

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

The Zyxel XMG1915-10E leads on port speeds, management and port count and uplinks.

They score the same on noise and efficiency and poE.

The biggest difference is port count and uplinks, where the Zyxel XMG1915-10E scores 8/10 to the TP-Link TL-SG108E's 5/10.

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 XMG1915-10E

Zyxel XMG1915-10E

7.4/10verdict: buy

The Zyxel XMG1915-10E is for people who want 2.5GbE on most ports and 10G uplinks in a quiet, fanless switch. It suits homelabbers and small offices whose devices bring their own power, since it has no PoE. It does not offer copper 10GbE, so buyers who want that need to look at SFP+ modules or other models.

Typically about £189 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 XMG1915-10E
Port speeds30%6/108/10
Management20%6/107/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/108/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.2/107.4/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG108EZyxel XMG1915-10E
Ports8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports8 x 100M/1G/2.5G RJ-45 plus 2 x 1G SFP/10G SFP+ (10 total)
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps100 Mbps, 1 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps on the eight copper ports; SFP+ slots take 1G or 10G
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 diagnosticsSmart Managed
PoE budgetnot listedNone (0 PoE ports)
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listed2 x 1G SFP / 10G SFP+
Switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table80 Gbps switching capacity; 59.5 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 XMG1915-10E

  • + Eight 2.5GbE copper ports
  • + Two SFP+ slots take 1G or 10G
  • + Fanless, quiet, low power draw
  • − No PoE ports
  • − No copper 10GbE ports

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE to power access points or cameras
  • Buyers who want copper 10GbE ports rather than SFP+ slots
  • Buyers who need more than ten ports on one switch
Read the full Zyxel XMG1915-10E review ›

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