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TP-Link TL-SX1008 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-SX1008 at 5.8/10.

The TP-Link TL-SX1008 leads on port speeds.

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

They score the same on poE and firmware and support.

The biggest difference is noise and efficiency, where the Zyxel XGS1210-12 scores 8/10 to the TP-Link TL-SX1008's 4/10.

TP-Link TL-SX1008

TP-Link TL-SX1008

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SX1008 is for homelabbers and small offices who want eight 10GbE copper ports with no configuration. It suits people linking a NAS, servers and workstations over standard RJ45 cabling, including 2.5GbE and 5GbE devices. It does not suit anyone who needs VLANs, SFP+ uplinks or a silent switch.

Typically about £319 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-SX1008Zyxel XGS1210-12
Port speeds30%9/108/10
Management20%3/106/10
Port count and uplinks15%6/107/10
Noise and efficiency15%4/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall5.8/106.9/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SX1008Zyxel XGS1210-12
Ports8 x RJ45 ports12 total: 8 x RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps, 2 x RJ-45 100/1000/2500 Mbps, 2 x SFP+
Port speedsAuto-negotiating 100Mbps / 1Gbps / 2.5Gbps / 5Gbps / 10Gbps on every port8 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 listedNo PoE
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)None listed (no SFP/SFP+)2 x SFP+ (1G/10G)
Switching capacity160 Gbps switching capacity, 119.04 Mpps forwarding rate, 16K MAC table, 12 Mbit packet buffer, store-and-forward66 Gbps switching capacity; 49 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingOne fan with intelligent fan-speed adjustment; not fanlessFanless

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link TL-SX1008

  • + 10GBASE-T with multi-rate 100M to 10G on all eight ports
  • + Plug-and-play setup with no configuration needed
  • + ServeTheHome reports line-rate 8x10GbE at 64-byte frames
  • − Unmanaged: no VLANs or web management
  • − Fan is not silent; one owner calls it high-pitched
  • − No SFP+ uplinks, and owners say it is pricey for 10G

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs or web management
  • Anyone who needs SFP+ uplinks or PoE
  • People placing a switch in a quiet room
Read the full TP-Link TL-SX1008 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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