π
The TP-Link TL-SX1008 is the third 10Gbps Multi-Gig switch I've tested, and while not exactly the charm, it's almost the just-right option for most homes.
The switch adds eight super-fast RJ45 (BaseT) ports to a network for less than $500. Considering 10Gbps is still new, that's a friendly price.
As an unmanaged switch, the TP-Link TL-SX1008 proved a straightforward and fast performer in my testing. Unfortunately, it has one sizable shortcoming: a noisy ventilation fan.
If you can deal with that, have a secluded place for it, or can replace the fan, the TP-Link TL-SX1008 is still an excellent buy. It'll quickly upgrade your home network fully to the next level.
TP-Link TL-SX1008: Such a speedy whiner
The P-Link TL-SX1008 comes in a standard design slightly smaller than the Zyxel XS1930-12HP. It's a rectangular box with all the ports on the front and a standard power port on the back.
On the side, the switch has a single ventilation fan, compared to two of the Zyxel. But that doesn't mean the TP-Link is quieter. More in the performance section below.
It's worth noting that the TP-Link TL-SX1008 doesn't have any SFP+ portβnot a huge problem since most homes won't need one anyway. But for a business, that might feel a bit lacking.
Simple plug-n-play design, on-port status lights
As an unmanaged switch, the TP-Link TL-SX1008 is a plug-n-play device. Connect it to the power, hook one of its ports to an existing router or switchβpreferably a Multi-Gig oneβand it's ready.
You can add up to seven wired devices to the network via super-fast connections. You need Multi-Gig devices to take advantage of the TL-SX1008, but you can use Gigabit or slower clients with it, too.
Each of the switch's ports comes with two tiny LED status lights that flash to show data activitiesβonly one is on at a given time, if at all.
Some like this on-port status light design, but I prefer a separate panel like the case of the Zyxel XS1930-12HPβthe cables won't obscure the lights.
In any case, these lights change color to show the connection speed.
Specifically:
- Left light:
- Green: 10Gbps
- Orange: 5Gbps
- Right light:
- Green: 2.5Gbps
- Orange: 1Gbps (or slower)
There's nothing in setting up this switchβno web user interface nor an app. And for most homes, that's all you'd need. Managed switches are generally for advanced situations.
TP-Link TL-SX1008: Hardware specifications
| Full Name | TP-Link TL-SX1008 8-Port 10Gbps Multi-Gig Unmanaged Switch |
| Model | TL-SX1008 |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 11.6 Γ 7.1 Γ 1.7 in (294 Γ 180 Γ 44 mm) |
| Weight | 3.27 lbs (1.48 kg) |
| Accessories | Power cord Rack mounting kit |
| Gigabit Ports | 8 (Multi-Gig) |
| Multi-Gig Ports | 8x 10Gbps BaseT Multi-Gig |
| PoE Ports | None |
| Switching Capacity | 160Gbps |
| Jumbo Frame Support | Yes (Up to 10KB) |
| Packet Buffer | 2 MB |
| Features | 802.3X Flow Control 802.1p/DSCP QoS |
| Supported Standards | IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, 802.3x, 802.1p, 802.3an, 802.3bz |
| Power Supply | 100β240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 0.8A |
| Cost (at review) | $475 |
TP-Link TL-SX1008: Detail photos
TP-Link TL-SX1008: Fast but noisy performance
I tested the TP-Link TL-SX1008 the same way I did previous multi-gig switches, coping some 100GB of data between multiple clients with super-fast NVMe internal storage.
As you can see in the charts below, the switch did well in throughput, with sustained speed capping at around 80% of the 10Gbps connection, as shown in the chart below.
So I was happy with the performance. What I wasn't pleased about was the switch's level of noise.
Its fan revved up for about five seconds when I plugged it into power. After that, it became quiet for about a minute and remained at around 50 dB to 60 dB in a whining pattern of different pitch levels.
As a result, the noise never became ambient noise. Instead, it constantly reminded me of its presence. And this happened in an AC room with a pleasant temperatureβthe switch itself was relatively cool.
If you need to keep the room quiet, this switch is definitely not a good choice. That's unless you replace the fan or tuck it away in a closet/basement. The point is this is noisy hardware out of the box.
TP-Link TL-SX1008 8-Port 10Gbps Multi-Gig Unmanaged Switch's Rating
Pros
Eight 10Gbps Multi-Gig ports
Excellent performance
Plug-n-play
Run cool
Cons
Noisy
No SFP+ ports
High cost
Conclusion
The TP-Link TL-SX1008 8-Port 10Gbps Multi-Gig Unmanaged Switch would make an excellent switch if it were quieter. While it's not the nosiest switch I've seen, it's loud enough to be unsuitable in many homes.
You can replace this fan with a more quiet one.
Other than that, this is a straightforward 10Gbps switch that won't disappoint in performance. If you have a place where the noise is not an issue, I'd say get it.
Make sure you have wired your home, preferably CAT6A cables, and already have a Multi-Gig router.
Thanks for this review, seems like a great unit!
How about for SMBs with 6 employees working from a RAID5 NAS will that be enough? Video editing per say? Loooots of sequential reading. Could it handle that?
Nothing can handle what you said the way you said it. I’d say let the employees go and dismantle the business. It’s in for imminent failure. π
On the other hand, a 100Mbps switch can handle that to an extent. It’s a matter of degree. What degree? Read the review!
You’re welcome.
Hmm, I see π
Let me clarify if I may.
My question is;
If 6 PCs require a 800-1000Mbps bandwidth for video editing (compressed h264), per PC.
Total 3600-6000Mbps (750MB/s)
My NAS has a throughput of 2GB/s.
The NIC is 10Gbps port.
Technically the 10Gbps port bottlenecks at 80% of 1.25GB/s already.
But still safe, since I only need 750MB/s for 6 clients.
Will the XS1008 be able to distribute the data properly or it’ll add an additional bottleneck?
What is the 160Gbps switching capacity of the SX1008?
Does it mean it can simultaneously juggle 20GB/s of data between the 8 ports?
Thanks π
In that case, your NAS will be the bottleneck. However, video editing is mostly random access so the numbers you mentioned will not fully apply. Also, your case is likely multicast so they don’t necessarily need to add up. Still, if your NAS support 10GbE, things will be noticeably better. Most importantly, get SSD storage for the NAS or at least use SSD caching. More in this post.
160Gbps capacity means that’s the total bandwidth the switch can handle at any given time by its hardware. Generally, it’s not a reliable number to gauge a switch’s actual real-world throughputs. That’s like saying a vehicle has x horsepower which doesn’t necessarily translate into how fast it can run — a bulldozer has a ton of horsepower but doesn’t go fast.
If you get this switch, make sure you replace the fan as mentioned — I did. Else, the noise might drive you nuts.
Thanks a lot! I think I’ll pull the trigger on the XS1008 using your link. {..}
You’re welcome. Keep your thoughts on how you spend your money to yourself, please.
I ended up buying this again and replaced the fan with the Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX fan. WOW what a difference. Can’t believe how I cannot hear anything and was super easy to do. Now I can enjoy this 8 port version (always need more ports!) π
Thanks for sharing the XP, Sev.
The 5-port TL-SX105 is fanless and has been working well for me.
Fanless is great! But you can also replace the fan, too. I did mine. π
It’s good to hear I’m not the only one that thought the fan was too loud! I recently bought two of these and absolutely agree with your comments there, I was constantly reminded that I had a switch running. Fortunately it’s quite easy to fix this by getting a new fan. Hope this helps somebody.
Thanks for trying to help, Jarrod. Here’s the link for the fan you mentioned.
Thanks for removing the link to original post which actually provided a useful fix and instead swapping it to make it look like I’m shilling Amazon affiliate products, appreciate it.
Hi Jarrod,
1. If your objective was genuinely to help, the only thing useful about your comment is the fan model. Anyone who can operate a screwdriver can figure out the rest.
2. Putting a link back to your website in the comment section is a common spamming practice, which is not allowed here.
3. All Amazon links on this website are converted to that of DKT, per the disclosure. But I edited the link out just now to make sure you’re not misunderstood.
And you’re welcome.
-Dong.
The Netgear XS508M is an alternative option for those looking at 8 port, 10gb switches. Been using one for a while now and happy with its performance. However I rarely push it to its maximum.
You canβt really push a 10Gbps switch to its limit unless you have a 10Gbps device for each of its port, Daniel. Thanks for sharing, I might check this switch out.
Agreed. I have currently have 3 PC’s with 10gbe NICS’s attached to it and a Synology NAS using a QNAP 5gbe USB adapter. The 10gbe switch connects up to both a regular gigabit switch for other devices and through to the 5gbe port on my RAX120.
So it is a mix of gig, 5gbe, and 10gbe. But transfers between the PC’s with 10gbe NIC’s is great.
Hi, Dong
Some guidance, if possible. Building a new home and I plan to put a Cat6 in almost every room (including garage), which gives me about 20-22 Cat6 ports. Is a combination of unmanaged switches, which would include multi-gig, recommended, or will a basic 24-gigabyte switch suffice (e.g., https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QDVSWX4/?tag=dkt-comment-20). Thank you,
Yes, you can mix Multi-Gig and Gigabit switches together, Brad. You can go with the latter for now (the one you linked will do — I’ve been using one for years) and change the switch out in the future. But if you want a Multi-Gig switch right now, this one is great (if you don’t care about the noise) or any of these.