Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head

TP-Link TL-SG108-M2 8-Port 2.5G Desktop Switch vs TRENDnet TEG-S350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G Switch

Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Network Switches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.

The TL-SG108-M2 gives you eight multi-gig ports, a fanless metal case and a published capacity that leaves no port oversubscribed, with no configuration to do. The TEG-S350 does the same job in five ports and under 10 W if your desk is smaller than your ambitions.

TP-Link TL-SG108-M2 8-Port 2.5G Desktop Switch

TP-Link TL-SG108-M2 8-Port 2.5G Desktop Switch

Buy it

Eight 2.5GbE ports, no fan, no menus, and a published switching capacity that covers every port at once.

  • TP-Link publishes both a 40 Gbps switching capacity and a 29.8 Mpps forwarding rate, which is full rate for all eight 2.5G ports.
  • Listed as fanless with a metal casing, and rated at 15.6 W maximum power and 53.4 BTU/h heat dissipation.
  • Every port runs 100M, 1G or 2.5G under IEEE 802.3bz, so older gigabit gear plugs in without thought.
  • TP-Link's spec sheet lists no management interface, so there are no VLANs, no port mirroring and no traffic stats.
  • No PoE on any port, so cameras and access points still need their own supplies or an injector.
  • There is no SFP or 10G uplink, so a fast NAS is capped at 2.5G.
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TRENDnet TEG-S350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G Switch

TRENDnet TEG-S350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G Switch

Buy it

Five 2.5G ports in a metal box that draws under ten watts and has nothing to configure.

  • Published 25 Gbps switching capacity and 18.6 Mpps forwarding rate at 64-byte packets, which covers all five ports.
  • The spec sheet has an explicit Fan and Acoustics line that reads fanless, and a 9.5 W maximum consumption.
  • Sturdy metal housing, wall mountable, and TRENDnet lists it as NDAA and TAA compliant with a lifetime warranty.
  • Five ports goes quickly once a router, a NAS, a console and a desktop are plugged in.
  • The current v2.0R sheet lists a 4K MAC address table, smaller than the 16K on several rivals.
  • No PoE, no SFP, no management, and no 10G uplink of any kind.
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Side by side

TP-Link TL-SG108-M2 8-Port 2.5G Desktop SwitchTRENDnet TEG-S350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G Switch
Our verdictBuyBuy
Best forThe household or small office that wants every port faster than gigabit and does not want a configuration page.A desk, a media cabinet or a bedroom where you need to split one wall port four ways at 2.5G and forget about it.
Price tier$$ · mid-range$ · budget

The bottom line

Our overall pick is the TP-Link TL-SG108-M2 8-Port 2.5G Desktop Switch - Eight 2.5GbE ports, no fan, no menus, and a published switching capacity that covers every port at once. Choose the TRENDnet TEG-S350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G Switch instead if a desk, a media cabinet or a bedroom where you need to split one wall port four ways at 2.5G and forget about it.

Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Network Switches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).