Selecting the right budget gigabit switch involves evaluating your needs and options carefully.
Selecting the right budget gigabit switch involves evaluating your needs and options carefully.
You're right about plastic having no direct impact. Based on my experience with over 100 switches, the model where the manufacturer invested in metal construction lasts significantly longer. Since most are produced in the same factory, it adds reliability to the technology. Personally, if I didn't need the ports, I wouldn't choose that option. It's an unknown brand, and it doesn't need to maintain a high reputation. It seems cheaply built, which suggests the internal quality isn't much better either. The specifications highlight the weaknesses of the plastic 8-port version—half the buffer capacity, lower compatibility, and no mention of MTBF. Also, it uses less power. Choosing an 8-port model would likely cause problems, as I've experienced. It's not worth anyone's time.
It's accurate, I've dealt with many switches. The cheapest 8-port model performed okay at first, but after some time certain ports stopped working, which actually reduces the value of having more ports. I'm gradually switching to smart-managed switches that support gigabit speeds, though a reliable brand without issues is perfectly fine too.