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Yesterday Zyxel launched two new switches that offer multi-gig copper ethernet designed to help small and medium businesses achieve greater network flexibility and take full advantage of the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology.
While 10G ethernet has been out for a long time it has had glacially slow adoption rates thanks to the exorbitantly expensive hardware.
That is still true, but we are starting to see more options, prices are not dropping much but we seem to be getting more for our money.
Currently the unmanaged Netgear XS508M is about the cheapest 8-port multi-gig switch you will get. There have been very few multi-gig options in the cloud managed space.
Pricing
Official pricing has now been confirmed:
| Product | Product information | Price including VAT |
| XS1930-10 | XS1930-10, 8-port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed Switch with 2 SFP+ Uplink | £370.00 |
| XS1930-12HP | XS1930-12HP, 8-port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed PoE Switch 375Watt 802.3BT, 2 x 10GbE + 2 x SFP+ Uplink | £834.90 |
Ubiquiti Options
Home Lab favourites, Ubiquiti have just two products the 16 Port 10G US-16-XG Aggregation Switch with four 10G RJ45 ports priced at around £615 or the 6-port US-XG-6POE with four 10G POE ports at around £650.
Currently I am not aware of any other moderately affordable cloud managed switches offering 10Gb RJ45 ports.
Zyxel XS1930 10-Port Multi gig
Not many places have the Zyxel XS1930 in stock but Reichelt state the cheapest model will be just £402 and that includes eight 10Gb RJ45 ports and two 10Gb SFP+ ports. This model lacks POE, so not much use if you want to use it for the fancy Wi-Fi 6 access points Zyxel sell.
While Reichelt list it as £402, the official price is £370
XS1930-12HP with 802.3bt (PoE++) is not that affordable
Unfortunately the POE option comes with a much higher price tag, though pricing needs to be confirmed as I can only find some obscure European websites listing it.
This is priced at £834.90 but it includes a healthy 375 Watt POE budget
Full Press Release
Zyxel Networks, a leader in delivering secure, AI and cloud-powered home and business solutions, today launches the new XS1930 series 10/12-port Multi-Gigabit Smart Managed Switch, designed to help small and medium businesses achieve greater network flexibility and take full advantage of the latest WiFi 6 technology.
Although the roll-out of the new WiFi 6 standard boasts a lot of benefits for businesses, including faster speeds and better connectivity, it also puts a greater strain on existing bandwidth capabilities. Multi-Gigabit network switches are key to delivering a reliable network backbone to help companies unlock the full potential of WiFi 6 when they’re ready for the upgrade.
Light up the speed
Most gigabit switches typically only provide either 1G or 10G link speeds, limiting the flexibility when looking to add 2.5G or 5G devices for new applications. Zyxel’s latest Multi-Gigabit switch, the XS1930 Series, supports variable speeds – from 100M, 1G, 2.5G, 5G to 10G – to best suit the applications and devices that require various network speeds in SMB offices. When upgrading to the XS1930, businesses can use their existing cables to best utilise the previous network investment and also be well prepared for future network expansion.
Having devices of various speeds, cable length, and cable quality in a network often results in mixed performance that makes it hard to tell the actual speed of each connection. The XS1930 series features the industry’s first five-colour LED design, which flashes one colour per speed to help network administrators easily identify the actual network performance. This makes it easier to recognise port speed by colours, with the maintenance indicators much more intuitive and user-friendly.
The growing adoption of mobile, IoT and WiFi 6 devices and their diversified applications have also raised the bars of power requirements on the network backbone. The XS1930-12HP supports the latest IEEE 802.3bt (PoE++) standard, with a large power budget of up to 375W to accommodate the high-power requirement needed by most WiFi 6 devices.
“SMBs now face an increasing demand of wireless bandwidth for daily operations, and the migration to WiFi 6 further accelerates this trend. Upgrading to a better performing WiFi network without compromising the solid backbone services can be challenging, and our new Multi-Gigabit Switches are designed to bring the network performance you need with investment protected.” comments Crowley Wu, Vice President of Zyxel Networks’ Networking SBU.
The XS1930 series also integrates with Zyxel NebulaFlex, giving users the flexibility to switch between standalone mode and Zyxel’s Nebula cloud. Current Nebula users can reap the full benefits of WiFi 6 with a complete solution range from the wireless edge to the backbone.
With the high bandwidth and large power budget that the XS1930 Switch offers, it can operate at 28-50 dBA – which is almost silent, making it ideal for small offices, boutique hotels, hostels or public-facing businesses. The XS1930 series includes 2 models, the XS1930-10 with 8 Multi-Gig ports and 2 Fiber uplinks and the XS1930-12HP with 8 Multi-Gig PoE ports, 2 Multi-Gig ports and 2 Fiber uplinks.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
