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In 2025 network switches are still instrumental in providing seamless and reliable connectivity to homes, small businesses, and major corporations. With rapid development of technology, and the selection of the right network switch can improve network performance, security and scale. This guide discusses what to look for and highlights the best network switches in each group, so you can make the right decision.
Key Considerations to Choosing Network Switches
Before you start spending money on a network switch, take these key factors into account:
- Budget: Find out your financial means. Managed switches are usually more expensive but are more versatile than basic unmanaged switches.
- The Number and Speeds of Ports: Consider how many devices you’ll be connecting and the speeds necessary (Gigabit, Multi-Gig, or 10G).
- Network Switch Type: Managing your network manage the SM lights to your heart's content. Plug-and-play unmanaged switches are fine for basic networks.
- Power over Ethernet Requirement: If you need to power devices such as IP cameras or VoIP phones, go for a PoE switch.
- Switching Capacity and Forwarding Rate: Select a switch with enough bandwidth to accommodate the peak traffic of your network without interference.
- Scalability: Look to the future; modular or stackable switches allow for simple network expansion.
Best 5 Network Switches by Type (2025)
1. Overall Top 5 Network Switches
| Model | Key Features | Price Range |
| Cisco CBS350-8MGP-2X | Managed Layer 3, 8x Multi-Gig ports, 2x 10G SFP+, PoE+, fanless design, mobile app support | $500–$700 |
| TP-Link TL-SG3210XHP-M2 | Managed Layer 2+, 8x 2.5G ports, 2x 10G SFP+, PoE+, VLAN, QoS, ACLs | $300–$450 |
| Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 16 PoE | Managed Layer 2, 16x Gigabit ports, 8x PoE, UniFi Controller integration, compact design | $250–$350 |
| NETGEAR GS305 | Unmanaged, 5x Gigabit ports, plug-and-play, metal casing, energy-efficient | $25–$40 |
| TRENDnet TPE-TG380 | Unmanaged, 8x Gigabit ports, 4x PoE+, sturdy metal housing, fanless | $80–$120 |
2. Top 5 Budget-Friendly Network Switches
| Model | Ports | Features | Price |
| TP-Link TL-SG105 | 5 | Unmanaged, metal casing, energy-saving | $20 |
| NETGEAR GS305 | 5 | Unmanaged, plug-and-play, compact design | $25 |
| Linksys SE3005 | 5 | Unmanaged, QoS support, durable build | $30 |
| D-Link DGS-105 | 5 | Unmanaged, metal housing, fanless | $28 |
| TRENDnet TEG-S50g | 5 | Unmanaged, green technology, silent operation | $22 |
3. Top 5 PoE Network Switches
| Model | Ports | PoE Standard | Total PoE Budget | Price Range |
| Cisco Catalyst 9200 | 24 | PoE+ | 370W | $1,500–$2,000 |
| Ubiquiti UniFi Pro 24 | 24 | PoE+ | 400W | $500–$700 |
| NETGEAR GS728TPP | 24 | PoE+ | 384W | $400–$600 |
| TP-Link TL-SG1008P | 8 | PoE | 55W | $70–$100 |
| D-Link DGS-1210-10P | 10 | PoE+ | 130W | $150–$250 |
4. Top 5 Network Switches for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs)
| Model | Ports | Key Feature | Switching Capacity | Security Features | Price Range |
| Cisco CBS350-24T-4G | 24 | Managed Layer 3, 4x Gigabit SFP, PoE+, advanced QoS, VLAN support | 56 Gbps | ACLs, DoS prevention | $600–$800 |
| HPE Aruba 1930 24G | 24 | Smart Managed, 4x SFP, PoE+, intuitive web interface | 56 Gbps | Access control lists (ACLs) | $500–$700 |
| Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 24 | 24 | Managed Layer 2, 2x SFP, seamless UniFi integration | 52 Gbps | VLANs, guest control | $400–$600 |
| NETGEAR GS724TP | 24 | Smart Managed, 2x SFP, PoE+, advanced QoS, VLAN support | 52 Gbps | 802.1X, ACLs | $350–$500 |
| TP-Link TL-SG3428 | 24 | Managed Layer 2+, 4x SFP, PoE+, robust security features | 56 Gbps | IP-MAC-Port Binding, ACLs | $300–$450 |
5. Top 5 Network Switches for Large Enterprises
| Model | Ports | Key Features | Switching Capacity | Security Features | Price Range |
| Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series | 48 | Modular Layer 3, StackWise-480, advanced routing protocols, high-density 10G/40G ports | Up to 480 Gbps | TrustSec, MACsec encryption | $10,000–$15,000 |
| Juniper EX4650 | 48 | Layer 3, 25G/100G uplinks, Virtual Chassis technology, EVPN-VXLAN support | 1.6 Tbps | MACsec, dynamic ARP inspection | $8,000–$12,000 |
| Arista 7050X Series | 64 | High-density 10G/40G, ultra-low latency, advanced monitoring tools | 2.56 Tbps | Role-based access control | $9,000–$13,000 |
| HPE Aruba 8400 Series | 96 | Modular chassis, advanced analytics, high availability features | Up to 19.2 Tbps | Dynamic segmentation | $15,000–$20,000 |
| Extreme Networks X870 | 32 | 100G ports, scalable architecture, advanced telemetry | 6.4 Tbps | Policy-based automation | $12,000–$16,000 |
6. Extra: Notable Network Switches in APAC Region
| Brand | Model | Features | Suitable For | Price Range |
| Huawei | CloudEngine S6730-H | Managed L3, SDN support, advanced security | Medium-large enterprises | $800–$1,200 |
| Huawei | S5720 Series | Managed L2/L3, PoE+, stacking, VLAN | SMBs and enterprises | $400–$700 |
| Ruijie | RG-S5750-H | Managed L3, high availability, strong security | Medium-sized businesses | $600–$900 |
| Ruijie | RG-S2910 Series | Managed, PoE, easy setup, robust authentication | SMBs | $250–$500 |
Note: Prices are indicative and may vary based on the retailer and region.
Where to Buy Network Switches
You have a choice between buying network switches from these places:
Manufacturer Websites: Through Cisco, NETGEAR, TP-Link, etc.
Network-switch.com: Specializes in network gear among other things, offers a variety of switches.
Amazon.com: Browse through numerous options and read customer reviews.
Best Buy: Options to buy online and in store.
Home Depot: Sells home-networking equipment for home and office.
Crutchfield: For friendly customer service, and technical support.
Conclusion
The best network switch in 2025 for you will be determined by your particular requirements and budget. Taking port count, management, PoE needs, and scalability into account can help ensure your network installation will be reliable and effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the difference between a managed and unmanaged switch?
A: Managed switches offer more advanced options such as VLAN, QoS and SNMP, and can give network managers more control over their LAN traffic and options. Unmanaged ones are easy plug-and-play solutions.
Q2: Do I need PoE switch in my home?
A: PoE switch can be helpful if you have devices which need power over Ethernet, e.g. as IP cameras or VoIP phones.
Q3: Are inter-brand switch mixes allowed in my network?
A: Sure, but you need also match feature and protocol so you don't face configuration issues.
Q4: How many ports do I need to have?
A: Do a rough tally of the number of devices you intend on connecting, and tack on a couple more ports for future growth.
Q5: Why is the switching capacity so significant?
A: More switching capacity means the switch is capable of handling more data traffic, so there's less chance of interference.
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