XikeStor SKS1200-8XGT Management
This is an unmanaged switch, so we do not have a management interface. Given what we found in our XikeStor SKS8300-8X Review, unmanaged is probably better from a security perspective.
XikeStor SKS1200-8XGT Performance
We just wanted to see how this performed.
Overall, this is fairly close to what we would hope to see. Of course, if you are looking for managed switch features, this performance is irrelevant. If, on the other hand, you just want to get devices like the Apple Mac Mini M4 with 10GbE, maybe a NAS like the TerraMaster F8-SSD Plus/ QNAP TBS-h574TX/ Asustor Flashstor 12 Pro FS6712X, an iKoolCore R2 Max and a few other 10GbE devices and have them all communicate at 10GbE speeds, this is all that you need.
XikeStor SKS1200-8XGT Power Consumption and Noise
In terms of power consumption and noise, this is not an ultra low power or fanless switch. At 10.3W idle, this is far from the lowest power switch, and it is significantly higher power than many of the SFP+ switches, but that is the cost of entry for 10Gbase-T.
We plugged in a cable and linking at 2.5GbE speeds added 1.7W which is more than we see on many low-cost 2.5GbE switches.
When we changed the other end of the cable to a 10Gbase-T port we saw power consumption rise to 13W.
Perhaps the bigger story is noise. In our 34dba noise floor studio this was not silent. It was closer to 37-38dba. That is not what one would call loud, but you will notice it. We wish these switches were near silent since they come with rubber rack feet so being desktop mounted is a use case that XikeStor considered.
Final Words
We have a number of folks that use XikeStor switches in the STH forums. Frankly, this one was about what we expected for an unmanaged 8-port 10GbE switch.
To us, the pricing is perhaps the big benefit. Eight ports for $199 on sale and even when not on sale for around $229 this is one of those switches that can let folks get to 10GbE at reasonable prices.
Where to Buy
We purchased our review unit on Amazon (Affiliate link.)
Article says:
“The 40mm fan is held in place by two screws. It is designed to pull air through the heatsinks and the chassis.”
Seeing how the label on that fan is facing THE INSIDE of the chassis and not the outside…
…methinks that fan is designed to force air into the chassis and across the switching board & power supply, exhausting out the opposite side.
I had already seen the fan blowing in but I missed the text saying the opposite!
The PCB is so small and the PSU so wimpy, this could go into the back of a server.
.Obviously there are 1001 different brands pumping out those generic 2.5GbE switches, all one-trck ponies.. but Zikestor isn’t one of them.
They’ve got an excellent ranges of switches, with just the-right features, at the-right price. Hell, they even made their own 10GbE mini-card for Synology’s devices, and sell it 1/3 the price!
Ive for several of their manager switches, and they are feature packing. I’m hoping to see this brand enter Western markets properly, especially if they can keep the pricing as honest as they do now..
I can’t comment on long term quality, but, I saved so much money, I could by a cold spare of each model and still have change when compared to Western brands.
Seems very nice! The power consumption is a bit high yes but I agree with that no mgmt is better than bad or insecure mgmt. Changing that fan seems imperative though.
Looks very similar to the yers old Dlink version. They both have same noise and need a hike drilled in top for a 10mm noctua fan. It’s also WAY to expensive if you import it to Europe and ends up almost more expensive than the existing several years old Dlink switch. Yet again nothing new or cheaper on the 10gig front…still way too expensive, noisy and power hungry