Netgear ProSafe Smart Switch S3300-28X-PoE+ review

A really nice 10GbE platform that has a surprisingly high number of features for a switch in this price bracket, the ProSafe S3300 is easier than most to manage. Optional extras can be expensive, but that's common for this kind of product and, overall, it's very affordable.

We liked

The ProSafe S3300 delivers real enterprise-class networking in an affordable package that enables small to medium-sized businesses to exploit the benefits of 10GbE without breaking the bank. It's also easy to manage via the integrated browser interface and optionally supports both the 15w 802.3af (PoE) and 30w 802.3at (PoE+) standards, simplifying the deployment of things like wireless access points, PTZ CCTV cameras and IP phones.

We disliked

It's worth noting that the adapters needed to take advantage of the two SFP ports will bump up the price, in some cases quite considerably. Direct attach cables for stacking start at around £55 (around $82, or AU$103) according to length, but fibre optic transceivers can cost anywhere from £120 (around $178, or AU$225) to over £700 (around $1,048, or AU$1,315) depending on specification. Such costs, clearly, need to be taken into consideration when planning to buy this kind of switch.

Similarly, if you want to deliver maximum power over all the ports you need to add an optional RPS (Redundant Power Supply) which can add a further £500 (around $749, or AU$940) or more to the overall price.

Final verdict

A strong contender for small companies looking to build a new LAN or upgrade their networks to 10GbE, the ProSafe S3300 has all the right options in an affordable, easy to use and scalable package. Just watch out for the optional extras.