Zyxel GS1100-16EPS: Specs, Price, Pros & Cons
This review measures the Zyxel GS1100-16EPS against the full 22-spec sheet we track for Network Switches, comparing it like for like with the 2 other models in our database. It earns a VS Score of 35 out of 100 — the weighted result of every verified specification measured against the class average.
On the spec sheet it is strongest in design & power and weakest in management. Its clearest single advantage over the class average: more gigabit ports — 16 vs 13.33 (avg). Street prices currently start at $ 129.99 for the Zyxel GS1100-16EPS.
Category strengths
Where the Zyxel GS1100-16EPS beats the average
- More gigabit ports ?16 vs 13.33 (avg)
- Has fanless ?
- A lower power consumption ?157.9 W vs 249.77 W (avg)
- A higher MAC address table ?16 K vs 12 K (avg)
Where the Zyxel GS1100-16EPS trails the average
- Fewer 2.5G ports ?0 vs 2.67 (avg)
- A lower switching capacity ?32 Gbps vs 53.33 Gbps (avg)
- No VLAN support ?
- Fewer SFP/SFP+ ports ?0 vs 0.67 (avg)
- A lower PoE budget ?135 W vs 219.33 W (avg)
- A much lower forwarding rate ?23.8 Mpps vs 53.4 Mpps (avg)
- No link aggregation ?
- No cloud management ?
- No rack-mountable ?
Editor’s note
The GS1100-16EPS answers a question small offices and camera-heavy homes ask constantly: how do you power sixteen PoE devices without installing something that sounds like a server room? This switch is fanless — zero decibels, cooled through a vented steel chassis just 26 mm tall — and every one of its sixteen gigabit ports supplies PoE+, up to 30 W each. Silent sixteen-port PoE is genuinely uncommon; most rivals this dense cool themselves with a fan you will hear in a quiet room.
The number to check before buying is the budget: 135 W shared across the whole switch. That's about 8.4 W per port if everything draws at once — comfortable for IP cameras, VoIP phones and modest access points, but it will not run sixteen power-hungry Wi-Fi 7 APs or PTZ cameras simultaneously. Add up your actual device draws; if the total crowds 135 W, you want a bigger budget, not more ports.
The other defining fact: it's unmanaged, and completely so. No web page, no VLANs, no QoS settings — configuration is three physical DIP switches on the case for loop prevention, energy-efficient Ethernet and turning the port LEDs off. I consider that a feature in the right hands: nothing to misconfigure, nothing to patch, surge protection and a lifetime warranty on top. But if you plan to isolate cameras on their own VLAN, this is the wrong tool — that's what smart-managed units like Netgear's GS108EPP tier exist for.
Two practical notes: the power comes from an external brick (that's what makes fanless possible — give it shelf space), and the box includes a wall-mount kit but no rack ears, unlike some of its non-PoE GS1100 siblings.
As plug-in-and-forget PoE for a quiet space, it's an easy recommendation at the right price.
Specifications
Quality bars are generated automatically against 2 other network switches.
Ports
The total number of Ethernet ports.
Ports running at 1 Gbps.
Multi-gig ports at 2.5 Gbps for fast NAS or Wi-Fi 6/7 access points.
Ports running at 10 Gbps.
Fibre uplink slots for long runs or 10G links.
Power over Ethernet
Ports that can power cameras, access points or phones over the cable.
The highest PoE standard supported; later delivers more power per port.
The total power available across all PoE ports.
Performance
The total internal bandwidth; enough capacity keeps every port at full speed.
How many packets per second the switch can process.
How many devices the switch can track (thousands of entries).
Larger frames improve throughput for NAS and backup traffic.
Management
Unmanaged switches are plug-and-play; managed ones add VLANs, monitoring and control.
Segment the network into isolated virtual LANs.
Combines ports into one faster trunk connection.
Prioritises voice and video traffic.
Keeps multicast streams (IPTV, cameras) from flooding every port.
Manage the switch remotely through a cloud controller (e.g. Omada, UniFi).
Design & power
No fan means silent operation for desks and living rooms.
A metal case dissipates heat better and lasts longer.
Fits a standard 19-inch equipment rack.
Maximum power draw; lower costs less to run 24/7.
How the VS Score works — and what it can’t tell you
Every measurable spec is scored against the average of all the Network Switches we track: matching the class average scores 50, clearly beating it climbs towards 100, and each spec counts according to an editorial weight that reflects real-world impact — a battery-capacity gap moves the score far more than a colour-options list. The quality bars on the spec cards above show where this model sits inside the full range for its class, and the overall VS Score rolls every weighted result into one number.
Unknown values are never estimated. A spec this product doesn’t report simply drops out of its scoring — it isn’t penalised with a guess — but a thinner spec sheet does mean a score built on fewer data points, which is why completeness is disclosed under About this data.
Most importantly: a spec-sheet lead is not the same as a better product. Megapixels, gigahertz and benchmark points describe capacity, not experience — image processing, software optimisation, thermals, haptics and ergonomics decide how a device actually feels, and no table captures reliability or long-term support quality. Treat the VS Score as a structured summary of what can be measured, not a substitute for your own priorities.
About this data
- Specifications are compiled from each manufacturer’s official spec sheet, cross-checked against trusted specification databases, and normalised into one schema so identical things are compared identically.
- Specifications last verified August 20, 2026.
- Data completeness: 20 of the 22 specs in this category are verified (91%). Anything we could not verify is shown as Unknown — never estimated — and is excluded from the score.
- Prices and availability come from live retailer feeds via our shopping partners and refresh throughout the day; a missing price means no partner currently lists the product, not that it is discontinued.
- Want the full picture? Our editorial guidelines explain how we research products, weight the scores and stay independent.
- Spotted an error in a spec? Tell us and we will correct the sheet.
Where to buy
Prices and availability may change. Check the retailer before buying. We may earn a commission on purchases.
Price history
Network Switches with similar specs to the Zyxel GS1100-16EPS
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The bottom line
The Zyxel GS1100-16EPS earns a VS Score of 35, trailing most of the 3 network switches we compare here, at least on the spec sheet.
- Who it’s for
- Camera-heavy homes and small offices that want sixteen PoE+ ports with zero noise and zero configuration: plug in, power devices, forget it exists. The lifetime warranty and surge protection suit install-and-walk-away jobs.
- Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs VLANs, QoS or any visibility into the network — unmanaged means none, ever — and dense high-draw deployments: sixteen hungry APs or PTZ cameras will blow through the shared 135 W budget.
- The trade-off that matters
- Port count versus power budget: sixteen 30W-capable ports share just 135 W (about 8.4 W each fully loaded), so it's built for many low-draw devices like cameras and phones, not a rack of power-hungry access points.
- The main alternative
- NETGEAR GS108EPP — half the ports but nearly the same budget (123 W), plus VLANs and QoS, for installs where a bit of management earns its keep.
The VS Score is generated automatically from the weighted specifications above, measured against all other network switches in our database. Treat it as a shortlisting guide — not a substitute for your own priorities.