Pricing Page 2

Switches are typically priced based on the number of ports they have: The more ports, the higher the price. Thus, you’re paying for the expansion capability in addition to more hardware and more technology. CNet’s switches seem to defy this pattern, and thus they are its key selling point.

On Tigerdirect.com, the standard Linksys 100/TX N-Way 24-port switch costs $529.99, while a CNet switch with the same features costs only $399.99, a difference of $120 dollars. The CNet switch costs nearly 25 percent less than the Linksys alternative yet has the same features, which makes it a viable alternative for enterprises looking for places to cut costs but not functionality.