The XS728T was incredibly expensive right after its release. However, its price has dropped significantly since, making it a very good deal for those companies looking to upgrade their network infrastructure by providing 10G speeds to their employees. All 10G switches compatible with plain copper cables have a big heads up over those only compatible with fiber optic cables as there is no need to change the existing cable infrastructure unless low quality cables or ones that are too long to support 10G speeds are used. 10G Ethernet cards are still expensive, though, and SFP+ compatible network adapters are much cheaper. You should decide on whether to buy a 10GBASE-T switch or one with fiber modules only after taking a thorough look at your company's networking equipment and infrastructure. While there is Netgear's XS728T flagship, Netgear's ProSAFE family also includes a lower-end model with twelve ports. The XS712T looks like an ideal choice for enthusiasts looking to upgrade their network's speeds as its only downside is that it doesn't have a real web interface like its bigger brother. You have to use an application to access all of its settings instead, and the app is only Windows compatible as of now, which leaves those with Linux machines out of the picture.

The XS728T is a richly featured switch for business environments that will connect clients to the network's backbone for up to 10G speeds. It can also take on a more central role in smaller environments since its 28 ports provide a fair bit of flexibility and functionality. Its build quality is top notch, which is as expected as it is a product that is covered by a lifetime warranty. It also isn't as noisy as I thought it would be, although its fans' bearings produce enough noise at low speeds to be mildly annoying. I would like to see an on/off switch on such a product as it could prove useful in a few situations. I am fully aware of the fact that networking equipment is usually connected to a power strip with an on/off switch, and while such a setup would allow you to easily power off many of your items at once, you might find yourself in a situation where you'd only want to turn off the switch itself. As such, I am a huge supporter of an on/off switch on an electronics device. The XS728T is a high quality product for businesses and not plain users. Given its high-quality PSU – the most important part in a product that will have to operate around the clock – I expect it to operate flawlessly for many years in a row. Its cooling fans are also of incredible quality, and their ball-bearings and the low speeds these fans operate at under normal operating conditions will ensure that they will last for a very long time.

The most sensitive parts in a system are its power supply and moving parts, which would include the cooling fans. With the XS728T, both of those are comprised of high quality parts to ensure you won't have to worry about their reliability should you make the purchase, and there is Netgear's lifetime warranty for some additional peace of mind to consider. Should you want a smaller switch for your home network, there is Netgear's XS712T to look at as its feature set is just as comprehensive even though it can be had for much less.