NetGear GS208 - TearDown

The GS208 is predominately plastic construction, which obviously is why the cost is quite low.  The PCB design seems ok, it's a decent board layout with some simple switching power supplies.

Main Cpu:  Realtek RTL8370N

Memory:  Serial EEPROM ATML H716

There isn't much too this at all, the 8370N is an all-in-one/ASIC/SOC that provides the 8-port Gigabit switch.  Everything else is just interface logic/converters.  

Not entirely sure of the actual eeprom size, as it seems hard to find any specs on that Atmel part..

Anyhow, I've also done a teardown of:

Cisco SG110-08  - 8 Port GigE

NetGear GS305-P  (5 port with POE)

I'll post project for these as well, but so far I see every switch in this 8-port consumer class using the SAME REALTEK 8370N part!   And the board designs are so so similar, see no reason to put one better than the other, unless of course you prefer a 'metal' case, that's really the only difference.

*** Note ***:  They DID indeed put a very generously sized heatsink on the 8370N CPU!  others did not have nearly this size heatsink