From a bird’s eye view, it isn’t hard to discern that the Sophos XGS 126 surpasses the capabilities of the XG 125. This can be seen from numerous angles, all of which can be found in the device specifications.
You also get the added benefit of Xstream protection with the XGS 126. The short version is that the XGS series comes with much more robust network security features compared to its predecessors, the XG series.
Although both models serve the same demographic of small to medium-sized companies, the XG 125’s end-of-life is coming next year. Whether you’re just getting started or looking for new firewall devices, this article should offer the transparency you need.
Finding the Advancements in Sophos XGS 126 vs XG 125
Whether you’re upgrading from the XG 125 or just trying to understand the difference, know that the XGS 126 is a bit stronger performance-wise. From higher through to advanced threat protection and improvements on internal hardware, the 126 is firewall security built for the coming years ahead.
Due to its feature set, it’s also a much more scalable option for business growth. The overall enhanced performance of the XGS series trumps XG in more ways than one. It’s also important to understand where advancements have been made so current XG users are ready to transition when the time comes.
What is the Sophos XGS 126?
This Sophos firewall is one that’s suitable for 50 to 100 users at any given time. On top of the impressive capabilities behind Xstream Protection, it’s a great starter firewall or upgrade for a growing small to mid-size operation.
Here are a few specs you should consider about the XGS 126 before making a decision:
- Firewall Throughput: 10,500 Mbps
- IPS Throughput: 2,600 Mbps
- Threat Protection Throughput: 900 Mbps
- Concurrent Connections: 5,000,000
- Xstream SSL/TLS Inspection: 800 Mbps
If these numbers don’t mean much to you, sizing them up against what the XG 125 is capable of will help to make sense of it all. Even though both Sophos firewall models cater to the same demographic, that doesn’t mean they come with the same performance.
What is the Sophos XG 125?
Coming from an entirely different series of Sophos firewalls, the XG 125 was once more than suitable. Although it’s still in use, that doesn’t mean it is going to be able to keep up with more modern needs in network security.
The list below gives a better visual of how the XGS 126 can be seen as an obvious upgrade:
- Firewall Throughput: 7,000 Mbps
- IPS Throughput: 1,530 Mbps
- Threat Protection Throughput: 400 Mbps
- Concurrent Connections: 1,570,000
- Xstream SSL Decryption: 170 Mbps
Although this information can definitely help simplify your decision-making, there are still several other factors that come into play. The specs can get pretty extensive, which is why a streamlined comparison can help for reference.
Comparisons Between Sophos XGS 126 vs XG 125
Whether you’re an expert or novice in network security, you never want to overlook the fine print in the specifications. The bullet points above are a great starting point, but a more comprehensive look at the info can help to avoid potential confusion. In the table below, you can see how the XGS 126 and XG 125 stack up in terms of firewall security capabilities and features.
While each model does share a few similarities, the XGS 126 comes out on top with the specs that truly matter. Once again, the XG 125 has served well and will continue to do so until its end of life in 2025, but the XGS series is meant to be the successor.
Let's Wrap Up
If you’re looking into the future growth of your organization, it’d be wise to look more into what the Sophos XGS 126 has to offer. It may not be as robust as the enterprise-level Sophos XGS 2100, for example, but the 126 works as a flexible choice for scaling down the road. If you ever feel stuck in finding what’s best for your network security, always remember the Firewalls team is here to help.