HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?

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HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?

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HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?
HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?
2021-05-06 16:02:54 - last edited 2022-11-29 03:24:00

Ok guys, help me out because I must be missing something.  It seems like a few things just occurred recently:

 

  1. TP-Link released the EP10, which appears to be a 15 Amp outlet that is actually smaller than any of the previous versions such as the HS103 or HS105.  It sells for less than either of the HS103 and HS105 on Amazon...
  2. TP-Link increased the HS103 Amp rating from 10 Amps to 15 Amps.  From the Techincal Specifications that you can view at the bottom of that page: Maximum Load: 15 Amps Resistive @ 120VAC for The New Version.  Doesn't that mean it's now the exact same as the HS105?

 

What am I missing here?  It also seems like the HS105 is now irrelevant since it is pricier than the HS103, and the Amp rating is now the same.   It also seems like the HS103 is irrelevant because the EP10 costs less, has the same 15 Amp rating, is smaller, and has the exact same functionality. 

 

What am I missing?

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Re:HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?-Solution
2021-05-18 06:33:04 - last edited 2022-11-29 03:24:10

@kda0000 Hello, 

Model EP10 is only sold in certain area & online channels.  It has the same software functions as HS103 / HS105 but differentiate in  appearance. 

HS103 V1& V2 supports Max Load 10Amps.

Personally it is recommended to choose the cheapest model according to price in local/ online stores. 

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Re:HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?-Solution
2021-06-09 01:59:23 - last edited 2022-11-29 03:24:00

@Doug-in-S.D.CA 

I ordered some of the EP10 and the HS103 units on Amazon - they both advertise as 15A. They arrived and all the markings on both in terms of amp ratings and everything are identical. Similarly, when I loaded them up, they worked identically with all the same functions and everything. Couple differences I'd mention are as follows:

 

1. The EP10 are nearly identical in length and height as the HS103, but are more shallow, so they stick out from the wall slightly less.

 

2. The EP10 appear to actually have a body that can come apart because they have a single screw in them on the back, whereas there are no screws on the HS103. I wouldn't recommend taking either apart, and I'm not sure why you would, but it's a difference I noticed. 

 

3. The light on the EP10 is only on the side button, which is fairly small, and sorta recessed, whereas the lights on the HS103 are both on the button and on the edge lit portion on the end too (take a look and you'll see what I mean.)  Which you prefer will probably be preference. If you like being able to see the light indicating on / off while looking at it dead on, the HS103 does that. If you prefer not to see the light that way and/or you want as little light as possible when you turn the lights out, the EP10 would be what you want. 

 

4. I got the 4 packs of both to compare, and the EP10 came in a smaller box, as you'd expect. The EP10 box was in a more classic electronics packaging with the glossy plastic-like finish and color pictures / printing on it. The HS103 came in what seemed to be more environmentally friendly packaging because it had no painted glossy finish and color printing / pictures; instead it just the cardboard with black printing. Internally the packing was very similar.

 

5. After both being left on for a day without anything plugged into them, they were both warm, but not hot. Neither were noticably warmer than the other. 

 

That's really all I can think of, so the tl;dr is that these are essentially identical units besides the size and lights. 

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Re:HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?-Solution
2021-05-18 06:33:04 - last edited 2022-11-29 03:24:10

@kda0000 Hello, 

Model EP10 is only sold in certain area & online channels.  It has the same software functions as HS103 / HS105 but differentiate in  appearance. 

HS103 V1& V2 supports Max Load 10Amps.

Personally it is recommended to choose the cheapest model according to price in local/ online stores. 

Recommended Solution
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Re:HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?
2021-06-09 01:36:46

@Solla-topee 

What about the HS-103V5?

Solla-topee wrote

@kda0000 Hello, 

Model EP10 is only sold in certain area & online channels.  It has the same software functions as HS103 / HS105 but differentiate in  appearance. 

HS103 V1& V2 supports Max Load 10Amps.

Personally it is recommended to choose the cheapest model according to price in local/ online stores. 

 

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Re:HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?-Solution
2021-06-09 01:59:23 - last edited 2022-11-29 03:24:00

@Doug-in-S.D.CA 

I ordered some of the EP10 and the HS103 units on Amazon - they both advertise as 15A. They arrived and all the markings on both in terms of amp ratings and everything are identical. Similarly, when I loaded them up, they worked identically with all the same functions and everything. Couple differences I'd mention are as follows:

 

1. The EP10 are nearly identical in length and height as the HS103, but are more shallow, so they stick out from the wall slightly less.

 

2. The EP10 appear to actually have a body that can come apart because they have a single screw in them on the back, whereas there are no screws on the HS103. I wouldn't recommend taking either apart, and I'm not sure why you would, but it's a difference I noticed. 

 

3. The light on the EP10 is only on the side button, which is fairly small, and sorta recessed, whereas the lights on the HS103 are both on the button and on the edge lit portion on the end too (take a look and you'll see what I mean.)  Which you prefer will probably be preference. If you like being able to see the light indicating on / off while looking at it dead on, the HS103 does that. If you prefer not to see the light that way and/or you want as little light as possible when you turn the lights out, the EP10 would be what you want. 

 

4. I got the 4 packs of both to compare, and the EP10 came in a smaller box, as you'd expect. The EP10 box was in a more classic electronics packaging with the glossy plastic-like finish and color pictures / printing on it. The HS103 came in what seemed to be more environmentally friendly packaging because it had no painted glossy finish and color printing / pictures; instead it just the cardboard with black printing. Internally the packing was very similar.

 

5. After both being left on for a day without anything plugged into them, they were both warm, but not hot. Neither were noticably warmer than the other. 

 

That's really all I can think of, so the tl;dr is that these are essentially identical units besides the size and lights. 

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Re:HS103 vs HS105 vs EP10 - All 15 Amps? What's going on here?
2021-09-29 03:52:42
Really nice comparison. Thank you.
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