Yes you will need a switch that supports vlans if you want to use vlans ;) If all switches supported vlans then they wouldn't be called "dumb" switches ;) heheh
There are for sure different levels of "smart" and or what they called fully managed, etc. But to do vlans not sure I would call them smart for example. I had picked up a netgear gs108ev3 for like 30$ after rebate or something. And the switch in my av cab would bug out on me now and then, it was older gs108T netgear. It would work and work and work and then just nothing and would have to power cycle it.
So for 30$ what hell replace it.. While it does vlans - that is about it. No snmp, no sort of log even, can not even set the time on it.. no bells and whistles at all.. But it does do vlans, and can set speed on ports and enable igmp snooping, so while it might be "smart" compared to a dumb switch compared to my sg300 cisco I would say it has an iq of just above moron or idiot.. While the sg300 is bordering on genius level hehehe.
So if your going to get a new switch that does vlans, and you might want to play with other stuff in the future like like snmp, ipv6, lldp or cdp, private vlans, rmon, etc. etc. They you might want to spend a few more dollars on your switch, etc.