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Protectli Vault Pro VP2420 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against firewalls at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max scores 7.3/10 overall, ahead of the Protectli Vault Pro VP2420 at 6.1/10.

The Protectli Vault Pro VP2420 leads on running costs.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max leads on throughput, ports and networking and software and features.

They score the same on security record.

The biggest difference is throughput, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max scores 9/10 to the Protectli Vault Pro VP2420's 5/10.

Protectli Vault Pro VP2420

Protectli Vault Pro VP2420

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The Protectli Vault Pro VP2420 suits homelabbers and small offices who want a four-port 2.5GbE box to run pfSense or OPNsense themselves. It fits people who care more about VPN speed, build quality and low power draw than heavy intrusion prevention. Buyers should check stock first, because the manufacturer says the VP2420e has replaced it.

Typically about £569 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

7.3/10verdict: buy

The UniFi Cloud Gateway Max is for people who want a compact router, firewall and IDS/IPS box running Ubiquiti's UniFi software. It suits a UK gigabit line or faster, thanks to a 2.5GbE WAN port and a vendor IDS/IPS figure of 2.3 Gbps. It is a better fit for existing or planned UniFi users than for anyone who wants non-proprietary software.

Typically about £272.40 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightProtectli Vault Pro VP2420Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Throughput25%5/109/10
Ports and networking20%7/108/10
Software and features20%6/107/10
Security record20%5/105/10
Running costs15%8/107/10
Overall6.1/107.3/10

Specifications

SpecProtectli Vault Pro VP2420Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Firewall / IPS throughputnot listed2.3 Gbps IDS/IPS (vendor figure; no separate firewall-only figure published)
Ports4x Intel I226-V 2.5G Ethernet RJ-45; 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A; console portFive 2.5G/1G/100M/10M RJ45 ports, one 2.5GbE WAN by default, up to four can be WAN; no SFP+ port listed
SoftwareNot a fixed OS; vendor states compatibility with a variety of operating systems including open source firewall projects; AMI or coreboot BIOSUniFi Application Suite (Network, Protect, Access, Talk, Connect); proprietary
VPN throughputpfSense WireGuard ~2250Mbps (vendor test; conflicts with the ~1200Mbps OPNsense WireGuard figure, test conditions not fully stated)not listed
ProcessorIntel Celeron J6412, 4 cores/4 threads, 2.0 GHz base, up to 2.6 GHz burst, 1.5M cache, AES-NI, VT-x/VT-dQuad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz
Memory1x SO-DIMM slot, DDR4-3200, max 32GB3 GB
Subscriptions neededNo paid subscription listed; 2-year factory warranty, extendablenot listed

Strengths and weaknesses

Protectli Vault Pro VP2420

  • + Four 2.5GbE Intel I226-V ports
  • + No paid subscription listed; two-year warranty
  • + Owners report strong power efficiency for the performance
  • − Owners report limited CPU headroom under heavy IDS/IPS
  • − Listed as out of stock; replaced by VP2420e
  • − One SO-DIMM slot, no SFP+ listed

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want heavy IDS/IPS inspection on a fast line
  • Anyone who needs SFP+ ports or a pre-installed firewall OS
  • Buyers planning several virtual machines on the same box
Read the full Protectli Vault Pro VP2420 review ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

  • + 2.3 Gbps IDS/IPS figure from the vendor
  • + Five 2.5GbE-capable ports, up to four usable as WAN
  • + Owners report roughly 8–10W idle draw
  • − No firewall-only throughput figure published
  • − Proprietary software; no SFP+ port listed
  • − Storage variants confuse buyers

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want non-proprietary firewall software
  • Anyone who needs an SFP+ port on the gateway itself
  • Buyers who need a documented firmware and advisory track record before purchase
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max review ›

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