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NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini scores 6.1/10 overall, ahead of the NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch at 6.0/10.

The NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch leads on port speeds, noise and efficiency and firmware and support.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini leads on management.

They score the same on port count and uplinks and poE.

The biggest difference is management, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini scores 8/10 to the NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch's 5/10.

NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Essentials Switch (GS305v3)

NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

6.0/10verdict: good, not the best

The GS305v3 is for anyone who needs a few extra wired Gigabit ports with no setup. It suits a desk, a media cabinet or a small office where silence matters. It does not suit people who need VLANs, PoE, SFP uplinks or more than five ports.

Typically about £13.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

UniFi Switch Flex Mini

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The UniFi Switch Flex Mini is for people who run, or plan to run, a UniFi network and want a small managed switch. It offers five Gigabit ports, VLAN support and controller management in a 150 g fanless-listed box. It does not suit buyers who need PoE output, SFP uplinks or faster-than-Gigabit links.

Typically about £33 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at 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

CriterionWeightNETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Port speeds30%6/105/10
Management20%5/108/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.0/106.1/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Ports55 RJ45 ports, 1GbE
Port speedsGigabit (5 x 10/100/1000Mbps ports, Auto Uplink)10/100/1000 Mbps per port
ManagementUnmanagedUniFi Network Controller management with VLAN support (1,000 VLANs), port isolation, mirroring and rate limiting; requires UniFi Network 5.12.5 or later
PoE budgetNot applicable (PoE budget N/A)No PoE output; one port accepts 802.3af/at PoE input only
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedNone; RJ45 ports only, no SFP/SFP+
Switching capacityNon-blocking bandwidth 10 GbpsSwitching capacity 10 Gbps; 5 Gbps non-blocking throughput; 7 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanlessHeat dissipation 6.824 BTU/hr (excluding PoE output); no fan listed on manufacturer page

Strengths and weaknesses

NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

  • + Fanless and silent, as owners report
  • + Plug-and-play with no software or configuration
  • + Listed maximum draw of 2.34W, with 802.3az support
  • − Unmanaged, so no VLAN or QoS
  • − Only five ports and no SFP uplink
  • − Gigabit only, with no 2.5GbE or 10GbE

Skip it if:

  • Homelabbers who need VLANs, QoS or other management features
  • Buyers who need PoE to power access points or cameras
  • Anyone who needs more than five ports, SFP uplinks or links faster than Gigabit
Read the full NETGEAR GS305v3 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch review ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

  • + Controller management with up to 1,000 VLANs
  • + No fan listed; 2.5 W maximum power draw
  • + Small and light: 107 x 70 x 21 mm, 150 g
  • − Gigabit only, with no SFP or SFP+ uplink
  • − No PoE output to power other devices
  • − Needs UniFi Network 5.12.5 or later for management

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE output to power access points or cameras
  • Anyone who wants SFP/SFP+ uplinks or faster-than-Gigabit ports
  • People who do not want to run a UniFi controller
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini review ›

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