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NETGEAR GS308E vs Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G scores 6.3/10 overall, ahead of the NETGEAR GS308E at 6.2/10.

The NETGEAR GS308E leads on port count and uplinks and noise and efficiency.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G leads on port speeds and firmware and support.

They score the same on management and poE.

NETGEAR GS308E

NETGEAR GS308E

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The NETGEAR GS308E is for people who want a small, silent eight-port Gigabit switch with basic VLAN support. It suits homes, bedrooms and desks where a fan would be a nuisance and plug-and-play setup matters. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs PoE, faster than Gigabit ports or deep Layer 3 management.

Typically about £24.97 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

UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

6.3/10verdict: good, not the best

The UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G is for people who run UniFi gear and want multi-gig speeds on a small five-port switch. It suits a home office or homelab that needs a few 2.5GbE devices linked and managed from the UniFi Network application. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs PoE output, more than five ports or fibre uplinks.

Typically about £52.99 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

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightNETGEAR GS308EUbiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G
Port speeds30%6/107/10
Management20%7/107/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/104/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%4/105/10
Overall6.2/106.3/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS308EUbiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G
Ports8 x Gigabit RJ45, no 10G port5 x 2.5 GbE RJ45 ports
Port speeds8 x 1G ports, auto-negotiating; no 2.5G or 10G ports2.5G/1G/100M/10M per port
ManagementWeb-managed Easy Smart interface; VLAN, QoS, cable health check and loop preventionnot listed
PoE budgetNone (PoE ports and PoE budget N/A)not listed
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedNone; no SFP/SFP+ uplink ports
Switching capacity16Gbps bandwidth25 Gbps switching capacity, 12.5 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 19 Mpps forwarding rate, 256 VLANs, 4,000 MAC addresses
CoolingFanless (0 fans, 0 dBA at 25°C)Fanless (retailer listing; not on manufacturer spec page)

Strengths and weaknesses

NETGEAR GS308E

  • + Fanless, with 0 dBA listed
  • + Web-managed with VLAN, QoS and loop prevention
  • + Plug-and-play setup; maximum draw of 3.7W
  • − Gigabit only, with no 2.5G or 10G ports
  • − Owners criticise firmware update frequency and process
  • − Layer 2 only, modest web UI and no mobile app

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE for access points, cameras or phones
  • Anyone with 2.5GbE or 10GbE devices or who wants SFP uplinks
  • People who need advanced Layer 3 features or a polished management UI
Read the full NETGEAR GS308E review ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

  • + All five ports run 2.5GbE
  • + Managed through UniFi Network, with 256 VLANs
  • − Only five ports
  • − No PoE output
  • − No SFP or SFP+ uplink

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE output for access points or cameras
  • Anyone who needs more than five ports or SFP/SFP+ uplinks
  • Users who want advanced layer 2 or layer 3 switching features
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G review ›

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