QNAP QSW-1105-5T vs Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 6.9/10 overall, ahead of the QNAP QSW-1105-5T at 5.8/10.

The QNAP QSW-1105-5T leads on noise and efficiency.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 leads on port speeds, management and port count and uplinks.

They score the same on poE and firmware and support.

The biggest difference is management, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 7/10 to the QNAP QSW-1105-5T's 3/10.

QNAP QSW-1105-5T

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

This switch is for people who want to move a small wired network from gigabit to 2.5GbE without any setup. It suits a desk, a home office or a homelab corner where noise matters and VLANs are not needed. Buyers who want management features, PoE or extra uplinks need a different model.

Typically about £93.14 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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

Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8

6.9/10verdict: buy

The UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 is for people who run a UniFi setup and want eight 2.5G ports in a small switch. It adds a 10G combo uplink, which suits a link back to a faster switch or router. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs PoE output, a CLI or a standalone web interface.

Typically about £150 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	QNAP QSW-1105-5T	Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Port speeds	30%	7/10	8/10
Management	20%	3/10	7/10
Port count and uplinks	15%	5/10	8/10
Noise and efficiency	15%	9/10	6/10
PoE	10%	5/10	5/10
Firmware and support	10%	5/10	5/10
Overall		5.8/10	6.9/10

Specifications

Spec	QNAP QSW-1105-5T	Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Ports	5 ports	8 access ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M) plus one 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink
Port speeds	2.5GbE on all five ports; standards include 100BASE-T, 1000BASE-T and 2.5GBase-T	Access ports 2.5G/1G/100M/10M; uplink RJ45 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M; SFP+ 10G/1G
Management	Unmanaged	Spec sheet lists management interface as Ethernet only; managed through the UniFi console, and a reviewer of the PoE variant reports no web UI
PoE budget	None; not a PoE switch	No PoE output; powered by USB-C 5V DC 3A or PoE+ input
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	not listed	One 10G SFP+ port (10G/1G) and one 10 GbE RJ45 port, as a combo uplink
Switching capacity	Switching capacity 25Gbps; non-blocking throughput 12.5Gbps	60 Gbps switching capacity, 30 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 45 Mpps forwarding rate
Cooling	Fanless	not listed

Strengths and weaknesses

QNAP QSW-1105-5T

+ 2.5GbE on all five ports
+ Fanless, and owners praise how quiet it is
+ Plug-and-play, with no configuration needed
− Unmanaged, so no VLANs or traffic control
− No PoE and no separate uplink ports listed
− Owners complain about cost per 2.5GbE port

Skip it if:

Buyers who need VLANs or other management features
Anyone who needs PoE for access points or cameras
Homelabbers who want more than five ports or faster uplinks

Read the full QNAP QSW-1105-5T review ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8

+ Eight 2.5G access ports
+ 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink
+ Small and light, with flexible power options
− No PoE output
− Needs UniFi console; no CLI or SSH reported
− Owners report limited features, no aggregation

Skip it if:

Buyers who need PoE output to power access points or cameras
Admins who want CLI, SSH or a standalone web interface
Anyone who needs link aggregation or several 10G uplinks

Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 review ›

More comparisons

Compare all network switches · Best network switches