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QNAP QSW-1105-5T 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 QNAP QSW-1105-5T at 5.8/10.

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

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini leads on management.

They score the same on port count and uplinks, poE and firmware and support.

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

QNAP QSW-1105-5T

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 (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

CriterionWeightQNAP QSW-1105-5TUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Port speeds30%7/105/10
Management20%3/108/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall5.8/106.1/10

Specifications

SpecQNAP QSW-1105-5TUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Ports5 ports5 RJ45 ports, 1GbE
Port speeds2.5GbE on all five ports; standards include 100BASE-T, 1000BASE-T and 2.5GBase-T10/100/1000 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 budgetNone; not a PoE switchNo PoE output; one port accepts 802.3af/at PoE input only
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedNone; RJ45 ports only, no SFP/SFP+
Switching capacitySwitching capacity 25Gbps; non-blocking throughput 12.5GbpsSwitching 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

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 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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