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TP-Link TL-SG1005LP vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The TP-Link TL-SG1005LP and Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini both score 6.1/10 overall.

The TP-Link TL-SG1005LP leads on port speeds, noise and efficiency and poE.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini leads on management.

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

The biggest difference is management, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini scores 8/10 to the TP-Link TL-SG1005LP's 5/10.

TL-SG1005LP

TP-Link TL-SG1005LP

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SG1005LP is for anyone who wants a small, unmanaged Gigabit switch that also powers a few PoE devices. It suits a desk, shelf or cupboard setup where silence matters and VLANs are not needed. It is less suited to anyone who needs management features, faster ports or fibre uplinks.

Typically about £29.99 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

CriterionWeightTP-Link TL-SG1005LPUbiquiti 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%7/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall6.1/106.1/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG1005LPUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Ports5x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45; ports 1-4 are PoE+5 RJ45 ports, 1GbE
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps on all five ports; no 2.5GbE or 10GbE port listed10/100/1000 Mbps per port
ManagementUnmanaged, plug-and-play; no web UI, VLAN or SNMP listedUniFi Network Controller management with VLAN support (1,000 VLANs), port isolation, mirroring and rate limiting; requires UniFi Network 5.12.5 or later
PoE budget802.3af/at on ports 1-4, up to 30 W per port, 40 W total budgetNo PoE output; one port accepts 802.3af/at PoE input only
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)None listed; all five ports are RJ45None; RJ45 ports only, no SFP/SFP+
Switching capacitySwitch capacity 10 Gbps; MAC table 2K; packet buffer 1 Mbit; jumbo frame 9 KB (V4) or 16 KB (V3)Switching capacity 10 Gbps; 5 Gbps non-blocking throughput; 7 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanless; max heat dissipation 159.46 BTU/hHeat dissipation 6.824 BTU/hr (excluding PoE output); no fan listed on manufacturer page

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link TL-SG1005LP

  • + Four PoE+ ports at up to 30 W each
  • + Fanless design
  • + Plug-and-play with no setup
  • − Gigabit only; no 2.5GbE or 10GbE
  • − 40 W total PoE budget is shared
  • − No web UI, VLAN or SNMP

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs, a web UI or SNMP monitoring
  • Anyone who needs 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP uplinks
  • Buyers whose PoE devices draw more than 40 W combined
Read the full TP-Link TL-SG1005LP 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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