TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch 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 TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch at 6.2/10.

The TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch leads on noise and efficiency and firmware and support.

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.

TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The TP-Link LS1005G is for anyone who needs a few more wired Ethernet ports without any setup. It suits a desk, media cabinet or small homelab corner where gigabit is enough and VLANs are not needed. Buyers who want management features, PoE or faster links should look at other switches.

Typically about £9.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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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	TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch	Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Port speeds	30%	6/10	8/10
Management	20%	6/10	7/10
Port count and uplinks	15%	6/10	8/10
Noise and efficiency	15%	8/10	6/10
PoE	10%	5/10	5/10
Firmware and support	10%	6/10	5/10
Overall		6.2/10	6.9/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch	Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Ports	5 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports, auto-MDI/MDIX	8 access ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M) plus one 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink
Port speeds	10/100/1000 Mbps per port, auto-negotiation	Access ports 2.5G/1G/100M/10M; uplink RJ45 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M; SFP+ 10G/1G
Management	Unmanaged, plug-and-play, no configuration needed	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	No PoE output; powered by USB-C 5V DC 3A or PoE+ input
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	None; RJ45 only, no SFP/SFP+ uplinks	One 10G SFP+ port (10G/1G) and one 10 GbE RJ45 port, as a combo uplink
Switching capacity	10 Gbps switching capacity, 7.4 Mpps packet forwarding rate	60 Gbps switching capacity, 30 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 45 Mpps forwarding rate
Cooling	Fanless	not listed

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch

+ Plug-and-play with no configuration
+ Fanless and reported as quiet
+ Two-year warranty from the UK seller
− Unmanaged: no VLANs or QoS
− Gigabit only, no SFP/SFP+ uplinks
− No PoE on any port

Skip it if:

Homelabbers who need VLANs, QoS or other management features
Buyers who want PoE for cameras or access points
Anyone who needs 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP/SFP+ uplinks

Read the full TP-Link LS1005G 5-Port Gigabit Switch 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 ›

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